Mortgage Fraud Blog is the premier website for news and information on mortgage fraud and real estate fraud throughout the United States.
Rachel Dollar, the editor of Mortgage Fraud Blog, is an attorney and Certified Mortgage Banker who handles litigation for lending institutions and secondary market investors. She is an author and a nationally recognized speaker on the topic of mortgage fraud. Ms. Dollar is a shareholder with the law firm of Smith Dollar, PC, is licensed to practice law in California and maintains offices in Santa Rosa, California. Email Ms. Dollar
Mortgage Fraud Blog is co-sponsored by Interthinx the leading provider of fraud services and solutions for the mortgage industry.
Virginia Man Sentenced to 240 Months for Mortgage Fraud
Richard Garries, 45, Newport News, Virginia, has been sentenced to 240 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release, for charges related to an elaborate mortgage fraud scheme. He was also ordered to pay more than $900,000 in restitution.
As previously reported on Mortgage Fraud Blog, in May of 2009, Garries was convicted on 24...
Man Admits to Theft of More Than $400,000 from Lenders
Micah John Beaumia, 29, Alexandria, Minnesota, has pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering for to concealing more than $400,000 in payments to himself and others from mortgage loan proceeds. He entered his plea in Minneapolis before United States District Court Judge James Rosenbaum. As previously reported on...
U.S. Files Civil Suit to Enjoin Fraud in Government Insured Mortgage Loans
Ideal Mortgage Bankers, Ltd. d/b/a/ Lend America, a mortgage lender located in Melville, Long Island, is the subject of a civil complaint seeking a court-ordered injunction to prevent the company from making loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration ("FHA"). The complaint, filed in federal court in Central Islip, also seeks relief...
Barry C. Westergom, 60, Jacksonville, Florida, pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit wire and bank fraud. Westergom faces a maximum penalty of thirty years in federal prison and a fine of $1million.
According to court documents, the charges arise out of Westergom's involvement in a scheme in which a co-conspirator, Juan Carlos Gonzalez,...
Man Indicted for “Safe Harbour Foundation” Foreclosure Rescue Scam
Peter James Porcelli, II, a/k/a "Peter James", 57, Pinellas County, Florida, has been indicted and charged with mail fraud. If convicted, Porcelli faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The indictment also notifies Porcelli that the United States intends to seek forfeiture of $1.16 million, an amount equal to the alleged proceeds...
6 Charged in Mortgage Scheme Aimed at Defrauding Lender
Six individuals located in the New York City area were charged in a criminal complaint with defrauding Flaherty Funding, a mortgage company located in Rochester, New York:
Manre Ebhomielen has been charged with mail fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy; Tyshe Bankston, Merrick Henry and Val Taylor have been charged with mail fraud and conspiracy;...
New Law Prohibits Up-front Fees for Foreclosure Relief Services
California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. issued a consumer alert warning California homeowners to avoid individuals and businesses that charge up up-front fees for foreclosure relief services in light of a just-enacted state law that makes this "abusive practice" subject to prosecution.
"Over the past two years, unscrupulous attorneys and...
41 Charged Across New York for Wide Scale Mortgage Fraud
Charges have been unsealed against 41 defendants, in eight separate cases, for allegedly engaging in various mortgage fraud scams that collectively defrauded lenders out of more than $64 million in home mortgage loans on more than 100 properties across New York State. Among those charged are six lawyers, seven loan officers, three mortgage...
Sabrina Weinberg, 44, Bethesda, Maryland, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz to two years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for mail fraud arising from a multi-million dollar mail fraud scheme to purchase numerous properties in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC, using fraudulent mortgage and loan...
Stephanie Meyer, 38, Simpsonville, South Carolina, was charged in a three-count Indictment with making false statements to financial institutions, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1014.
Meyer pled guilty in federal court last February 2009, to defrauding two banks by creating phantom balances with bogus checks. While on bond...
Kara McIntosh, 47, Bethesda, Maryland, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz to three years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for mail fraud arising from the fraudulent purchase of properties in Maryland and the District of Columbia using false mortgage documents. Judge Motz also entered a restitution order...
2 Arrested for Mortgage Scam Involving Senior Citizen
Thomas F. Gentile, 56, and Julio C. Martinez, 61, both of Las Vegas, Nevada, have been arrested on multiple charges of theft, mortgage fraud, identity theft and forgery. An arrest warrant has been issued for a third suspect, Justin M. Sabo, 30, Huntington Beach, California, whose whereabouts are unknown at this time. The charges stem from the...
Mortgage Broker Extradited From Jamaica Gets 5+ Years
Yvette Scott Patterson, a mortgage broker that fled to Jamaica and was eventually extradited back to the US, was sentenced on federal charges in connection with "Operation Whose House."
