• /
    • Archives /
  • November 30, 1999

Archives For November 30, 1999

Real Estate Developer Sentenced For Down Payment Fraud

Stephanie Abbott —  February 18, 2020 — Leave a comment

Marek Harrison, 56, Plant City, Florida, has been sentenced to 20 months in federal prison for his role in a bank fraud scheme.

According to court documents, between September 2007 and December 2008,

Harrison created and executed a mortgage fraud scheme involving Saratoga Resort Villas, a condominium conversion of a former hotel located in Kissimmee, Florida. Harrison’s scheme to defraud financial institutions involved kickbacks of mortgage proceeds to buyers and co-conspirators, as well as misrepresentations regarding the source of down payment funds for the transactions. None of the incentives and kickbacks were disclosed to the mortgage lenders. Harrison also recruited otherwise unqualified buyers, and he provided down payment money for the buyers. https://www.mortgagefraudblog.com/?s=Marek+Harrison

The court also ordered Harrison to pay $2,753,495.79 in restitution to the victim financial institutions.

Harrison had pleaded guilty on November 27, 2019.

This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.

In Mortgage Fraud , ,
 permalink

Realtor Convicted of Foreclosure Rescue Scheme

Stephanie Abbott —  February 3, 2020 — Leave a comment

Tanya Firmani, 47, Jacksonville, Florida has been found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit bankruptcy fraud and six counts of bankruptcy fraud.

According to testimony and evidence presented at trial, Firmani conspired with others in a foreclosure rescue/bankruptcy fraud scheme. Firmani solicited homeowners whose mortgages were in default and offered to rescue their homes from foreclosure. To prevent the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), the Federal Housing Administration (“FHA”), and multiple financial institutions from lawfully foreclosing on homeowners’ properties, Firmani filed or caused the filing of fraudulent bankruptcy petitions in the homeowners’ names just prior to the scheduled foreclosure sale dates. The fraudulent bankruptcies triggered the Bankruptcy Code’s automatic stay provision, preventing Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, and the financial institutions from conducting foreclosure sales and obtaining the titles to the properties. The fraudulent bankruptcy petitions enabled Firmani to collect fees and allowed her co-conspirators to obtain ill-gotten commissions for short-sales causing losses to creditors.

Firmani faces a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment on each count. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 21, 2020.

This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General. The Office of United States Trustee for the Middle District of Florida provided substantial investigative assistance. The case is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.

 

In Mortgage Fraud , ,
 permalink

Real Estate Developer Pleads Guilty To Condo Conversion Fraud

Stephanie Abbott —  December 2, 2019 — 1 Comment

Marek Harrison, 56, Plant City, Florida has pleaded guilty to bank fraud.

According to the plea agreement, between September 2007 and December 2008, Harrison created and executed a mortgage fraud scheme involving Saratoga Resort Villas, a condominium conversion of a former hotel located in Kissimmee, Florida.  Harrison’s scheme to defraud financial institutions involved kickbacks of mortgage proceeds to buyers and co-conspirators, as well as misrepresentations regarding the source of down payment funds for the transactions. None of the incentives and kickbacks were disclosed to the mortgage lenders. Harrison also recruited otherwise unqualified buyers, and provided down payment money for the buyers.  https://www.mortgagefraudblog.com/?s=Marek+Harrison

Harrison faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.

 

In Mortgage Fraud , ,
 permalink

Two Plead Guilty To Conspiracy To Make False Statements To Banks

Stephanie Abbott —  November 22, 2019 — Leave a comment

Mordechai Boaziz, 68, Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Jonathan Marmol,41, Odessa, Florida have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to make false statements to financial institutions.

According to their plea agreements, beginning around the summer of 2006 and continuing through August 2008, Boaziz and Marmol conspired with others to execute a scheme to influence the credit decisions of financial institutions in connection with the sale of condominium units at The Preserve at Temple Terrace, a 392-unit condominium complex. Boaziz was converting The Preserve from an apartment complex into a condominium complex and hired Marmol to market the units.

In order to recruit and entice otherwise unqualified buyers to purchase units at The Preserve, the conspirators offered to pay the prospective buyers’ down payments (“cash-to-close”). The conspirators then intentionally concealed from the financial institutions the cash-to-close payments made on behalf of the buyers.

In particular, the HUD-1 Settlement Statements submitted to the financial institutions falsely stated that the buyers brought their own cash-to-close funds to purchase the condominium units, which influenced the financial institutions’ mortgage loan approval decisions. In reality, Boaziz funded the buyers’ cash-to-close and routed the payments through Marmol and others. As a result of the conspiracy, the financial institutions that financed the condominium unit purchases at The Preserve sustained a total loss of approximately $5 million.

Each faces a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency–Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor and Assistant United States Attorney Jay L. Hoffer.

 

In Mortgage Fraud , ,
 permalink

Florida Real Estate Agent Pleads Guilty to Short Sale Fraud

Rachel Dollar —  August 28, 2019 — 1 Comment

Brannon Rue, real estate agent, 47, Oviedo, Florida, pleaded guilty to making a false statement to a financial institution. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, Rue executed a scheme to influence financial institutions to approve short sales of real estate at a loss by making false statements on various documents. In furtherance of his scheme, Rue formed and controlled Hatley Partners, which he used to mask his role as the true purchaser of short-sale properties and to profit from the subsequent sale of the properties. Continue Reading…

In Mortgage Fraud , ,
 permalink

Attorney Pleads Guilty for Concealing Incentives and Kickbacks

Rachel Dollar —  March 30, 2016 — Leave a comment

Angel Garcia-Oliver, 49, Miami, Florida, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud.  He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison.

