Notorious Foreclosure Trash-Out Contractor Faces Racketeering Accusation In Federal Civil Suit Alleging Repeated Illegal Break-Ins; Homeowners' Lawyer On Clients: "They Weren't Even In Foreclosure!"

In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Tribune Review reports:

• A Bethel Park couple claim in a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday that a national property management company that handles foreclosure services had a local contractor repeatedly break into their home in 2012.
  
  Alexandra and Anthony Hlista claim that Safeguard Properties of Valley View, Ohio, and the local contractor violated federal racketeering laws because they used the mail and electronic communications in setting up the break-ins and also violated state and federal consumer protection laws.
  
  Michael Malakoff, their lawyer, said the contractor nailed windows shut, damaged screens and storm windows and changed the lock on their back door without any type of court order. “They weren't even in foreclosure,” he said. A company spokeswoman and the local contractor couldn't immediately be reached for comment.
  
  The couple have a pending federal class-action lawsuit filed in 2011 against Citi Mortgage of New York, IBM Lenders Business Process Service of Oregon and a Philadelphia law firm over mortgage-related fees that they claim are prohibited by state law.

Source: Bethel Park couple sue contractor in federal court.

See Report: Insider Says Allegations Of Incompetence, Malevolence & Larceny Are All In A Day's Work For Trash-Out Contractor That Screws Over Distressed Homeowners for an earlier post on the now-notorious foreclosure trash-out contractor Safeguard Properties.

(1) For those homeowners who've been screwed over by wrongful lockouts by foreclosing lenders (and their confederates) and seek some possible guidance on how much their cases might be worth if they seek to sue, see:

• Nevada High Court OKs $1M+ Damage Award To Homeowner Due To Mortgage Company Misidentification Of Home In Foreclosure (for the court ruling, see Countrywide Home Loans v. Thitchener, 192 P.3d 243; 2008 Nev. LEXIS 79; 124 Nev. Adv. Rep. 64 (Nev. 2008)),
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• Long Island Judge Hammers Wells w/ $155K Tab For Oppressive, Heavy Handed, Egregious Conduct For Pre-Sale Lockout Of Homeowner In Foreclosure (for the court ruling, see Wells Fargo v. Tyson, 27 Misc.3d 684, 897 N.Y.S.2d 610 (Sup. Ct., Suffolk County, 2010); reversed on procedural grounds Wells Fargo v. Tyson, 82 A.D.3d 757, 917 N.Y.S.2d 914 (App. Div. 2d Dept. 2011).

For examples of filed lawsuits involving illegal bank break-in, "trash-out" lockout cases, see:

• Bank admits mistake on Willcox home foreclosure (involving an Arizona homeowner) (for a copy of the resulting federal lawsuit, see Newman v. Bank of America, N.A. and go here for the attached Exhibits),
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• Couple: Bank Foreclosed On Wrong House (New Bedford Couple Suing Bank Of America) (involving a Massachusetts resident with a home in Florida) (for a copy of the resulting federal lawsuit, see Cardoso v. Bank of America, et al.),
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• Family's recently purchased home, gutted by property removal service (involving a Michigan homeowner) (for a copy of the resulting federal lawsuit and accompanying Exhibits , see Rought v Deutsche National Trust Company, Trustee, et al.),
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• In a Sign of Foreclosure Flaws, Suits Claim Break-Ins by Banks (involving a California homeowner) (for a copy of the resulting federal lawsuit, see Ash v. Bank of America),
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• Former Lake Villa couple sues Bank of America over ‘illegal’ lockout (involving a Chicago, Illinois-area homeowner) (for a copy of the resulting federal lawsuit, see McKee v. Bank of America).