Posted by Michelle/AL on 9/8/07 8:33pm
Msg #209966

Wow! Closing Agent Pleads Guilty in Home Fraud

This was in the Star Tribune yesterday (St. Paul, MN paper)

Home||Business

Closing agent pleads guilty in home fraud
It was the second plea related to an alleged scheme by Parish Marketing that may involve 200 metro-area homes and $50 million.

By Dan Browning, Star Tribune

Last update: September 07, 2007 – 9:41 PM

A 27-year-old New Market man pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to being involved in a major mortgage fraud conspiracy that is roiling several suburbs south of the Twin Cities.
Kristopher Robbins, 27, became the second defendant this week to plead guilty and agree to cooperate with the government's investigation and prosecution, which may involve as many as 200 homes and $50 million in losses.

Robbins, a closing agent and licensed notary public, admitted that he participated in scores of fraudulent real estate transactions on behalf of a home builder described in court records only as "Company A." His lawyer, Jerry Strauss, said in an interview that Company A is Parish Marketing and Development Corp. of Eagan.

The Star Tribune reported Thursday that the government is investigating the sale of homes by Parish Marketing in New Prague, New Market and possibly other cities to a small group of investors. Loan documents were allegedly falsified to make buyers appear qualified for mortgages, when they were not.

Strauss described Robbins as a bit player in the transactions, who collected perhaps $5,000 in excessive closing fees for his services between 2004 and May 2007.

In his plea agreement, Robbins admitted that he closed scores of transactions "in which individuals executed loan documentation in the names of other persons who were actually purchasing the properties." He said he also accepted cashier's checks from individuals working for the builder as if the checks were provided by the buyers themselves.

With his parents, pregnant wife and 3-year-old daughter listening, Robbins testified that he only got his usual fee at the closings for the first year he worked on the deals. Eventually, he accepted payments of about $200 per closing on top of his usual fee of $210.

"He didn't work for Parish. He had his own closing company," Strauss said of Robbins.

Property records show that in 2004, Robbins and his wife bought their New Market home, which was built by Parish Marketing, from a relative of company President Michael Parish for $386,900.

Michael Parish could not be reached for comment Friday.

Strauss said that, after a while, Robbins started raising questions about the Parish Marketing property transactions, but a person who was working on behalf of Parish started paying him extra as hush money.

Joseph T. Dixon III, the assistant U.S. attorney prosecuting the case, declined to comment concerning its progress, citing the active investigation.

Reply by Susan Fischer on 9/8/07 10:50pm
Msg #209985

Kristopher Robbins, aka Greedy McBashtard, in prison...

who'd a thunk it. Pooh!

Reply by CJ on 9/8/07 11:48pm
Msg #209991

How could he sleep at night?

One time a borrower (who read every page, and had legthy conversations with the processor while I waited, total: 2 hours) told "them" that I ADVISED him that the loan was bad and not to sign it. I almost fainted when the SS told me! I KNOW not to do that. I have no opinion of any loans. I (I have plenty of opinions of borrowers though.)

I say to borrowers all the time, "It is CRIME for me to give you my opinion or any advise, because I am not an attorney, so I am not going to. But if you want to call someone, go right ahead".

When I found out I was accused of this crime, I could not sleep. I told the signing service, "Why would I risk my job, my income, my notary liscenes, my FREEDOM and possibly go to jail to "advise" some borrower who is a complete stranger? I am not that stupid! Besides, if I theoretically told him not to sign it, then why did he?" I was so scared.

It turned out, he wanted some more concessions from whomever, and he wanted to re-sign the docs for free, so they said if I would re-sign for free, they would not press the matter.

(These were wealthy Mexicans who also were upset that I did not speak Spanish, though they spoke English just fine.)

This idiot notary who was involved in this scam was garenteed to lose his home, his family, his job, his income, the respect of everyone he knew, and most likely go to jail. How could he do it and sleep at night?