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.
Friday, August 25, 2017
Tenant Gets Pinched For Allegedly Lying About Income, Marital Status To Illegally Score Section 8 Rent Subsidies; Investigators: Suspect Pocketed $66K+ In Housing Benefits, Feared Hubby's Criminal Record, Income Would Have Kept Her From Qualifying For The Free Money
In Olney, Maryland, WJLA-TV Channel 7 reports:
She claimed to be a destitute single mother of four children, but police allege it was an illegal ruse used to collect tens of thousands of dollars in government handouts.
Sharon Douglas, 40, of Olney, is now facing criminal charges of theft between $10,000 and $100,000, theft scheme between $10,000 and $100,000 and knowingly making a false statement to collect housing assistance.
According to Montgomery County Police, Douglas knowingly submitted inaccurate paperwork to the Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County in 2014.
Based on that application, Douglas received a housing subsidy of $1727 per month between May of 2014 and May of 2017, totaling $66,439. All of the funds, investigators say, came directly from finite taxpayer coffers.
However in all actuality, police allege Douglas was living with her husband of nearly 11 years. The two resided in a rental townhome located along the 18200 block of Vintage River Terrace in Olney. Neighbors in that community contacted police about "perceived drug dealing and alcohol abuse" occurring in Douglas' home, court records state.
Those complaints prompted an undercover police investigation, which further determined Douglas' husband was gainfully employed. Investigators say he works at 'Triple A Locating Services', a company which spots and marks underground utility lines such as telecommunication, gas, water, fiber, electric and sewer.
Investigators explain that Douglas "intentionally provided false information" to the Housing Opportunities Commission because she feared her husband's criminal record and income would have precluded her from qualifying for the free money.
Court paperwork further indicates that Douglas is also collecting a steady paycheck, having worked as a part-time "nursing assistant" in Fairfax County for the last nine months. Her exact income was not listed. It is also immediately unclear if Douglas has children.
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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