Iowa Widow Seeks To Stop Foreclosure, Void Deed & Mortgage; Claims Now-Deceased Husband Forged Her Signature On Legal Documents

In Polk County, Iowa, the Des Moines Register reports:

• Ed Boesen's widow says she has rights to two commercial properties because her husband forged her signature on a loan document and a property transfer document. Maureen Boesen is asking a judge to clear the titles on two properties despite more than $5 million worth of defaulted loans on them.

• Lawyers for Maureen Boesen, as well as James Monroe, attorney for the Boesen estate, made the claim in Polk County District Court in response to two lawsuits filed by lenders against Boesen's estate. The lawyers contend Ed Boesen forged his wife's signature on a mortgage document on one of the properties and on a deed transfer on the other.

• "Maureen Boesen asserts she owns the property and that the signatures on documents are without her authority," a motion filed last week by her lawyers says. As a result, neither loan is valid, the lawyers claim.

For more, see Boesen widow alleges forgery.

Go here to compare Mrs. Boesen's actual signature with those that were allegedly forged.

For story update (2-5-09), see Foreclosure on Boesen property to proceed.

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Ramapo Couple Face Forgery Charge For Allegedly Tricking Elderly Woman Into Signing Home Sale Agreement, Despite Earlier Civil Suit Upholding Contract

In New City, New York, The Journal News reports:

• An indictment unsealed last week charged [Michael and Chaya Goldstein] with the felonies of second-degree attempted grand larceny, forgery and criminal possession of a forged instrument.

• [75 year old homeowner Venera] Held has insisted that Michael Goldstein, 32, tricked her into signing a contract to sell a house [...] during a July 4, 2003, meeting in a Monsey bagel shop.

• [In an earlier civil suit between Held and the Goldsteins,] State Supreme Court Justice Alfred Weiner upheld the contract after a nonjury trial, and his decision has been supported by an appeals court that felt Weiner was in a better position to determine the veracity of the testimony.

• [Executive Assistant District Attorney Gary Lee] Heavner said the prosecution was not concerned with the civil litigation, but rather with the seriousness of the felony charges that a grand jury lodged against the Goldsteins.

For more, see Order of protection denied in Ramapo house dispute.

An earlier story on this case reports that the charges could grow against Michael Goldstein as the District Attorney's Office continues to investigate his real estate dealings. According to Executive Assistant DA Heavner, there is an ongoing probe into the facts in this indictment as well as other similar cases involving Goldstein.

For that story, see Ramapo couple face forgery charges in house sale. DeedTheftAlpha ForgeryGenuineSignatureKappa

Queens DA: I.D. Theft Leads To Sale Of Home Out From Under Unwitting Elderly Stroke Victim; Suspects Allegedly Pocketed $95K

From the Queens County, New York District Attorney's office:

• Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown [last week] announced that a brother and sister are charged with stealing the identity of a 68-year-old Jamaica, Queens, man who had been disabled as a result of a stroke and then secretly selling his house out from under him and pocketing the profits.

***

• The District Attorney identified the defendants as Shawn Corcas, 38, of [...] St. Albans and Patricia Corcas, 55, of Rosedale. The siblings were arraigned [last week] on an indictment [...]. They are charged with second-degree grand larceny, third-degree grand larceny, second-degree criminal possession of stolen property, third-degree criminal possession of stolen property, first-degree falsifying business records, second-degree falsifying business records, first-degree identity theft and second-degree identity theft.

For more, see Brother And Sister Charged With Fraudulent Sale Of Disabled 68-Year Old Queens Man's Home.

Go here, go here, go here, and go here for other posts related to deed or refinancing scams by forgery, swindle, etc. DeedTheftAlpha

Boulder Woman Suspected Of Improper Use Of POA To Mortgage Home, Swipe Refinance Proceeds From 92 Year Old Lady

In Boulder, Colorado, the Boulder Daily Camera reports:

• A 60-year-old Boulder woman has been arrested on suspicion stealing from an 92-year-old lady by refinancing the elderly woman's home three times without permission and taking the payouts, according to the Longmont Police Department. Eileen Marie Banman turned herself in to Longmont police Tuesday and was arrested on a warrant for theft over $20,000 and crimes against at-risk adults. According to Longmont police, the elderly woman's home already was paid off when Banman obtained power of attorney to "assist" the alleged victim by writing out checks for her.

