"Loan Modification Industry Is Teeming With Confidence Men & Charlatans!" Says California AG In Announcing Suits Against Five Operators

From the Office of the California Attorney General:

• As part of a massive federal-state crackdown on loan modification scams, Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. at a press conference [last week] announced the filing of legal action against 21 individuals and 14 companies who ripped off thousands of homeowners desperately seeking mortgage relief. Brown is demanding millions in civil penalties, restitution for victims and permanent injunctions to keep the companies and defendants from offering mortgage-relief services.

• "The loan modification industry is teeming with confidence men and charlatans, who rip off desperate homeowners facing foreclosure," Brown said. "Despite firm promises and money-back guarantees, these scam artists pocketed thousands of dollars from each victim and didn't provide an ounce of relief." Brown filed five lawsuits(1) as part of "Operation Loan Lies," a nationwide sweep of sham loan modification consultants, [...].

For the California AG press release, see Brown Sues 21 Individuals and 14 Companies Who Ripped Off Homeowners Desperate for Mortgage Relief.

(1) The California AG's Office filed five civil lawsuits against the following operators:

• Home Relief Services LLC (other defendants: THE DIENER LAW FIRM, GOLDEN STATE FUNDING, INC., PAYMENT RELIEF SERVICES, INC., CHRISTOPHER L. DIENER, KATHLEEN MARRERO-DAVIS, TERENCE GREEN SR., STEFANO MARRERO, MAYA BURRELL MARRERO, RONALD C. SPECTER, KENNETH BUHLER. AG Brown seeks $10 million in civil penalties, full restitution for victims, and a permanent injunction),

• RMR Group Loss Mitigation LLC (other defendants: LIVING WATER LENDING, INC., SHIPPEY & ASSOCIATES, P.C., MICHAEL SCOTT ARMENDARIZ, RUBEN CURIEL, RICARDO HAAG, KARLA C. SHIPPEY, ARTHUR S. ALDRIDGE. AG Brown sekks $7.5 million in civil penalties, full restitution for victims, and a permanent injunction),

• United First Inc. (other defendants: MW ROTH, PLC; PAUL NOE, MITCHELL ROTH),

• U.S. Foreclosure Relief Corp. (other defendants: GEORGE ESCALANTE, CESAR LOPEZ, trading and doing business as H.E. Service Company, and ADRIAN POMERY, ESQ., trading and doing business as Pomery & Associates),

• Statewide Financial Group Inc. (doing business as US HOMEOWNERS ASSISTANCE, US HOMEOWNERS PRESERVATION CENTER, INC., HAKIMULLAH SARPAS, ZULMAI NAZARZAI, SHARON FASELA, RASHA YEHIA MELEK).