David Gotterup, also known as “David Gott,”, 35, Oceanside, New York, and Jason Green, 35, Oceanside, New York, were charged in an eleven-count indictmenet with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud, and bank fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud homeowners who were attempting to modify their mortgage loans, and related mail fraud counts. The indictment also charged Gotterup with conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud in connection with a scheme to improperly obtain mortgage loans, and related bank fraud counts, disaster loan fraud, and aggravated identity theft. Continue Reading…
Michael R. Anderson, 46, attorney, Framingham, Massachusetts, was sentenced to two years in prison, two years of supervised release, and ordered to pay $11,048,212 in restitution and forfeit $7,413,712 in connection with a multi-year, multi-property mortgage fraud scheme in Dorchester and Roxbury, Massachusetts. In January 2011, Anderson pleaded guilty to sixteen counts of wire fraud, nine counts of bank fraud, and two counts of engaging in unlawful monetary transactions. Continue Reading…
A 31-year-old Costa Mesa woman was sentenced Monday to nearly six years in federal prison for operating a foreclosure rescue fraud scheme that targeted homeowners with bogus promises of mortgage relief.
Najia Jalan was ordered to pay restitution of about $236,000 and serve three years of supervised release following her 70-month prison term, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Montgomery Joseph Isner, 47, Hagerstown, Maryland, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for bank fraud.
Isner misrepresented himself as the owner of a parcel of real property in Berkeley County, West Virginia in order to fraudulently obtain a loan in the amount of $60,000. Isner pled guilty in June 2015 to one count of “False Statement on Loan Application.” As part of the sentence, Isner was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $57,285.78.
The plea was announced by United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation led the inquiry. Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.
A 31-year-old Costa Mesa woman could be sentenced to federal prison today for running a foreclosure rescue fraud scheme that targeted homeowners with bogus promises of mortgage relief.
Najia Jalan faces between two and six years behind bars following her July guilty plea in Los Angeles to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft charges, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Timothy L. Ritchie, 44, Annapolis, Maryland, pleaded guilty to making false statements arising from a real estate closing.
Ritchie owned and operated Richland Homes, Inc., and was in the business of building, purchasing and selling homes.
According to his plea agreement, on July 7, 2005, Ritchie attended a residential closing for his purchase of three lots located at 24058 St. Michael’s Road, St. Michael’s, Maryland. John L. Davis, 55, real estate agent, Chestertown, Maryland, conducted the closing, and listed Ritchie on the HUD statement as the buyer/ borrower. The HUD statement falsely stated that Ritchie provided $1,153,937.23 in cash at the closing. In fact, Ritchie did not provide any funds to Davis at the closing. As a result of the false statement, Ritchie fraudulently obtained approximately $2,445,102 from a mortgage lender by wire transfer to fund the settlement.
Ritchie faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett scheduled his sentencing for January 14, 2016, at 10:00 a.m.
John L. Davis previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud arising from his participation in the scheme, and awaits sentencing. Davis admitted that the loss arising from his participation in the scheme is between $400,000 and $1 million.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Rene Febles of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General; and Special Agent in Charge Fran Mace, of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General. United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FHFA – OIG and FDIC – OIG for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin V. DiGregory and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen O. Gavin, who are prosecuting the case.
Randy Platfoot, 54, Clearwater, Florida, pleaded guilty to making false statements in mortgage loan applications.
According to court documents, between September 2005 and April 2007, Platfoot applied for two separate mortgage loans from Washington Mutual Bank, in connection with the purchase of properties in Myakka City, Florida, and Sarasota, Florida. In the loan documents that Platfoot signed and submitted to the bank, he made false statements about his income and about the lack of subordinate financing in connection with one of the properties. Washington Mutual Bank suffered financial losses after Platfoot defaulted on both loans.
Platfood faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. His sentencing is scheduled for December 18, 2015.
The announcement was made by United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation-Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.
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Denise Bruce, 56, Hingham, Massachusetts was indicted on five counts of bank fraud for defrauding mortgage companies in connection with multiple mortgages she obtained on a single residence
According to the indictment, between 2004 and 2008, Bruce fraudulently obtained five mortgage loans from different banks in amounts ranging from $325,000 to $487,500 on her Hingham, Massachusetts, property by submitting false information regarding her employment history, income, assets, and debt. The indictment also alleges that Bruce filed fraudulent discharges of mortgages with the Plymouth County Registry of Deeds to create the appearance that earlier loans had been paid in full, when in fact, none of the loans had been paid.
The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of $1 million on each count.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Steven Perez, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region; and Michael Rourke, Special Agent in Charge of the Troubled Assets Relief Program, Special Inspector General, New York Field Office, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of Ortiz’s Economic Crimes Unit.