Cops say the home is now in foreclosure.

For more, see Boulder woman suspected of stealing from 92-year-old.

See also:

• Woman accused of running up $200K in debt against 92-year-old’s home,
• Arrestee accused of refinancing elderly woman's house 3 times without permission.

Go here, here, here, here, here, and here for other posts on elder financial abuse.

Go here, go here, go here, and go here for other posts related to deed or refinancing scams by forgery, swindle, etc. DeedTheftAlpha FinancialAbuseOfElderlyAlpha

Ontario Cops Catch Up With Forgery Suspect; Charge Man With Pocketing $105K+ In Alleged Refinance Scam

In Ontario, California, the Contra Costa Times reports:

• A Riverside man has been arrested on suspicion of grand theft and forgery in the conning of an Ontario woman in May out of more than $105,000 in a home-mortgage fraud. Arthur Lee Harris, 35, was arrested Oct. 15 after evading Ontario police for more than five months. [...] Nestor Miguel Reyes, 33, of Covina - who is accused of aiding Harris in the scam - was arrested in August on suspicion of perjury, theft and forgery.

***

• Earlier this year, Harris posed as a finance broker. He would befriend people, gain their trust and assist in refinancing houses, Ontario police Detective Al Parra said in August. Customers would later discover their house had been refinanced, but for thousands of dollars more than they originally signed.

• Reyes would pose as an escrow officer who processed the loans and recorded forged loan documents, authorities said. Virtually every document that was filed was forged, Parra said.

Source: Man accused of bilking Ontario woman out of home.

For an earlier report on this story, see The San Bernardino Sun: Woman loses $105,000; 2 suspected in fraud case.

Go here, go here, go here, and go here for other posts related to deed theft or refinancing scams by forgery, swindle, etc. DeedTheftAlpha

No "Miracle On 34th Street" As Empire State Building Victimized By "Deed Theft;" Reporter Easily "Swipes" Historic Midtown NYC Edifice Valued At $2B

On 34th Street in New York City, the New York Daily News reports:

• In one of the biggest heists in American history, the Daily News "stole" the $2 billion Empire State Building. And it wasn't that hard.

• The News swiped the 102-story Art Deco skyscraper by drawing up a batch of bogus documents, making a fake notary stamp and filing paperwork with the city to transfer the deed to the property. Some of the information was laughable: Original "King Kong" star Fay Wray is listed as a witness and the notary shared a name with bank robber Willie Sutton.

• The massive ripoff illustrates a gaping loophole in the city's system for recording deeds, mortgages and other transactions.

***

• Of course, stealing the Empire State Building wouldn't go unnoticed for long, but it shows how easy it is for con artists to swipe more modest buildings right out from under their owners. Armed with a fraudulent deed, they can take out big mortgages and disappear, leaving a mess for property owners, banks and bureaucrats.

Reportedly, the Daily News returned the storied structure back to its rightful owners the day after the heist, which they pulled off on Monday.

For more, see It took 90 minutes for Daily News to 'steal' the Empire State Building.

For a copy of the deed to the stolen structure, see:

• Deed of Empire State Building sale (Page 1),
• Deed of Empire State Building sale (page 2),
• Fake notary stamp. DeedTheftAlpha

Mosque Leader Gets 20 Years On Deed Theft Scam Targeting The Elderly & Deceased

In Miami, Florida, The Miami Herald reports:

• An officer at a Liberty City mosque was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Tuesday for his role in a housing scam that stole homes from the elderly -- and even from dead people. Sameer Muhammad, the vice president of Muhammad Mosque No. 29 [...] was convicted earlier this year of nine counts of grand theft, forgery, identity theft and using false identification.

***

• Investigators say Muhammad, 51, and a partner, Carolyn A. Murphy, targeted elderly residents who had liens on their homes. Murphy would file fraudulent deeds showing herself as the owner of the home, and Muhammad would then sell the homes through his real estate investment company, Bar None Properties Inc.

• In one case, investigators found a deed a couple purportedly signed, transferring their home to Murphy years after they had died. Murphy pleaded guilty last year and was sentenced to three years in prison in exchange for her agreement to testify against Muhammad.

