Cops Bag Two In Alleged Mortgage Refinance Scam Involving Use Of Forged, Fraudulently Notarized Deeds Of Trust To Pocket Cash

From the Office of the Ventura County, California District Attorney:

• The felony complaint charges Pena with two counts of grand theft and one count of money laundering. Pena is also charged with excessive taking enhancements for stealing over $65,000 in one transaction, and stealing over $200,000 in a second transaction. Pena is also charged with an aggravated white-collar crime enhancement for having stolen more than $100,000 while committing two or more related felonies.

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• The felony complaint charges Gil with three counts of forgery and two counts of fraud related to a deed of trust.

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• The charges arose out of a fraudulent real estate transaction that closed escrow in 2005 concerning a home located at 4855 Penrose Avenue in Moorpark. Pena used a straw borrower to obtain two mortgage loans totaling over $500,000 in the course of refinancing the debt on the Penrose Avenue property. After the loans funded, Pena took the excess proceeds from the refinance transaction and caused a portion of these monies to be deposited into a financial institution.



• Gil forged the signatures of multiple individuals involved in this real estate transaction and fraudulently notarized signatures on deeds of trust that were recorded at the Ventura County Recorder's Office.

Go here for the Ventura County DA press release.