"Hope for Homeowners" A Hopeless Program?
For the story (video only; running time, including 30 second commercial, about 3 minutes), see Foreclosure fix bogus, HUD says.
Welcome to The Home Equity Theft Reporter, a blog dedicated to informing the consumer public and the legal profession about Home Equity Theft issues. This blog will consist of information describing the various forms of Home Equity Theft and links to news reports & other informational sources from throughout the country about the victims of Home Equity Theft and what government authorities and others are doing about it.
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For the story, see State orders Greenleaf to cease and desist operations.
See also:
Go here for other "contract for deed" problems involving Greenleaf Companies.
For the story, see Beware of mortgage rescue solicitors.
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For more, see Livermore woman charged in foreclosure scam.
See also: this report on the use of abusive bankruptcy court filings in connection with foreclosure rescue scams.
Go here for other posts on fractional interest deed transfer, foreclosure rescue bankruptcy scams.
(1) According to the story, Alburez and Verena Silva pleaded no contest earlier this year in Alameda County Superior Court in a similar case. Prosecutors said the women bilked more than a dozen homeowners of $1,500 to $2,500 a month in exchange for a plan the two allegedly said would save homes from foreclosure. Instead, the victims still lost their homes, as well as the money they paid Alburez and Silva. According to an earlier story, they were found guilty of two felony counts each of foreclosure rescue fraud and grand theft. loan modification
For more, see Woman Accused of Pocketing $32K in Refinancing Schemes.
Go here, Go here, go here, go here, and go here for other posts related to deed or refinancing scams by forgery, swindle, etc. KappaDeedTheft
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For the story, see Hartford Renter's Fight Leads To Fannie Mae Policy Change (Renter Wins Fannie Mae Fight) (if link expires, try here).
See also:
(1) See Section 109(b) of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, which, they argue, requires Fannie Mae "to permit bona fide tenants who are current on their rent to remain in their homes under the terms of their lease." ThetaTenantRentSkimming
For the story, see Cleveland Housing Renewal Project sues Deutsche, Wells Fargo banks over sale of foreclosed homes (Judge halts sales of foreclosed homes) (if link expires, try here).
(1) According to the story, attorneys for Cleveland Housing Renewal say Deutsche Bank, Wells Fargo and other banks have sold several thousand dilapidated, foreclosed properties here in the last few years, some for as little as $1,000. Most of these sales have been made to out-of-town buyers who have done nothing to improve the properties before selling them again. BetaVacantForeclosure
For more, see Australia OKs Facebook for serving lien notice.
For more, see High-rise headache.
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For more, see Ex-pastor, ex-banker hit with racketeering charges in Bibb County.
See also, Macon Telegraph: Victims in preacher scam indictment have faith that God will carry them through:
(1) According to the story, the indictment charges Collins and Pittman with, among other things, violation of the RICO Act, bank fraud, residential mortgage fraud, forgery, theft, and theft by deception, according to court records. DeedTheftAlpha
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For more, see Mosque leader jailed over scam targeting the elderly (A Liberty City mosque leader was given a 20-year sentence for stealing houses from the elderly). DeedTheftAlpha
For more, see Feds say dealer sold potent purple pot.
Go here and go here for other posts on Marijuana Grow Houses. pot grow ops beta
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For the story, see Local Pro Bono Attorneys Forego Paychecks for Applause.
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In a related story, see The AmLaw Daily - Pro Bono Picks Up in Down Times:
Among those recently charged by the DA were mortgage brokers John Tuozzo, 43, of Merrick, and Steven Winick, 40, of Syosset and former Citibank employee Yvonne Rojas, 30, of Brentwood. According to the DA's press release:
For the Suffolk County DA's press release, see 27 arrests, nine indictments in ongoing Suffolk mortgage fraud probe.
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For more, see Five indicted in mortgage fraud investigation.