For more, see Mosque leader jailed over scam targeting the elderly (A Liberty City mosque leader was given a 20-year sentence for stealing houses from the elderly). DeedTheftAlpha

Forgery Charged In Case Involving 94 Year Old Woman Allegedly Cheated Out Of Home By Son, Daughter-In-Law, Lawyer

The Belfast Telegraph reports:

• A Northern Ireland solicitor has denied involvement in a £100,000 fraud in which a 94-year-old woman was allegedly cheated out of her home by her son and daughter-in-law. Co Down solicitor Ann Ervine is accused of falsely claiming to have witnessed pensioner Annie Martin sign over her Saintfield home to her son George Ignatius Martin and daughter-in-law Mary Martin.(1)

For more, see Lawyer accused of cheating woman (94) out of her home.

For story update, see Belfast Telegraph: Son admits defrauding his mother of her home.

Go here, here, here, here, here, and here for other posts on elder financial abuse.

(1) During an arraignment at Belfast Crown Court last week, Ervine (51) pleaded not guilty to forgery and using false Land Registry forms with intent; and was joined in the dock by husband and wife George Ignatius Martin and Mary Martin, who both pleaded not guilty to obtaining property by deception, forgery and using false land registry forms with intent, according to the story. DeedTheftAlpha FinancialAbuseOfElderlyAlpha

Deed Thief Strikes S. Florida Couple; Regain Title After Year & A Half Of Aggravation

In West Palm Beach, Florida WPTV Channel 5 reports:

• You've heard of horse thieves, well how about house thieves? It's a wild west kind of scam that can lead to the loss of what's probably your most valuable asset. Your house. And it turned out to be a nightmare situation for a Loxahatchee couple.

Reportedly, it took extensive investigative work on the part of the police and the homeowners to get the home back, but not after a year and a half, almost $4000 dollars in court costs, time from work, the aggravation and the stressful nights. The homeowners also reportedly lost their homestead exemption and their homeowner's insurance as a result of their home's title being taken out of their name.

For the story, see House thieves, who can steal your home.

Go here, go here, go here, and go here for other posts related to deed or refinancing scams by forgery, swindle, etc. DeedTheftAlpha

San Bernardino County Man Charged In Theft Of Elderly Couple's Home; Allegedly Pocketed $250K In Subsequent Refinance

In Southern California, the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office announced that investigators in its Real Estate Fraud unit arrested real estate agent Anthony Vargas, 34, at his office in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.(1) According to the DA's press release:

• [I]n February 2008, Vargas fraudulently acquired a property in Rancho Cucamonga that belonged to an elderly Rancho Cucamonga couple. Vargas completed a Grant Deed and forged the victims' signatures, granting the property into his name. Vargas recorded the Grant Deed with the San Bernardino County Recorder’s Office and became the owner of record of the residential property. The victims owned this property outright with no mortgage owed. Vargas immediately took out a loan on the property in the amount of $250,000. [...] During the loan process the property was appraised at $1,200,000.

For the press release, see Rancho Cucamonga Man Arrested for Real Estate Fraud.

Go here, go here, go here, and go here for other posts related to deed or refinancing scams by forgery, swindle, etc.

(1) Vargas faces felony counts of Grand Theft (PC 487), Forgery (PC 470), Filing a False/Forged Document with the County Recorders Office (PC 115a) and Financial Elder Abuse (PC 368d), according to the DA's press release. Links are to the relevant sections of the California Penal Code. DeedTheftAlpha

Nevada AG Charges Three In Alleged Refinance Scam; 69 Year Old Victim Left Facing Possible Foreclosure

From the office of the Nevada Atttorney General:

• Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, announced today the arrests of Roxanne Lynette McCoy and Shanease Renee Bauman, employees of Proserve Mortgage. The arrests were made in connection with an alleged scheme involving the submission of forged loan application documents to a bank for a mortgage loan, after being informed by the victim, Jeri Cooper, age 69, that she could not afford the loan and did not want to complete the loan application process. A third suspect, Laticia Renee Carter, also a Proserve Mortgage employee, remains at large.

***

• The State alleges that, as a result, the elderly victim is being held responsible for payment of the loan and now faces possible foreclosure.

