Maria Santa, 33; Virgil Santa, 35; and Candit Sava, Jr., 26, all of Sacramento, California, were arrested on charges of mortgage fraud.
A criminal Complaint was filed in federal court against the three defendants on March 17, 2008. The complaint alleges that beginning in November 2006, Maria Santa and Candit Sava prepared and submitted loan applications containing false statements as to employment and monthly income, and other false information, of a straw purchaser in order to purchase houses in the name of the straw purchaser. The complaint further alleges that Maria Santa and Virgil Santa committed identity theft by using a victim’s identity to purchase property.
The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and the Calif. Department of Real Estate. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Stegman.
Rachel Dollar, the editor of Mortgage Fraud Blog is an attorney and Certified Mortgage Banker who handles litigation for lending institutions and secondary market investors.