Pedro “Pete” Benevides, 45, Astatula, Florida, was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Gregory J. Presnell to nine years in federal prison for his role in obtaining 20 fraudulent commercial and residential loans and lines of credit from several federally insured financial institutions totaling approximately $44,059,565.
Lucia Chavez, 37, and her husband Joseph Chavez, 41, both of Bakersfield, California, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, mail fraud, and wire fraud, in connection with a mortgage fraud scheme in Bakersfield. As part of their plea agreements, Lucia Chavez agreed to a personal forfeiture money judgment of $1,624,450, and Joseph Chavez agreed to a personal forfeiture money judgment of $3,092,000.
Michael Pelimiano Soriano, 45, Irvine, California, Agustin Navarra Alayon, 52, Canoga Park, California, and Joseph Anthony Q. Oliva, 50, San Jose, California, a real estate broker and two real estate agents who worked together, have been charged with grand theft in a loan modification scheme.
Damone Tyson, 49, Cleveland, Ohio, was indicted on bank fraud charges related to the fraudulent purchase of a Richfield, Ohio, home for nearly $1.2 million.
Evelyn Brigget Sanchez, 32, and Darling Arlette Montalvo, 34, both of Bakersfield, California, were sentenced to two years in prison each for their involvement in a mortgage fraud scheme that ran from October 2005 to May 2007.
Mark A. Nixon, 62, Freedom, Oklahoma, former Executive Vice President of The Freedom State Bank was sentenced by United States District Judge Stephen P. Friot for his involvement in falsifying bank assets to the FDIC.
Gregg E. Steinnagel, 54, Chicago, Illinois, was sentenced to 48 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge John Z. Lee for scamming people whom he had persuaded to invest in a bogus lending program involving short-term, high-interest loans to distressed homeowners.
Semyon (a/k/a Sam) Muratov, 34, and Yuriy (a/k/a Erick) Munarov, 31, both of Forest Hills, Queens, New York, the winning bidders at a foreclosure auction, have been charged with illegally evicting a homeowner from his lawful residence and then breaking-in and boarding up doors and windows prior to legally assuming ownership and taking possession of the property.
John York, Wentzville, Missouri, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison on charges of conspiracy to defraud the United States through his business, The Mortgage Store, Inc., in 2008.
Six individuals were indicted for participating in a mortgage fraud conspiracy involving alleged misrepresentations to the banks including fictitious verifications of false and fraudulent employment and bank deposit information set forth on loan applications. Continue Reading…