Archives

PHOENIX, AZ - May 12, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- April J. Lucero, 46, of Phoenix, Ariz. was sentenced on May 10, 2010 to two years in prison for her conviction in August 2009 for her involvement in a mortgage fraud scheme in Phoenix, Ariz. Lucero pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Mail, Wire and Bank Fraud, a felony, related to her participation in a two year conspiracy involving the purchase of 37 properties using fraudulent loan documents. Seven other co-conspirators were also charged and have pleaded guilty for their involvement in the conspiracy

Phoenix, AZ - March 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder today pledged a broad and intensified fight to prevent, prosecute and punish mortgage fraud in Arizona, aided by an additional $1.7 million in federal funding

WASHINGTON, DC - March 26, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Representatives of the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, including Attorney General Eric Holder, met in Phoenix today for the second of a series of Mortgage Fraud Summits. The task force, established by President Barack Obama in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes, is comprised of representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general, and state and local law enforcement

Phoenix, AZ - March 24, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Terry Goddard said today he will join U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and other members of the recently formed Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force at a Mortgage Fraud Summit meeting Thursday in Phoenix

PHOENIX, AZ - March 16, 2010 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mario G. Bernadel, 51, a citizen of Haiti, was sentenced today to nearly 17 years in prison for his conviction on multiple counts for leading a mortgage fraud scheme in Phoenix that cost banks over $9 million.

Washington, D.C. - September 17, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard met this morning with Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, other senior Obama Administration officials and 11 other state Attorneys General to coordinate proactive strategies and strengthen efforts to fight consumer fraud in the housing markets

PHOENIX, AZ - September 9, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Mario Bernadel, 51, of Phoenix, was convicted yesterday on 19 counts of Conspiracy to Commit Mail, Wire, and Bank Fraud; Mail Fraud; Wire Fraud; Bank Fraud, and Transactional Money Laundering as a result of his involvement in a cash back mortgage fraud scheme. Sentencing is set before U.S. District Judge Stephen M. McNamee on November 30, 2009.

PHOENIX, AZ - August 19, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Jake David Abegg Whitman, 33, of Mesa, Ariz., pleaded guilty on August 18, 2009, to one count of Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and seven counts of Bank Fraud.

PHOENIX, AZ - August 13, 2009 - (RealEstateRama) -- Christopher S. Bartlemus, 31, of Phoenix, pleaded guilty to conspiracy counts in two separate indictments on August 10 and August 12, 2009. In one case, Bartlemus pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire, Bank and Mail Fraud and in a separate case, to Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud. Sentencing is set before Judge McNamee on November 2, 2009 and Judge Campbell on November 16, 2009.