USAO, Southern District of New York Press Release In Settlement, Bank Admits and Accepts Responsibility for Improperly Approving Thousands of Mortgage Loans for Government Insurance, and Agrees to Implement Enhanced Quality Control Program to Protect Against Future Violations Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Associate Attorney General Tony West, Stuart F. Delery, the Assistant Attorney General for…

United States Attorney District of Connecticut Press Release Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GARI-MARK THOMAS, 38, of Michigan, formerly of Norwalk, waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas P. Smith in Hartford to one count of conspiracy to defraud the Federal Housing Authority through a mortgage fraud scheme. According to court…

NEW YORK (Legal Newsline) – JPMorgan Chase Bank has agreed to pay $614 million to settle a False Claims Act lawsuit, but it is unclear how much of that will be paid to a whistleblower who brought suit against the company. On Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the settlement, which resolves allegations that JPMorgan Chase improperly approved thousands of residential home mortgage loans for government insurance and refinancing. The…

GRAND RAPIDS — A St. Johns businessman has pleaded guilty to charges that he submitted false claims to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, federal prosecutors announced today. James Ortman, 58, admitted earlier this month to defrauding HUD out of a $200,000 grant in 2008 for a facade project for a building in downtown St. Johns. He also admitted to defrauding the government on another grant for an apartment complex in St.…

USAO District of Connecticut Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 28, 2014 Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MARC JEAN, 44, a citizen of Haiti residing in Norwich, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in an extensive mortgage fraud scheme. According to court…

USAO District of Connecticut Press Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  January 28, 2014 United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WINSTON SHILLINGFORD, 56, and his wife, MARLEEN SHILLINGFORD, 47, of Nesconset, N.Y., were sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to prison terms of 48 months and 36 months, respectively, for operating a multimillion-dollar mortgage fraud scheme that involved…

Like a fire-and-brimstone preacher, a federal judge dressed down a local pastor and former Columbus Urban League official yesterday before sentencing him to 31/2 years in prison for stealing more than $85,000 from the league. U.S. District Judge Algenon L. Marbley chastised defendant Ovell K. Harrison for undermining the Urban League and filling his own pockets for seven years with money that should have gone to those in need of housing, child…

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz - District of Massachusetts DEVELOPER SENTENCED TO 12.5 YEARS IN PRISON FOR ORCHESTRATING MASSIVE MORTGAGE FRAUD INVOLVING OVER $7 MILLION IN LOSS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: CHRISTINA DiIORIO-STERLING PHONE:  (617)748-3356 E-MAIL:  [email protected] WWW.JUSTICE.GOV/USAO/MA/NEWS BOSTON –  A Boston man was sentenced late yesterday on charges relating to a massive mortgage…

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE GUZMAN, 53, of Waterford, was sentenced today by Senior U.S. District Judge Alfred V. Covello in Hartford to 51 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for operating an extensive mortgage fraud scheme in eastern Connecticut. According to court documents and statements made in court, GUZMAN operated a fraudulent mortgage…

MOBILE, Alabama – A federal judge on Monday sentenced a woman to pay restitution to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as part of an ongoing mortgage fraud prosecution the Midtown Mortgage brokerage. In June, 27-year-old Delaine Williams pleaded guilty to falsifying a mortgage loan application so that it would be approved. It was alleged she falsely indicated that $5,000 for a down payment had come from a gift from a borrower’…

Testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations “Reducing Waste, Fraud and Abuse in Housing Programs: Inspector General Perspectives”  

TRENTON, N.J. – A federal grand jury in New Jersey has indicted the developer of three Trenton affordable housing projects for allegedly diverted money intended for the developments, announced New Jersey U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman. A federal grand jury returned a 25-count indictment today charging Robert Kahan, 67, of Sunny Isles Beach, Fla., with 10 counts of making false statement in a loan application, three counts of bank fraud…

TRENTON -- Over the course of building affordable housing in Trenton, developer Robert Kahan misstated his net worth in order to obtain huge loans, then skimmed money from the accounts to buy a condominium in Florida and make repairs on his son’s home, a federal indictment alleged today. The 25 count-indictment includes bank fraud, mail fraud, fraud against a local government receiving federal proceeds, and making false statements on a loan…

An Akron man will spend 10 years in prison for leading a mortgage fraud scheme in Northeast Ohio and Florida, according to federal prosecutors. Jack R. Coppenger, 50, appeared in federal court Monday after previously pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy. U.S. District Judge John Adams called Coppenger an “economic predator” and said he would determine the amount of restitution Coppenger would pay later. The government requested $35…

DOVER — After pleading guilty to defrauding a dozen friends and neighbors, a former school official will serve at least 18 months in prison and must pay about $278,000 in restitution. While the case is tied to other victims, Nickolas Skaltsis, 62, of 6 Erik Drive, waived the indictment process and pleaded guilty to three counts of theft by deception and one count of theft by misappropriation of property. Dover resident Gary Green, who was taken…

Testimony of the Honorable David A. Montoya Inspector General before the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Related Agencies on the Federal Housing Administration (6/04/2013)