Claudia Montes, 41, San Diego, California, was sentenced to 20 months in prison and ordered to pay $1,337833.16 in restitution for her role as a straw buyer in a mortgage fraud scheme.
As previously reported by Mortgage Fraud Blog, Montes acted as a straw buyer along with Tad Lent, and Roderick Michener, all residents of San Diego.
In addition, Montes, a former notary public, notarized the signatures of other straw buyers on the loan applications.
On April 12, 2013, Montes pleaded guilty to a two-count information before Magistrate Judge William McCurine, Jr. She admitted conspiring with Kathryn Sylvester, San Diego, to submit false loan applications to lenders to obtain the properties and transferring proceeds to Sylvester.
Montes was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Janis L. Sammartino on February 14, 2014.
