Diversified Real Estate Consultants LLC (DREC), an Ohio-based foreclosure rescue company, its affiliates, and its owner, are the subject of a civil lawsuit alleging multiple violations of Ohio consumer laws. According to the lawsuit, filed in the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, DREC is a Florida registered

Keith McCloud, an officer in the Detroit Police Department, was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud in connection with his participation in a mortgage fraud scheme. The indictment charges that from March 2005 through April 2006, McCloud and other individuals knowingly participated in a scheme to defraud mortgage lenders.

Robert Hance, a Michigan resident and loan officer with Fifth Third Bank, was indicted on charges that he conspired with others to defraud Fifth Third Bank and obtain money through false pretenses. Specifically, straw buyers, who were paid a fee, were allegedly recruited to serve as mortgage loan applicants for the purchase of

Deangelo Wade, 40, Plymouth, Michigan, pleaded guilty to mortgage fraud and filing a false tax return. According to court records, beginning in 2004, Wade used straw buyers in conducting real estate transactions. These straw buyers used false information to obtain mortgages on the purchased properties. Wade would repair these

Douglas E. Brandewie, a Michigan resident, was charged via Information with making False Statement to the FDIC. While Brandewie was the president of mortgage banking at Citizens First Savings Bank (Citizens), he ordered unfavorable real estate appraisals to be purged from

Jean Teresa Hoffert, 59, Emmetsburg, Iowa, a real estate broker who stole mortgage loan proceeds received during real estate closings, pled guilty on July 5, 2011, in federal court in Sioux City.  Hoffert was convicted of one count of mail fraud. At the plea hearing Hoffert admitted defrauding others out of

Anthony Lewis, 38, San Fernando Valley, California, Maria Arriaza, 33, Palmdale, California, formerly an escrow officer, and Deon Jackson, 36, Gardena, California, a mortgage broker, all Los Angeles County residents, have been charged for their roles in a

Claymon "Butch" Trammell, 61, along with his wife, Jeannettea Williams, 56, and daughter, Michelle Trammell, 39, Houston, Texas, have all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for their roles in a multi-million-dollar mortgage fraud scheme. The three defendants entered their pleas (Trammell, Williams, Trammell) in federal court before United States District Court Judge Vanessa Gilmore. From 2003 until the end of 2006, Claymon Trammell conspired with his wife and daughter to defraud mortgage lenders. Claymon Trammell and Williams recruited and paid individuals to act as straw borrowers on applications for residential mortgage loans, even though the borrowers had no intention of making payments on the mortgage loans or, in the case of homes supposedly purchased as "primary residences," of residing in the homes. Some borrowers were used multiple times, including one borrower whose name and credit was used to "purchase" approximately 17 homes. Claymon Trammell pitched the scheme as an investment where the straw borrowers would not need any money down, would not be responsible for the monthly payments and would get money for the use of their name and credit. At times during the scheme, Michelle Trammell and Williams were licensed mortgage loan officers. Michelle Trammell acted as a loan officer in the transactions and filled out loan applications in the names of borrowers and knowingly provided lenders with false information and documents about the borrower's employment, income, assets and intent to occupy the purchased property. Michelle Trammell and Williams provided lenders with various documents she knew to be false, including false verifications of deposit, false verifications of rent and false earnest money contracts. There were more than 70 homes involved in the scheme, all of which went into payment default and most into foreclosure. The three defendants caused lenders to fund loans to purchase more than 70 homes in the Houston area and personally benefitted by funneling some of the loan proceeds to themselves via businesses they controlled and/or owned via bogus repair invoices and real estate agent and loan officer commissions. For their conviction of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. Section 371, the defendants face a maximum of five years' imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, as well as up to a three-year term of supervised release at their sentencing, scheduled for Dec. 5, 2011. As part of their plea agreements, the defendants also agreed to pay restitution if ordered to do so by the court. United States Attorney José Angel Moreno announced the guilty pleas. The investigation leading to the charges was the result of an investigation conducted by agents of the FBI. Assistant United States Attorneys Belinda Beek, Jimmy Sledge, and Kebharu Smith prosecuted the case with assistance from paralegal specialist Brenda Williams.

Trent Christopher Jonas, 42, Golden Valley, Minnesota, was sentenced for stealing money in a mortgage fraud scheme. United States District Court Judge Ann D. Montgomery sentenced Jonas to 24 months in prison on one count of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. In addition,

Salvador Anzo Sr., 44, is the subject of a $2.1 million dollar fugitive arrest warrant issued by the San Bernardino County Superior Court, California.  Between November 2007 and January 2009 Anzo Sr. along with additional suspects Salvador Anzo Jr., 22, Marlen Medina, 26,