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, April 26, 2017
Cops Pinch Real Estate Broker For Allegedly Fleecing Clients Out Of Nearly $100K; Money Intended For Closing Funds For Two Victims' Home Purchases
In Bay City, Michigan, mlive.com reports:
The former owner of a Bay City real estate firm has been charged with embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from his clients.
Ivan L. Miller II, 48, on Wednesday, April 19, voluntarily appeared before Bay County Chief District Judge Dawn A. Klida for arraignment on single counts of embezzlement between $50,000 and $100,000 and larceny by conversion more than $20,000. The former charge is a 15-year felony, while the latter is punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
Authorities issued a warrant for Miller's arrest on Tuesday [April 18]. Miller was the owner of Top Producers Real Estate.
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According to police reports contained in court files, officers began investigating Miller in February. Patricia M. Windiate-Kusch, a broker with Top Producers, visited the Bay County Law Enforcement Center on Feb. 24 to file a larceny complaint against Miller. She told police that Miller contacted her on Feb. 21 and said he "did something very bad."
Windiate-Kusch went on to say Miller had told her he had received a check for a property closing at in the 500 block of Handy Drive in Bay City, had the purchaser sign it over to him and then he deposited the funds into Top Producers' general account. When Windiate-Kusch asked him what he did with the funds, he replied, "I spent them," she told police.
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