Saturday, July 20, 2013

Foreclosures Of Mom & Pop, Neighborhood Elder Assistance Residences Lead To Unpleasant Surprises, Unwanted Shuffling From Home To Home For Some Care-Seeking Seniors

›
In Northern California,  The Huffington Post  reports: Richard Miller had been living in his second-floor San Francisco apartment for 23 y...

Chicago Tenants In Foreclosed Homes To Get Either $10.6K 'Walking Money' Or Annual 12-Month Lease Renewals Until Premises Is Sold To Bona Fide 3rd Party Purchaser Under New Ordinance

›
From a client alert from the law firm  Holland & Knight : In early June, the City of Chicago passed the "Keep Chicago Renting...

Attorney Pinched For Allegedly Stealing Couple's Insurance Settlement Check, Forging Their Signatures, & Pocketing The Cash; Faces Larceny, Fraud Charges

›
In Boynton Beach, Florida, the  South Florida Sun Sentinel  reports: When a Boynton Beach couple's car was stolen, their insurance com...
Friday, July 19, 2013

Condo Developer, Engineering Firm To Cough Up $5.05M In Compensatory, Punitive Damages For Failing To Disclose Certain Construction Defects When Peddling Units To Homebuying Customers

›
From a client alert from the law firm  Fox Rothschild LP : A jury awarded $5.05 million  to the Belgravia Condominium Association, a fter ...

'Prescription Pooch' Feds Tag Landlord In Fair Housing Suit Alleging Refusal To Waive 'Pet Deposit' Requirement For Low-Income Tenant With Mental Disability Who Needed Emotional Support Animal, Followed By Subsequent Retaliation, Harassment That Forced Tenant To Move After She Filed HUD Complaint

›
From the  U.S. Department of Justice  (Washington, D.C.): The Justice Department [] filed a lawsuit against the owners and managers of ren...

Mobile Home Park Operator To Cough Up $35K To Settle Fair Housing Feds' Suit Alleging Refusal To Rent Lot To Black Family Was Based On Race, Forcing Them To Pick Up Their Recently-Purchased Home From Private Owner & Move It; Probe Triggered After Ex-Property Manager Tracked Victims Down & Spilled Beans On Outfit's Anti-African American Policy

›
From the  U.S. Department of Justice  (Washington, D.C.): The Justice Department announced [] that Lawrence Properties Inc., Lawrence at L...
Thursday, July 18, 2013

Lawyer's Direct Mail Solicitations Intended For Homeowners In Foreclosure Mistakenly Sent To Those With Either On-Time Or Paid-Off Mortgages Instead, Leaving Hundreds Of Recipients Freaked Out

›
The Oregonian  reports: The letter began with a bang. "Dear Friend, I am writing because I saw your residence on a list of house (sic...

Probe Into Career Con Man's Recent Alleged Forged Deed Scam Uncovers Pill-Peddling Operation

›
In Newton, New Jersey,  The Star Ledger  reports: Up until about 2011, Robert Kosch Jr. had primarily handled shady real estate deals. Wit...

Montana Feds Pinch Woman For Allegedly Forging Hubby's Name On POA, Loan Documents To Pocket Proceeds From Fraudulently-Obtained HELOC

›
In Billings, Montana, the  Billings Gazette  reports: A Billings woman suspected of impersonating a nurse at a local hospital is facing fe...
Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Jail Time Expected For Pair In Recent Unrelated Cases Involving Use Of Bogus Recorded Documents To Dodge, Delay Foreclosure

›
In Modesto, California,  The Modesto Bee  reports: Several industry insiders charged in real estate scams have reached plea deals in recen...

Operator Of Alleged Loan Modification Scam Faces 15+ Counts Of Grand Theft, Burglary For Allegedly Ripping Off $35K+ From Homeowners Facing Foreclosure

›
In Tulare County, California, the  Visalia Times Delta  reports: A Tulare County man accused of  swindling more than $35,000 from people a...

Operator Of Loan Modification Racket Faces Multiple Grand Theft, Burglary Charges For Allegedly Clipping Homeowners Facing Foreclosure With Upfront Fees, Providing No Assistance

›
In Tulare County, California,  The Fresno Bee  reports: A man who allegedly  committed foreclosure fraud  by taking money from poor, Hispa...
Tuesday, July 16, 2013

World's Largest Bill Collection Racket Agrees To Fork Over $3.2M Civil Penalty To Settle Charges Of Harassing Consumers With Illegal Dunning Practices

›
From the  Federal Trade Commission : The world’s largest debt collection operation, Expert Global Solutions and its subsidiaries,  has agr...

New Florida Law Puts End To Squatting Crackpots Who Use Bogus Adverse Possession Claims As Free Housing Vouchers; Procedures Enacted Leave Cops Without Excuses When Asked To Conduct Trespassing Probes Into Deadbeats Who Purportedly Hijack Possession Of Vacant Homes

›
In Tallahassee, Florida, the  South Florida Sun Sentinel  reports: A squatter justifying his existence in a multi-million dollar home in B...

