Closing Agent Cops Plea, Gets Five Years For Using Escrow Funds In Straw Buyer Scheme; Purchased Home That Subsequently Went Into Foreclosure

From the Office of the San Bernardino County, California District Attorney:

• On Wednesday, January 27, 2010, Mojgan Cox, 50, of Alta Loma, pleaded guilty to several felony charges including conspiracy, money laundering, grand theft, and forgery. Cox, also known as "Mona," is a former real estate broker for ReMax Allegiance and owner of Exclusive Escrow Services. She is one of six co-defendants originally charged and arrested by District Attorney Investigators from the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Real Estate Fraud Unit. Mojgan Cox is the third defendant to plead guilty in this matter.

• The case involved laundering money from an escrow trust account into a corporation opened up by her son, Jesse Cox, who is one of the remaining defendants in this case. The money was used to purchase a home in Yucaipa using a "straw buyer," which subsequently went into foreclosure. The defendants had the proceeds from the purchase of that Yucaipa residence transferred back into Exclusive Escrow Services' general account and used for such things as paying the office lease and personal bills. Mojgan Cox pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years in the California State prison system.

For the San Bernardino County DA press release, see Former Rancho Cucamonga Real Estate Broker Sentenced to Prison.