California DA Dropping Ball On Mortgage Fraud?

In Bakersfield, California, KGET-TV Channel 17 reports:

• The fight over real estate fraud spilled onto the editorial pages and airwaves of local talk radio shows Friday. On Thursday, local appraiser Gary Crabtree wrote an opinion piece in the Bakersfield Californian newspaper accusing District Attorney Ed Jagels of dropping the ball on mortgage fraud. Crabtree said he presented a major case of mortgage fraud to Jagels a year ago, but Jagels never followed through. So, in an opinion article published Thursday, Crabtree said he had to turn to the FBI for help. [...] Meantime, bloggers have speculated for weeks about Jagels' motives for declining to take on the case. On Friday, Jagels confirmed he is friends with one of the people the FBI is investigating for mortgage fraud. Agents raided the office of Mark Newton of San Joaquin Appraisals as part of their investigation into local real estate agents David Crisp and Carl Cole.

For more, see DA accused of dropping ball on mortgage fraud; or go here to watch the KGET-TV Channel 17 report.

For a contrary opinion, see Ed Jagels is right: Fraud unit not needed (The Bakersfield Californian - 10-12-07).

For a related post, see California DA Denies Need For Fraud Unit.

For a story update, see County creates trust fund to crack down on real estate fraud (Concerned that the continuing rise of foreclosures in Kern County could be fraud related, Supervisors unanimously adopted a resolution establishing a trust fund to investigate and prosecute real estate fraud).

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