(1) According to the story, Uri Gofman, 36, and Gennadiy Simkhovich, 51, are accused of fraudulently selling 18 Cleveland homes to Strongsville resident Paul Lesniak, 40, in 2005. They used fraudulent loans prepared by Dave Pirichy, 38, a loan officer for Central National Mortgage, and bogus settlement statements prepared by Howard Sieferd Jr., 57, a representative from Family Title Services, according to the indictment.
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For more, see Fannie Mae to End Tenant Evictions in Foreclosures.
(1) Section 109(b) of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 may require the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury to work with the F.H.F.A. and other government entities to permit tenants in foreclosed homes to remain in their apartments after foreclosure.
(2) Fannie Mae General Counsel Curtis Lu was responding to a December 8, 2008 letter sent by New Haven Legal Assistance, demanding that FNMA immediately cease violating Section 109(b) of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008. ThetaTenantRentSkimming
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For more, see Mass. AG sues mortgage broker.
Go here for the Massachusetts AG's press release: AG General Martha Coakley Obtains Restraining Order Against Methuen Mortgage Broker Who Deceived Homeowners into Believing He Could Assist Them in Saving Their Homes From Foreclosure (First Lawsuit Alleging Violations of Attorney General Coakley’s Regulations on Foreclosure-Related Services ).
(1) According to the story, the temporary restraining order that Coakley obtained in Essex Superior Court prohibits Coleman and his company, Mortgage Finders of New England, from contacting individuals to offer foreclosure related services or assisting individuals with filing for bankruptcy, Coakley's office said. loan modification
For more, see Mortgage fraud up as homeowners seek help.
(1) According to the story:
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For more, see ‘No One Leaves’ Keeping People Put.
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In a related story, The Boston Globe reports:For more, see New foreclosure brochure outlines renters' rights.
For the online version of the brochure, see Tenants Rights: What Tenants In Foreclosed Properties Need To Know.
See also, MassLegalHelp: If Your Building is Being Foreclosed, Don’t Fall for “Cash-for-Keys” Schemes.
Go here for more on the law students at the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau urging tenants in foreclosed homes to fight back against careless/reckless mortgage companies seeking illegal evictions. ThetaTenantRentSkimming
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A story by Reuters news service reports that one Boston charitable foundation was forced to fire its entire staff and immediately shut down because it was heavily invested in the Ponzi scheme (see Madoff losses ripple into Boston, shut foundation).
For more, see:
For more, see Shady letters tell tenants to leave now.
See also: Officials acting to protect tenants:
For the story, see Foreclosures Flood The Courthouse Inbox.
For WFOR-TV video, see Foreclosures Create Extra Shifts For Court Clerks.
For the press release, see Rancho Cucamonga Man Arrested for Real Estate Fraud.
Go here, go here, go here, and go here for other posts related to deed or refinancing scams by forgery, swindle, etc.
(1) Vargas faces felony counts of Grand Theft (PC 487), Forgery (PC 470), Filing a False/Forged Document with the County Recorders Office (PC 115a) and Financial Elder Abuse (PC 368d), according to the DA's press release. Links are to the relevant sections of the California Penal Code. DeedTheftAlpha
For the press release, see Settlement Officer Sentenced For Diverting Funds Intended To Pay Off Mortgage Lenders (Stole Over $877,000 in Just Three Months).
Go here, Go here, Go here, and Go here for other stories of trust account / escrow account theft of funds. EscrowRipOffAlpha
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For more, see Gresham contractor's unpaid bills thrust upon customers.
For more on homeowners left in the lurch due to actions by builders/contractors, go here, go here, go here, go here, and go here. StiffingContractorsTheta
According to the DA's press release:
For the DA's press release, see Real Estate Agent Sentenced in Real Estate Fraud Scheme.
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For more, see Jury convicts woman of financial elder abuse, neglect.
Go here, here, here, here, here, and here for other posts on elder financial abuse. FinancialAbuseOfElderlyAlpha
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For more, see Second Suspect Sought in Foreclosure Scam.
Go here, go here, and go here for posts on phony landlord rent scams.
