Massachusetts Closing Attorney Cops Plea To Illegally Pocketing $1M+ In Real Estate Escrow Funds Earmarked For Satisfying Existing Mortgage Loans

From the Office of the U.S. Attorney (Massachusetts):

• [R]oxbury attorney [ANDREA GOODE-JAMES, age 44,] was convicted [...] in federal court of mortgage fraud for pocketing more than $1 million in proceeds of loan closing transactions.(1) At [the] plea hearing, the prosecutor told the Court that had the case proceeded to trial the Government’s evidence would have proven that GOODE-JAMES performed closings on three different properties between 2005 and 2007, and pocketed more than $1 million in lender proceeds, rather than using those funds to pay off pre-existing mortgages as directed by the lenders. To conceal her fraud, GOODE-JAMES made some monthly payments on the pre-existing mortgage loans. She also issued title insurance commitments to the new lenders, which bound the title insurance company for title defects and misled lenders to believe that she had in fact cleared title by paying off prior loans and obtaining discharges of those mortgages.(2)

For the U.S. Attorney press release, see Roxbury Lawyer Pleads Guilty To Mortgage Fraud.

(1) Goode-James pled guilty to one count of mail fraud and three counts of wire fraud, all arising out of her scheme to defraud various mortgage lenders, a title insurance company and innocent homeowners.

(2) For those who have been screwed out of money or property through the dishonest conduct of a Massachusetts attorney in the course of providing legal representation or acting as a fiduciary, and seek some financial reimbursement for the screwing over, go to the Massachusetts Clients' Security Board Of The Supreme Judicial Court for more information. For other states and Canada, see:

• Directory Of Lawyers' Funds For Client Protection (American Bar Association);
• Check the USA Client Protection Funds Map;
• Check the Canada Client Protection Funds Map.