Tuesday, October 04, 2016

Massachusetts Homeowner Gets Two Years For Serially Forging, Recording Lien Satisfactions To Fraudulently Obtain Five Mortgages From Different Banks Secured By Her Residence Over Four Year Period; Pocketed $2.1 Million In Loan Refinancing Proceeds In The Process

From the Office of the U.S. Attorney (Boston, Massachusetts):
  • A Hingham woman was sentenced [] in U.S. District Court in Boston for defrauding mortgage companies in connection with multiple mortgages she obtained on a single residence.

    Denise Bruce, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Senior Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to two years in prison, five years of supervised release and restitution of $2,810,497. In May 2016, Bruce pleaded guilty to five counts of bank fraud.

    Between 2004 and 2008, Bruce fraudulently obtained five mortgage loans from different banks in amounts ranging from $325,000 to $487,500 on her Hingham property by submitting false information regarding her employment history, income, assets, and debt.

    Bruce also filed fraudulent discharges of mortgages with the Plymouth County Registry of Deeds to create the appearance that earlier loans had been paid in full, when in fact, none of the loans had been paid. In total, Bruce obtained $2,129,000 in proceeds from her fraudulent loans.