(1) Fresno man Sam Haley was arrested recently for allegations of similar conduct (see Fresno housing scam uncovered (Police say man rented homes to victims who didn't know he was not the owner)). PhonyLandlordScamZeta
For more, see Tenants to stage foreclosure protest (Threaten to blockade homes if bankstry to evict).
See also, The Providence Journal: Tenants protest eviction practices.
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For more, see Foreclosure Epidemic Infecting Rental Market (Tenants, Lenders Are Exposed to Various Scams). ThetaTenantRentSkimming
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For the story, see For rent scams increasing in Santa Cruz; Craigslist shoppers beware. PhonyLandlordScamZeta
For more, see Six Defendants Charged In Arson Scheme To Collect On Home Insurance Policy. ArsonForeclosureAlpha
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For the story, see Toll Brothers expands rent-to-own program.
For the rest of the press release, see Attorney General Abbott, Sen. Estes Propose Bill To Protect Texans From Foreclosure Rescue Scams (Foreclosure Rescue Fraud Prevention Act to strengthen penalties for scams).
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For the story, see Utah Mortgage Business Temporarily Shut Down By State Investigators.
For story update, see Utah Attorney General's press release: Midvale Mortgage Company Owners Charged With Fraud.
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For more, see If it sounds too good to be true... (Experts warn that a rash of foreclosures is bringing consultants out of the woodwork • but not all of them are as much help as they promise).
According to an earlier media story, Marlon was reportedly accused of getting the rightful owners out of their homes under false pretenses, and he would put renters in the houses in many cases. In the process, he falsely represented to the Recorder's Office that the sales were exempt from transfer taxes (see Accused foreclosure scam artist behind bars).
For the Nevada AG press release, see Attorney General Announces Guilty Plea In Mortgage Loan Scam.
For story update (2-17-09), see Man ordered to pay $130,000 in mortgage fraud case.
For more, see Help stop eviction of disabled woman.
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For more, see Con men steal identities, pirate attorney Web sites.
For the U.S. Attorney's press release, see Metropolitan Money Store Loan Processor Pleads Guilty In Mortgage Fraud Scheme (Under the Scheme Conspirators Took Title of Homes from Financially Distressed Homeowners and Secretly Used Home Equity for Personal Benefit).
Go here and Go here for other posts on the alleged Metropolitan Money Store foreclosure rescue scam.
Go here for criminal prosecutions of foreclosure rescue operators.
(1) According to the press release, Katisha Fordham is the fourth defendant to plead guilty in the Metropolitan Money Store mortgage fraud scheme. Richard Allison, age 37, of Camp Springs, Maryland, an attorney and employee of the U.S. Census Bureau; Clifford McCall, age 47, of Lanham, Maryland, president of Burroughs & Smythe Financial Services, Inc., based in Lanham and a director of the Fordham & Fordham Investment Group, Ltd., a foreclosure consulting and credit servicing business based in Lanham and Greenbelt, Maryland and Carlisha Dixon, age 31, of Hyattsville, Maryland, vice president and a director of Burroughs & Smythe Financial Services, Inc.; each pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and are facing a maximum sentencing of 30 years in prison. joyjackson
For the full story, see Lawyer fixes meth mess (Denver-based Frankl Law Firm aids family with no other options).
Go here and Go here for other posts on home-based methamphetamine labs. meth lab yak
For the story, see Greenleaf Offices Raided by FBI.
See also:
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Story update:
The Springfield News Leader reports that Greenleaf Companies and its sister company, The Real Estate Co., issued a statement Wednesday afternoon addressing Tuesday's search of their Springfield offices by the Missouri attorney general's office. For their statement, see:
See also, Greenleaf defends business after authorities search its offices.
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Go here for other "contract for deed" problems involving Greenleaf Companies. Arkansas
Go here for the Texas AG 12-10-08 press release.
Go here for the Agreed Final Judgment with Abell Mediation, Inc.. loan modification
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For more, see Mortgage fraud is booming business for prosecutors.