According to the Nevada AG's press release, the Defendants are each charged with multiple felonies including:

1. one count of Forgery,
2. one count of Obtaining Signature by False Pretenses,
3. one count of Theft, and
4. one count of Mortgage Lending Fraud.

For more, see Attorney General Announces Arrests In Mortgage Loan Scam Against Senior Citizen.

Go here, go here, go here, and go here for other posts related to deed or refinancing scams by forgery, swindle, etc. DeedTheftAlpha

Stolen Identities, Phony Documents Used In NYC Deed Theft; Leaves One Victim With Ruined Credit & Unwitting Widow Facing Foreclosure

In Jamaica, Queens, the New York Daily News reports on a scam where a con man was paid $1,000 by an alleged fraud ring to show up at a closing pretending to be a homeowner who has been dead for 19 years to sell a home from out from under the deceased homeowner's widow. A stolen identity, backed up with phony documents, was used by a purported buyer to obtain a $533,000 mortgage, which has since gone unpaid, leaving a widow facing the loss of her home of over 30 years, and the identity theft victim with her credit in shambles.

For the story, see Dead man gets mortgage worth whopping $533G. DeedTheftAlpha

Michigan Man Cops Plea In Alleged Home Theft From Elderly Couple

In Wayne County, Michigan the Detroit Free Press reports:

• A Grosse Pointe Woods man accused of defrauding an elderly couple in a real estate scheme pleaded no contest in Wayne County Circuit Court on Wednesday. [...] According to the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office, in February 2004, [John] Matouk, who owned half a property [...] in Dearborn with the couple, forged a quitclaim deed from the couple that transferred the entire property to his company, LM Investments of Dearborn LLC.

• Matouk then allegedly obtained a $650,000 mortgage on behalf of LM Investments and spent the money on himself. In September 2007, the couple discovered the scheme and reported it to authorities.

Source: Man takes plea in real estate case.

For story update (11-27-08), see Real estate scam means probation.

For earlier story on this case, see Man charged in Dearborn land swindle case.

Go here, go here, go here, and go here for other posts related to deed theft by forgery, swindle, etc. DeedTheftAlpha

Forged Deed & Subsequent Refinance Leaves Bronx Homeowner Facing Foreclosure, I.D. Theft Victim's Credit In Ruins

In The Bronx, New York, the New York Daily News reports:

• Phillip Powell, who lives in Baldwin, L.I., never even laid eyes on a house on E. 215th St. in the Bronx when one day he learned that he owned it. He received mail saying he owed payments on a $370,000 mortgage he had taken out on the single-family home.

***

• Paula Penrose, who lives at the east Bronx property that she bought in 2002, was equally shocked when she learned Powell owns her home.

***

• In a classic case of deed theft, someone stole Powell's identification and forged a deed transferring ownership from Penrose to Powell.

• Then, the person pretending to be Powell used the forged deed to take out a $370,000 mortgage from New Century Mortgage Co. on the E. 215th St. home. Because neither the real Powell nor the fake Powell were making monthly mortgage payments, New Century began foreclosure proceedings against the property, and Penrose and her family face eviction.

For more, see You own a house - but we're taking it. DeedTheftAlpha

Washington Man Found Guilty Of Swindling Nearly $1M From Elderly Widow, Leaving Her Facing Foreclosure

In Vancouver, Washington, The Columbian reported last Friday:

• A Vancouver man was convicted Friday of scamming an elderly widow out of nearly $1 million over five years by wildly overcharging for home-improvement projects and convincing her she was investing in other properties. In what’s believed to be the largest theft case prosecuted in Clark County, a jury [...] deliberated 2 hours before finding Richard M. Amaro guilty of 12 counts of first-degree theft, three counts of contracting without a license and two counts of second-degree theft.

***

• During three days of testimony, jurors heard how Amaro befriended Pamela Leibel in 2002 after knocking on her door in the Fairway Village retirement community in east Vancouver and offering to clean her gutters. Over the next five years he did projects at her home at incredibly inflated costs, for example charging $130,000 to rebuild her deck twice. A licensed contractor testified that he would have bid $6,700 for the project.

In an earlier story, The Columbian reported:

• In November 2007, by the time Detective Jane Easter from the Vancouver Police Department found out about the case, “[The widow] was down to eating a packet of oatmeal, split three ways, for her meals,” [Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jim] David said. And her home, which she had owned outright, was in foreclosure because she’d taken out a $285,000 mortgage in order to keep paying Amaro. [...] An attorney did help [the widow] save her home.

