USDOJ

Two Northern California real estate investors have agreed to plead guilty today for their role in a conspiracy to rig bids at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California, the Department of Justice announced.

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOHN VESCERA, 60, of Dana Point, Calif., was sentenced today by Chief U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for false advertising and misusing a government seal in connection with the provision of mortgage modification services

Ten Eastern California real estate investors were sentenced yesterday for their participation in conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Eastern California, the Department of Justice announced.

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MEHDI MOAREFIAN, also known as “Michael Miller,” 37, of Irvine, California, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 52 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for participating in an extensive mortgage loan modification scheme.  MOAREFIAN also was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,390,496.59.

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that two California residents involved in an extensive mortgage loan modification scheme were sentenced today in Bridgeport federal court. U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill sentenced SERJ GEUTSSOYAN, also known as “Anthony Kirk,” 34, of Santa Ana, to 52 months of imprisonment, and DANIEL SHIAU, also known as “Scott Decker,” 30, of Irvine, to 58 months of imprisonment. GEUTSSOYSAN and SHIAU also were ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay restitution in the amount of $2,390,496.59

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit alleging that several mortgage loan modification service providers violated the federal Fair Housing Act and Equal Credit Opportunity Act by intentionally discriminating against Hispanic homeowners by targeting them for predatory mortgage loan modification services and interfering with their ability to receive financial assistance to maintain their homes.  The defendants named in the lawsuit are The Home Loan Auditors LLC, Century Law Center LLC, SOE Assistance Center Inc., Spieker Law Office and the principals of these entities:

The Department of Justice announced that an Orange County, California, man pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana, California, for his role as the sales manager of a multi-million dollar fraudulent mortgage modification scheme

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOHN VESCERA, 60, of Dana Point, Calif., waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to false advertising and misusing a government seal in connection with the provision of mortgage modification services.

The Department of Justice and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today announced that a group of 66 companies have agreed to clean up contaminated groundwater at the Omega Chemical Corporation Superfund Site in Whittier, California.  The settlement requires the companies to spend an estimated $70 million to install wells and operate a groundwater treatment system.  In addition, the parties will reimburse EPA $8 million and the California Department of Toxic Substances Control $70,000 toward costs incurred in those agencies’ past cleanup actions at the site

A Seal Beach man who operated a bogus mortgage rescue scheme – in which he made false promises to dozens distressed homeowners, filed fraudulent bankruptcies to delay foreclosure and rented the properties to third parties as the foreclosure proceedings were delayed – was sentenced today to eight years in federal prison.

Ayman Shahid, 39, of Danville, California, the former president of Discovery Sales Inc. (DSI), pleaded guilty in federal court in Oakland, California, to conspiracy to commit bank fraud announced U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag for the Northern District of California, Special Agent in Charge David J. Johnson of the FBI’s San Francisco Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Thomas McMahon of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and Special Agent in Charge Leslie DeMarco for the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG).

Two Northern California real estate investors pleaded guilty for their role in bid-rigging conspiracies and mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California, the Department of Justice announced today.

The Justice Department today announced a comprehensive settlement agreement with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) that will support wide-ranging reforms in LASD’s Antelope Valley stations in the cities of Lancaster and Palmdale.  The Justice Department and the county of Los Angeles have agreed to enter into a court-enforceable settlement agreement that will require reforms to LASD’s data collection, training and accountability systems to improve the quality and effectiveness of LASD’s interactions with Antelope Valley residents, and reduce bias in its practices.

Two Northern California real estate investors have agreed to plead guilty for their role in bid rigging and fraud conspiracies at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California, the Department of Justice announced

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 3, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Three Northern California real estate investors have agreed to plead guilty for their roles in conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California, the Department of Justice announced

WASHINGTON, D.C. - January 2, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- An Eastern California real estate investor pleaded guilty today to conspiring to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Eastern California, the Department of Justice announced.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 16, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- Felony charges were filed today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, in San Francisco, against Florence Fung of Sacramento, Calif, and Michael Navone of San Rafael, Calif. Fung and Navone are the 39th and 40th individuals to plead guilty or agree to plead guilty as a result of the department’s ongoing antitrust investigations into bid rigging and fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California

WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- A Northern California real estate investor pleaded guilty today for his role in conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California, the Department of Justice announced

WASHINGTON, D.C. - September 5, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- A Northern California real estate investor has agreed to plead guilty for his role in conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California, the Department of Justice announced.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 9, 2013 - (RealEstateRama) -- A federal grand jury in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California in Sacramento today returned a superseding indictment charging Andrew B. Katakis, of Danville, Calif., with obstruction of justice related to a federal investigation into conspiracies to rig bids and commit mail fraud at public real estate foreclosure auctions held in San Joaquin County, Calif., the Department of Justice announced