Welcome to The Home Equity Theft Reporter, a blog dedicated to informing the consumer public and the legal profession about Home Equity Theft issues. This blog will consist of information describing the various forms of Home Equity Theft and links to news reports & other informational sources from throughout the country about the victims of Home Equity Theft and what government authorities and others are doing about it.
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
52 Cleveland-Area Tenants, Landlords Get Rolled By Joint Task Force For Allegedly Defrauding HUD Out Of $1.2+ Million In Section 8 Rent Subsidies
From the Cuyahoga County, Ohio Office of the Prosecutor:
Tenants and landlords who defrauded the Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP), for more than $1.2 million were indicted last [month], Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty announced.
On December 12 and December 15, the Grand Jury voted the charges of Fraud and Tampering with Records against 52 defendants in 32 cases.
The Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Police Investigative Unit, The Office of Inspector General for the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation earlier this year and found the tenants lied on their applications and re-certifications, such as not reporting unauthorized occupancy or not disclosing a felony conviction.
In other cases, the landlords committed fraud by covering up violations by their tenants or living in their own property that was subsidized by the program.
“The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, applauds its partnership with local law enforcement and the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office in its continued efforts to pursue those individuals who defraud our programs and jeopardize the benefits of those who are most needy,” Brad Geary, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Housing Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General in Chicago, said after the indictments were issued.
The HCVP, formerly known as Section 8, has strict qualifying guidelines that are very clear to both tenants and landlords.
CBC News: Betrayal of Trust (A CBC investigation reveals how lawyers across Canada have misappropriated and mishandled clients money, to the tune of tens of millions of dollars, or sometimes even charging vulnerable people top dollar for shoddy services)
Land Contract/Contract For Deed/Rent-To-Own Rackets
The New York Times: The Housing Trap (In the wake of the housing crisis, low-income families have turned to seller financing to buy homes but these deals can be a money trap)
Beware The Fine Print: Consumers Forced To Sign Away Their Rights To Use Court System
The NY Times: Arbitration Everywhere, Stacking the Deck of Justice(Part 1 in series examining how clauses buried in tens of millions of contracts have deprived Americans of one of their most fundamental constitutional rights: their day in court)
Foreclosure Mills' Abysmal Record In Complying With New NYS Foreclosure Requirements
Justice Deceived: How Large Foreclosure Firms Subvert State Regulations Protecting Homeowners
MFY Legal Services Report On Questionable Practices By Process Servers In Debt Collection Cases
Justice Disserved: A Preliminary Analysis of the Exceptionally
Low Appearance Rate by Defendants in Lawsuits Filed in the Civil Court of the City of New York
Mortgage Mess Redux: Robo-Signers Return (A Reuters investigation finds that many banks are still employing the controversial foreclosure practices that sparked a major outcry last year)
CNN Video: As Foreclosures Mount, Florida Court Turns To 'Rocket Docket'
The Wall Street Journal: A Florida Court's 'Rocket Docket' Blasts Through Foreclosure Cases (2 Questions, 15 Seconds, 45 Days to Get Out; 'What's to Talk About?' Says a Judge)
"Produce The Note" Strategy When Dealing With Missing Promissory Notes In Foreclosure Actions
ABC Video: Fighting Against Foreclosure (Some homeowners have found a new tactic to keep the banks at bay)
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