Ohio AG, Cuyahoga County Task Force Bust 41 People In Alleged Straw Buyer Mortgage Scam Involving 453 Houses, $44M In Fraudulently Obtained Loans

In Cleveland, Ohio, Crain's Cleveland Business reports:

• Four companies and 41 people(1) have been indicted in an alleged mortgage fraud scheme spearheaded in Beachwood. The scam allegedly included 453 homes and $44 million of fraudulent loans. The Cuyahoga County Mortgage Fraud Task Force(2) and the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission allege that Beachwood resident Uri Gofman convinced friends and relatives to invest in his real estate company, Real Asset Fund. He began the business with seed money from Latvia, the officials said in a press release, but used “straw buyers” to purchase homes. The company then falsely claimed that improvements were made to the homes so they could be refinanced, the attorney general's office alleged. The houses were then sold to unqualified buyers.

For more, see Indictments handed up in alleged mortgage fraud scheme.

See also:

• Ohio Attorney General press release: Task Force Cracks Mortgage Fraud Case Involving 453 Homes,
• The Cleveland Plain Dealer: 41 indicted in $44 million county mortgage-fraud scam (Scheme helped bring down home values, worsen blight, prosecutors say).

Go here to see a complete list of the defendants and charges.

(1) The 45 individuals and outfits busted were: Uri Gofman, 36, of Beachwood, Tony Viola, 43, of Cleveland, Igor Gofman, 47, of Beachwood, Samyel Goldshtein, 51, of Highland Hts., Alex Kurlienko, 27, of South Euclid, Kevin Landrum, 30, of Solon, The Real Asset Fund, 2120 Green Rd. South Euclid, Yan Satanovskiy, 61, of Lyndhurst, Irina Satanovskiy, 61, of Lyndhurst, Ester Simkhovich, 35, of Lakewood, New Jersey, Leonid Simkhovich, 31, of Wickliffe, Gennadiy Simkhovich, 52, of Highland Hts., Marina Simkhovich, 47, of Highland Hts., Alexander Vinokur, 39, of Solon, Eric Gesis, 45, of Highland Hts., Tigran Babloyan, 44, of Reminderville, Karka Inc., 2120 Green Rd. South Euclid, James Alexander, 42, of Warrensville Hts., Tiffany Alexander, 39, of Beachwood, Farah Dailey, 30, of Euclid, George F. Gardner III, 38, of Euclid, Donnie Eatmon, 44, of Macedonia, Rochelle Huffman, 35, of Cleveland Hts., Brian P. Jordan, 48, of Cleveland, Crystal McCoy, 53, of Cleveland, Maura McKissic, 32, of Cleveland Hts., Steve Greenwald, 43, of Solon, Zakkiyya Mumin, 32, of Warrensville Hts., Sulieman Mumin, 30, of Warrensville Hts., Troy E. Spencer, 47, Cleveland Hts., Shirley Board (Vannerson), 59, of Cleveland Hts., Nathan Prusak, 35, of Bay Village, Dale M. Adams, 34, of Solon, Miroslav Simkhovich, 35, of Willoughby, Ronald Medley, 45, of Cleveland, Darrin Harsley, 39, of University Hts., Dave Pirichy, 38, of Burton, Linas Puskorius, 51, of Cleveland, Howard Sieferd, 58, of Euclid, James M. Leoni, 35, Lyndhurst, Realty Corporation of America, 815 Superior Ave. Cleveland, Tiffeney Dennis, 35, of Cleveland Hts., Alicia McKnight, 25, of Bedford Hts., Gregory L. Krainess, 44, of Beachwood, JN & DH Investments, 3213 Portman Ave. Cleveland.

(2) Task Force members include:

• Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission
• Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office
• Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation
• Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office
• Cleveland Heights Police Department
• Solon Police Department
• Beachwood Police Department
• Pepper Pike Police Department
• HUD Inspector General's Office
• Cuyahoga County Recorder
• Cuyahoga County Auditor
• Cuyahoga County Treasurer
• Ohio Department of Commerce-Division of Financial Institutions
• F.B.I.
• U.S. Attorney's Office
• U.S. Postal Inspector