U.S. District Judge William Dimitrouleas at the Fort Lauderdale Federal Courthouse sentenced Patterson to a term of 70 months in jail, 3 years supervised...
Cindy Tilley Greer, 51, Clarendon, North Carolina, was sentenced by United States District Judge W. Earl Britt to 36 months' imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release. A day later, on October 6, 2009, Stanley Garfield Williams, Jr., 38, Bolivia, North Carolina, received 70 months' imprisonment followed by five years supervised...
U.S. Attorney Targets White-Collar Crime Wall Street Journal
In San Francisco, Mr. Russoniello said he is trying to crack down on cases like mortgage fraud, though he doesn't have the budget to hire additional white-collar prosecutors.
Arrests Made in Orlando Mortgage Fraud Roundup MyFoxOrlando.com
During the real estate boom two years ago, some units were going for a half million dollars. Now some are short selling for just 50 grand.
10 Accused of Mortgage Fraud at PR Coastal Resort Forbes
A developer and nine other people, including a former salsa singer, have been charged in an alleged $14 million mortgage fraud in Puerto Rico...
Strodtman Jury Selected in Mortgage Fraud Trial Greeley Tribune
Attorneys will deliver opening statements this morning in the trial of Mark Strodtman, who is accused of bilking homeowners in a mortgage scheme years ago.
FHA Digging Out After Loans Sour Wall Street Journal
Most banks rejected Ms. DeForte because her debt level was too high and her credit score too low. But Lend America put Ms. DeForte into a $402,000 loan backed by the Federal Housing Administration...
Mortgage Fraud Probe Nets 105 Across State Bradenton Herald
At least one local man is among 105 people arrested across the state following a nine-month investigation into organized mortgage fraud.
Mortgage Fraud Increases MortgageRates.co.nz
The number of frauds involving professional advisors, such as accountants and lawyers, has increased from two to four since March 2008.
Trial coverage provided by Anne Mitchell, Crazy Fish Realty.
F. Jeffrey Miller Update - October 20, 2009
A hearing was held in Topeka, Kansas in front of Judge Julie Robinson. Miller is currently being held pending his sentencing which is set for December 22nd, 2009 at 9:00 a.m.. Steve Vanatta and Hallie Irvin, Miller's codefendants, will be sentenced at that time also.
Several motions were heard this week. One was a motion for Miller to be released pending his sentencing. Miller's attorney, Jeff Morris, argued that the court had dismmissed with predjudice the matter involving Miller's purchase of a commercial lawnmower, violating the court ordered monitoring agreement. He also argued that Miller was not a flight risk and should be released. This motion was denied.
Another motion heard by Judge Robinson was that of an escrow account containing proceeds from the sale of Miller's forfeited assets. This account has a balance of $143,000. Attorney Morris argued that his firm was due $100,000 for work done in the Miller matter, to date. The government argued that his 'un-itemized fees' were 'exhorbitant'. The balance of the funds, Morris argued, should be released to the Miller family to help pay for mounting household expenses.
The government argued that the 'Asset Forfeiture Provision' applies down to 'the last penny' and that 'the rights of the victims to made whole are of paramount immportance' and that no routine household expenses like Visa bills, are allowed.
Attorney Morris argues that there is more than enough assets to satisfy the jury's judgement of $2.65 million dollars. The government argues that the estimated value of his assets are only $1.4 million.
The government also stated that Miller has been paid dividends from a company Miller has an ownership interest in; Boreflex. From July, 2008 to present, Miller has been paid $330,509.30 from Boreflex, unbeknownst to the court appointed monitor.
Present in the courtroom was Todd Earnshaw. Earnshaw was indicted along with Miller and others in what is commonly referred to as 'Miller I'. That trial is scheduled to begin on January 11, 2010 in Topeka, Kansas.
Legal Disclaimer.
The information and notices contained on Mortgage Fraud Blog are intended to summarize recent developments in mortgage fraud cases and mortgage banking matters nationwide. The posts on this site are presented as general research and information and are expressly not intended, and should not be regarded, as legal advice. Much of the information on this site concerns allegations made in civil lawsuits and in criminal indictments. All persons are presumed innocent until convicted of a crime. Readers who have particular questions about mortgage banking, mortgage fraud matters or who believe they require legal counsel should seek the advice of an attorney. The creators, editors and sponsors of Mortgage Fraud Blog do not intend to create a confidential relationship or an attorney-client relationship by communication via or arising from this site.
Rachel Dollar, the editor of Mortgage Fraud Blog, is an attorney and Certified Mortgage Banker who handles litigation for lending institutions and secondary market investors. She is an author and a nationally recognized speaker on the topic of mortgage fraud. Ms. Dollar is a shareholder with the law firm of 
