Nineteen months after the catastrophic failure of one of Sacramento’s top lenders, Pasadena-based IndyMac Bank, a flurry of local lawsuits alleges that the bank’s successor – OneWest Bank – is systematically working to push home loan borrowers into foreclosure. The allegations filed in...

The United States Attorney’s Office has been working overtime putting away mortgage scammers and getting them off the streets of California. It is refreshing to see scammers in the industry are being punished for their misdeeds. The scammers have given the industry as a whole a black eye and its worth...

Michael A. Wilson, age 58, pleaded guilty to bank fraud in United States District Court. Mr. Wilson from Murrells Inlet, South Carolina was indicted last November and was one of thirteen that were indicted by a grand jury on charges of mortgage fraud and bank fraud. The charges came from the collapse...

Prosecutor Theodore J. Romankow announced that former Linden, New Jersey resident John Melchionna has been indicted on thirteen separate counts related to identity theft and mortgage fraud. John Melchionna, age 42 was arrested on charges that were filed on January 25th relating to identity theft and...

A federal grand jury indicted two Luxury Home Builders, along with a former banker and interior designer on January 27th on charges of conspiracy, loan fraud and wire fraud. Luxury Home Builder Bernie Kurlemann, Mason Builder, Bryan Sanneman, former Huntington National Bank Vice President, Terrance J....

Prosecutors in Ohio have indicted four individuals in regard to Mortgage and Wire fraud. The case involves four multi-million dollar homes and alleges that the individuals involved in the conspiracy used straw buyers to defraud lending institutions. Charges were brought against Eric Duke, owner of Riversdale...

Last August a federal jury convicted Lila Marie Risk, from Trabuco Canyon of conspiracy, bank fraud and several counts of loan fraud involving a scheme that used inflated appraisals to defraud mortgage institutions. The inflated appraisals were used to purchase and refinance properties in California’s...

Megan Balod pleaded guilty in front of United States District Judge Oliver W. Wanger according to the press release issued by United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner. Ms. Balod was indicted on four counts of wire fraud involving Crisp & Cole Associates, also known as Crisp & Cole Real Estate....

Los Angeles business owner, Charles Harris Mathis Jr. pleaded guilty to straw buying according to federal court documents that were filed the second week of January. Mr. Mathis faces a sentence of up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to two hundred fifty thousand dollars. Mr. Mathis was...