Posted by 101livescan on 4/29/13 8:07am
Msg #467612
Fraud on the Rise
After all we've been through in the past years of irresponsible lending, fraud still on the rise.
RENO WOMAN GETS OVER SIX YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON FOR MORTGAGE FRAUD ON HER IN LAWS’ PROPERTY
FACTS
On April 11, Tandy Anne Kertanis, convicted of fraudulently obtaining a $228,000 home equity loan in her father- and mother-in-law’s names by forging their signatures and the signatures of others has been sentenced to 81 months in prison and ordered to pay $228,000 in restitution for her guilty pleas to identity theft and money laundering charges.
Kertanis pleaded guilty on August 20 to one count of money laundering and one count of aggravated identity theft.
On or about June 19, 2007, Kertanis called Wells Fargo Bank and identified herself as Joann L. Kertanis and applied for a home equity loan in the names of Robert P. Kertanis and Joann L. Kertanis, her father- and mother-in-law. Neither Robert nor Joann Kertanis was aware of the application nor did they authorize Tandy Kertanis to apply for the loan.
In late June 2007, Tandy Kertanis returned a package of loan documents to Wells Fargo. The documents contained the forged signatures of Joann L. Kertanis and/or Robert P. Kertanis, as well as forged signatures of a notary public and the defendant’s mother. The defendant submitted updated loan request documents on July 3, 2007, again containing the forged signatures of her father- and mother-in-law, as well as the forged signature of the notary public, her mother, and a Reno attorney with whom she had consulted on a prior occasion. On about July 6, 2007, Wells Fargo Bank approved the home equity loan and electronically deposited $228,000 into the defendant’s U.S. Bank account in Reno.
On July 10, 2007, Tandy Kertanis allegedly transferred $180,000 from her U.S. Bank checking account into a money market account in the name of her husband at LINSCO/PRIVATE LEDGER in Reno. On July 13, 2007, Kertanis allegedly purchased a Toyota truck at Reno Toyota for $33,534, using the home equity loan money she unlawfully obtained from Wells Fargo.
On February 22, 2012, while Kertanis was awaiting trial in this case, her attorney filed a motion to continue the trial alleging that Kertanis’ young child was suffering from several serious health problems. Attached to the motion were letters from four medical specialists in Reno and California. These medical specialists were contacted and stated that the letters were false and that the young child was not suffering from any serious disease.
Kertanis is free on a personal recognizance bond and must self-report to federal prison on June 10. (usattynv41213)
MORAL
She sure likes signing other people’s names to things.
ONE MORE REAL ESTATE INVESTOR IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CHARGED WITH RIGGING BIDS AT PUBLIC FORECLOSURE SALES
FACTS
On April 16. Mohammed Rezaian, an investor in Novato, Calif., was charged in federal court with conspiring to rig bids at public foreclosure auctions in San Francisco and San Mateo County.
Rezaian is charged with two counts of bid rigging and two counts of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Federal prosecutors said Rezaian has agreed to plead guilty in the case.
The alleged crimes occurred at property foreclosure auctions between July 2008 and January 2011, according to the U.S. attorney's office in San Francisco. Authorities said Rezaian negotiated payoffs to other people so they would not compete, thus buying properties at suppressed prices and diverting money that should have gone to mortgage holders.
In charging Rezaian, prosecutors demanded that he be forced to forfeit $213,277.18.
Prosecutors did not name the people whom Rezaian allegedly conspired with or say whether they had been charged. But authorities said this case is the 30th plea agreement in an ongoing investigation into foreclosure auction fraud in Northern California. (mrnindjl41613)
MORAL
You would think he would have learned from the other 29.
TWO SACRAMENTO MEN PLEAD GUILTY TO FRAUD
FACTS
On April 16, two Sacramento-area brothers pleaded guilty to wire fraud related to a mortgage fraud scheme. Andrey and Vitaliy Andreyev entered the pleas in U.S. District Court in Sacramento. The brothers were recruited by Vera Kuzmenko, owner of VK Tax Services, to purchase properties they could not afford. Andrey Andreyev purchased a property for $850,000 and Vitaliy Andreyev bought a property for $1.2 million.
Kuzmenko allegedly promised them money in exchange for buying the properties and prepared the loan applications for the brothers to sign. The loan applications for the properties contained numerous false statements concerning the Andreyevs' income, assets and intention to occupy the properties as primary residences. Court documents allege that Kuzmenko knew the statements on the Andreyev brothers' applications were false because she prepared their taxes.
Kuzmenko is charged in two separate indictments with wire fraud, mail fraud, money laundering and witness tampering in connection with the mortgage fraud scheme.
The Andreyev brothers are to be sentenced July 22 by U.S. District Judge John A. Mendez. (sacbee41613)
MORAL
Based upon my experience, the brothers are getting sentenced after Kuzmenko goes to trial in exchange for being cooperating witnesses.
LOUISIANA LAWYER CONVICTED OF MORTGAGE FRAUD IN LAS VEGAS
FACTS
On April 11, David Mark was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit bank, wire, and mail fraud; two counts of bank fraud; and one count of mail fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Philip M. Pro on July 29.
Mark faces up to 30 years in prison on the conspiracy and bank fraud counts and up to 20 years in prison on the mail fraud count. Mark also faces fines of up to $1 million on the conspiracy and bank fraud counts and up to $250,000 on the mail fraud count.
Mark, who had worked locally as a real estate agent, has been convicted by a jury of conspiracy and multiple fraud counts for his involvement in the mortgage fraud scheme involving over 220 properties and over $50 million in losses, announced Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.
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