Arizona AG Scores $1.7M In USDOJ Cash To Escalate Efforts In Prosecuting Mortgage-Related Scams

From the Office of the Arizona Attorney General:

• Attorney General Terry Goddard [] announced he has been awarded a $1.7 million grant from the U.S. Office of Justice Programs to fight mortgage fraud in Arizona. The grant will be utilized to create a new six-person unit devoted exclusively to investigating and prosecuting mortgage-related crimes. This new unit will operate as part of the Criminal Division of the Attorney General’s Office and will be operational within the next 90 days.

• The Office of Justice Programs is a part of the U.S. Department of Justice. Goddard said the unit will enable his Office to go after more mortgage “rescue” businesses that exploit consumers struggling to keep their homes. Over the past three years, the AG’s Office has undertaken several dozen criminal and civil investigations of mortgage fraud, leading to 13 indictments and 19 lawsuits and settlements.(1)

For the Arizona AG press release, see Terry Goddard Wins $1.7 Million to Fight Mortgage Scams.

(1) Goddard also said that in the past two weeks he has stepped up efforts to prevent mortgage scams by sending more than 600 letters to loan modification companies and licensed mortgage brokers, advising them about the new state laws that went into effect this summer. The letters affirm his commitment to vigorously enforce the laws and take action over any violations of the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act.