For more, see:

• Man convicted in $1 million scam (Handyman bilked elderly woman over five-year period),
• Trial begins in alleged $981,000 swindle of elderly Vancouver woman.

For story update (11-13-08), see Seattle Times: Man sentenced for scamming Vancouver woman (A man who scammed $981,000 from an elderly woman was sentenced in Vancouver to nine years in prison).

Go here, here, here, here, here, and here for other posts on elder financial abuse. FinancialAbuseOfElderlyAlpha DeedTheftAlpha

Texas Man Sues To Void Deed In Alleged Land Swindle

In Beaumont, Texas, The Southeast Texas Record reports:

• A Jefferson County man has filed suit against a Beaumont couple and the woman's mother, claiming their conspiracy against him has forced him to lose property that belongs to him. Glen Ray Waldrop claims he is the owner of 3.27 acres located [...] in Beaumont.

• He entered into what he believed to be a contract for deed with Jeff Allen and Theresa Ann Theal in May 2001, according to the complaint filed Oct. 21 in Jefferson County District Court. In the contract for deed, Waldrop believed the Theals would purchase the property through monthly installments, the suit states.

***

• In fact, the document Waldrop signed was a general warranty deed, transferring ownership of the property to the Theals, he claims. [...] Waldrop knew nothing about the general warranty deed or [the mother's] role until the Theals ceased their monthly payments in April 2007, the suit states.

For more, see Disabled man claims he was swindled out of property by local couple.

Go here, go here, go here, and go here for other posts related to deed theft by forgery, swindle, etc. DeedTheftAlpha

AZ R/E Agent Admits Forgery On Subordination Agreement Making Seller-Held Note Junior To New Financing; Both Loans Now In Default

From the Office of the Arizona Attorney General:

• Attorney General Terry Goddard [last week] announced that former real estate agent Roy Keith Fife, 47, of Tucson, pleaded guilty to fraud and forgery charges at a hearing in Pima County Superior Court [...].

• At the hearing, Fife admitted forging the signature of a client for whom he served as a residential real estate sales agent. Fife forged the signature on loan documents to facilitate the sale of the client’s property. Through this sale, Fife obtained a commission of more than $100,000.

• As a result of Fife’s forgery, his client’s carryback loan was made junior to a million-dollar equity loan taken out by the buyers. The seller specifically required in the sales contract that his carryback would be in first position. The buyers of the property have since defaulted on both loans.

For the press release, see Tucson Real Estate Agent Pleads Guilty to Fraud, Forgery.

Go here, go here, go here, and go here for other posts related to deed or refinancing scams by forgery, swindle, etc. DeedTheftAlpha

Ex-Pastor, Ex-Banker Charged With Mortgage Fraud, Forgery, Theft By Deception, Etc. In Alleged Scheme To Swindle Church Members

In Macon, Georgia, the Macon Telegraph reports:

• A former Macon pastor and a former Macon banker were indicted [last] Tuesday by a Bibb County grand jury on RICO charges stemming from an alleged scheme to swindle church members into taking out fraudulent loans totaling more than $600,000, according to court records. The indictment names Steven Pittman, a former employee of BB&T Bank in Macon and Jimmy Collins, former pastor of God’s Worship Center on Gray Highway.(1)

***

• Pittman and Collins allegedly used Pittman’s position as a bank officer to obtain loans and lines of credit for about 10 church members, according to the records. [...] Collins and Pittman provided false financial information about the church members in banking documents, submitted forged documents to the bank and misrepresented the true use of the loan funds, according to court records.

For more, see Ex-pastor, ex-banker hit with racketeering charges in Bibb County.

See also, Macon Telegraph: Victims in preacher scam indictment have faith that God will carry them through:

• As pastor of the church, Collins is accused of using his position and influence to identify potential borrowers who “lacked financial sophistication” to “assist” the church and its programs by taking out personal loans, according to court records.

(1) According to the story, the indictment charges Collins and Pittman with, among other things, violation of the RICO Act, bank fraud, residential mortgage fraud, forgery, theft, and theft by deception, according to court records. DeedTheftAlpha