Pennsylvania Victim Of Nationwide "Operation Homewrecker" Sale Leaseback Foreclosure Rescue Scam About To Lose Home To Foreclosure

In Chester County, Pennsylvania, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports:

• Nothing short of a miracle, it seems, will keep Melissa Miller in the house in Honey Brook, Chester County, that has been part of her family for more than a century. Despite her best efforts, it goes to sheriff's sale Thursday. The house is Miller's home, but she has not owned it since 2006, when she tried to save it with an "unconventional refinancing" and ended up being scammed out of the legal title to the property.

• Miller, 40, is one of 350 victims of a complicated mortgage-fraud scheme federal prosecutors have dubbed "Operation Homewrecker."(1) [...] "I literally gave my house to these people without knowing," Miller said in an interview. "I never had any intention of losing my house, let alone selling it."

• From 2004 to 2006, the mortgage-fraud scheme entangled homeowners who were in financial trouble. "These are not people who overextended themselves and bought McMansions," said U.S. Attorney Ellen V. Endrizzi, one of the government prosecutors handling the case. "These are people who fell on hard times. It's so heartbreaking because nothing can be done for them."

For more, see Mortgage scheme costing Chesco woman her home.

(1) According to the story, the alleged sale leaseback, foreclosure rescue equity stripping scam was led by Charles Head of Los Angeles, and there are currently 16 defendants remaining from two 2008 Federal indictments (for the original indictments, see U.S. v. Head, et al. - Head #1, and U.S. v. Head, et al. - Head #2). All defendants have opted for jury trials, according to documents filed March 5 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Sacramento. Charges against them include mail fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud, money laundering, and related offenses, U.S. Attorney Ellen V. Endrizzi said. Though some defendants already have pleaded guilty, trials for the others probably will not start until May 2011, the story states.

Go here for more on the Sacramento, California Feds "Operation Homewrecker" nationwide investigation into the alleged scam that targeted homeowners in dire financial straits, fraudulently obtaining title to over 100 homes and stole millions of dollars through fraudulently obtained loans and mortgages, and here for other posts on this alleged foreclosure rescue scam.