According to the plea agreement, Garcia-Oliver was the principal of Garcia-Oliver & Mainieri, P.A., a law firm located in Coral Gables, Florida.  Tribute Residential, LLC, which was owned by a co-conspirator, owned and sold multiple communities.  Garcia-Oliver, or employees working at his direction, served as settlement agents and conducted dozens of real estate closings for condominium units owned by Tribute, including Cypress Pointe in Orlando, Florida and the Villas at Lakeside in Oviedo, Florida. Continue Reading…

In Mortgage Fraud , , ,
 permalink

Sentencing in Foreclosure Rescue Fraud

Rachel Dollar —  December 17, 2015 — Leave a comment

David W. Griffin, 44, Lutz, to three years in federal prison for bankruptcy fraud and making a false statement during a bankruptcy proceeding.

According to court documents, Griffin operated a foreclosure rescue scheme through his companies, Bay2Bay Area Holding, LLC and Business Development Consultants, LLC.  The purpose of the scheme was to obtain quitclaim or warranty deeds from distressed homeowners facing foreclosure in return for false promises to rescue their homes from foreclosure by negotiating with creditors, renting the properties back to the homeowners to obtain rental income, and falsely promising that the homeowners could repurchase the properties from Griffin. To maximize his rental income, Griffin also prevented creditors and guarantors, including the Fannie Mae and the Federal Housing Administration, from pursuing lawful foreclosure and eviction actions against homeowners who had defaulted on their mortgages. This was accomplished by filing, and causing to be filed, fraudulent bankruptcies in the names of the homeowners without their knowledge or consent.  Continue Reading…

In Mortgage Fraud , ,
 permalink

Cay Club Executive Convicted After Trial

Rachel Dollar —  December 14, 2015 — 1 Comment

Fred Davis Clark, Jr., a/k/a Dave Clark, 57, formerly of Monroe County, Florida, was convicted after a five week trial, of three counts of bank fraud, and three counts of making a false statement to a financial institution, all in connection with a $300 million fraud scheme involving the sale of vacation rental units involving Cay Clubs Resorts and Marinas (Cay Clubs), to approximately 1,400 investors in the Florida Keys and elsewhere.  Clark also was convicted of obstruction of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), in connection with the SEC’s efforts to investigate his conduct related to Cay Clubs.

According to evidence submitted in court, Clark was the Chief Executive Officer of Cay Clubs, which operated from 2004 through 2008 from offices in the Florida Keys and Clearwater.  Cay Clubs marketed vacation rental units for 17 locations in Florida, Las Vegas and the Caribbean, to investors throughout the United States.  Cay Clubs raised more than $300 million from investors by promising to develop dilapidated properties into luxury resorts, and promising investors an upfront “leaseback” payment of 15 to 20% of the sales price of the unit at the time of closing.  Evidence at trial showed that, in reality, Cay Clubs never developed the properties it had promised to investors and that they remained in a dilapidated condition.  Continue Reading…

In Mortgage Fraud , , ,
 permalink

Bank President Pleads Guilty to Fraud

Rachel Dollar —  December 8, 2015 — Leave a comment

Gary Patton Hall Jr., 49, Tifton, Georgia, the former president and Chief Executive Officer of Tifton Banking Company (from August 2005 to June 2010) pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit fraud against the United States in connection with his role in a bank fraud scheme in which he hid underperforming and at-risk loans from the bank and the FDIC.

According to facts stipulated in the plea agreement, while president and Chief Executive Officer of TBC, Mr. Hall was engaged in an ongoing scheme to mislead the bank and its loan committee about loans TBC made to local individuals and businesses.   As part of the scheme, Mr. Hall hid past due loans from the FDIC and the TBC loan committee, which resulted in the bank continuing to approve and renew delinquent loans and loans for which the collateral was lacking.   Several of the borrowers eventually defaulted on the loans, resulting in millions of dollars in losses to TBC and others. Continue Reading…

In Mortgage Fraud , ,
 permalink

Florida Short Sale Fraud Sentencing

Rachel Dollar —  November 19, 2015 — Leave a comment

Jaime Olaya Marroquin, a/k/a Jaime Olaya, 53, was sentenced to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for arranging a fraudulent short sale of a 10-acre residential property in Southwest Ranches, Florida. Marroquin previously pled guilty to one count of bank fraud.  As part of his plea agreement, Olaya agreed to forfeit the 10-acre property involved in the transaction.

According to court documents, in 2005, Olaya purchased a 10-acre residential property in Southwest Ranches, Florida. In 2008, he quitclaimed ½ of the property to AJZ Investments (AJZ), a company he controlled. To avoid having to continue making payments on the $1.6 million mortgage debt, Olaya submitted a request to the bank for a short sale on the property while intentionally excluding the portion of the property he quitclaimed to AJZ. Continue Reading…

In Mortgage Fraud ,
 permalink