Colorado Judge Gives Preliminary Green-Light To Probe Into Alleged Inflated Costs Scam Targeting Foreclosure Mills, Ordering Attorney To Fork Over Paperwork Requested By State AG

›
In Denver, Colorado,  The Denver Post  reports: With a handful of foreclosure lawyers listening intently from the back of the courtroom, a...

Florida Appeals Court To Foreclosure Defense Firm: Quality Of Legal Work In One Case "Disturbing" & "Resulted In A Waste Of Judicial Resources &, Perhaps, An Injustice To The Litigants"

›
In Orlando, Florida, the  Orlando Sentinel  reports: When Emmett B. Hagood III's foreclosure case came before a judge last year, his O...

Sacramento Feds Score Another Guilty Plea In Foreclosure Rescue Scam That Falsely Promised Homeowners Easier House Payments Thru Discount Delinquent Mortgage Purchases; Used Fractional Interest Deed Transfers, Bogus Bkrptcy Filings Invoking Automatic Stay To Drag Out Legal Process & Continue Collecting Periodic Fees

›
From the  Office of the U.S. Attorney  (Sacramento, California): Jewel Hinkles, aka Cydney Sanchez, 63, of Los Angeles, pleaded guilty [] ...
Monday, July 15, 2013

Colorado AG Begins Probe Into Accusations That High-Volume Foreclosure Mills Are Artificially Padding Their Costs When Processing Foreclosures

›
In Denver, Colorado,  The Denver Post  reports: The Colorado attorney general is investigating whether law firms specializing in foreclosu...

Foreclosure Defense Attorney's Court Sanctions Now Total $300K+ For Improper Practices Engaged In During Course Of Representing Homeowners

›
In Minneapolis, Minnesota, the  Star Tribune  reports: The chief federal judge in Minnesota has taken the rare step of ordering an investi...

S.C. Supremes: Bankster Loan Modifications Conducted, Supervised By Non-Attorneys Not An Unauthorized Practice Of Law

›
Housing Wire  reports: On June 19, 2013, the South Carolina Supreme Court issued its long-awaited opinion in  Crawford v. Central Mortgage...

Bay State Appeals Court Green-Lights AG's Probe Into Notorious Foreclosure Mill For Possible Violations Of Massachusetts UDAP Statute In Dealings With Financially Strapped Homeowners, Tenants Living In Foreclosed Homes

›
In Boston, Massachusetts,  The Boston Globe  reports: Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley on Monday  applauded a state Appeals C...
Sunday, July 14, 2013

Non-Profit Law Firm Scores Permanent Injunction On Behalf Of Low-Income Farmworker Who Nearly Lost His Home To Foreclosure After Being Screwed Over By Loan Modification Racket

›
In Fresno, California,  The Fresno Bee  reports: A judge has signed a court order that prevents a Fresno foreclosure consulting business f...

Speculating Banksters Increase Use Of Credit Bids At Foreclosure Auctions To Buy, Flip Their Own Distressed Properties

›
In Sarasota, Florida, the  Sarasota Herald Tribune  reports: As home prices in the region climb and inventory dries up, the nation's l...

5th Circuit Affirms Texas Bankruptcy Court Ruling Slamming Bankster's Attempt To Squeeze Loan Guarantors By Recovering More Than Amount Due On Foreclosed Mortgage; Lender Fails In Claim That Its Credit Bid Should Not Be Used As Basis For Reducing Loan's Outstanding Balance

›
From  Bankruptcy-RealEstate-Insights.com : A bank made loans to the debtor to finance construction of a golf course. The loans were secure...
Saturday, July 13, 2013

After Feeling Forced To Move, Disabled Tenant Scores $16.5K In Suit Settlement Over Landlord's Alleged Failure To Respond & Engage In Interactive Process In Connection With Request To Make Building Wheelchair-Friendlier By Either Fixing Often-Broken Elevators Or Installing Ramp

›
From the  Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General : A Worcester housing complex and its property management company will pay $20,000 ...

Craigslist Ad Indicating Unwillingness To Rent To Families With Kids Under Age 6 To Dodge Duty To Delead Apartment To Cost Landlord $38K+ In Penalties, Legal Fees, Costs

›
From the  Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General : A Melrose landlord and property manager have been  ordered to pay more than $38,0...

Massachusetts AG Indicts Landlord For Allegedly Using Forged Lead Inspection Compliance Letter In Attempt To Qualify For Receipt Of Section 8, State-Subsidized Rental Assistance Payments On Behalf Of Tenant With Three Kids Under Age 6

›
From the  Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General : A Chelsea area property owner and real estate broker has been indicted in connect...

Bay State Landlord Gets Jail Time In State Hate Crimes Prosecution For Use Of Racial Slurs To Harass, Intimidate Once-Pregnant, White Tenant Who Since Delivered, Brought Home Newborn Biracial Infant, Forcing Her To Move From Residence

›
From the  Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General : A Holyoke man has been found guilty in connection with the  racial harassment of ...
Friday, July 12, 2013

Disciplinary Actions By Florida Supreme Court

›
The Florida Bar  recently published its periodic 'gossip sheet' announcing the discipline recently meted out by the Florida Supreme ...