Archives For California

11 Arrested on Charges They Used Stolen Identities to Fraudulently Obtain Loans

Stephanie Abbott —  March 19, 2026 — Leave a comment

Eleven defendants – including two foreign nationals – were arrested today on a 15-count federal indictment charging them with executing a scheme in which they stole the identities of elderly victims, used that information to obtain title reports for residential properties, then solicited millions of dollars in hard money loans from private lenders by falsely representing the loans as being secured by the elderly victims’ properties.

The following defendants were arrested this morning and all but two of them are expected to be arraigned this afternoon:

  • Nazaret Chakrian a.k.a. “Niko”, 65, Hollywood, California;
  • Arnold Moradians a.k.a. “Julian”, 57, Hollywood, California, an Iranian national who has an outstanding warrant for removal from the United States;
  • Avetis Hekimyan a.k.a. “Chef Avo” ,38, North Hollywood, California;
  • Ross Tarkhan, 32, Glendale, California;
  • Tigran Hovanesian, 56, Glendale, California;
  • Armen Vardevaryan, a.k.a. “Gonch” ,55, North Hollywood, California;
  • Craig Higdon, 66, Naples, Florida, who will make his initial appearance in the Middle District of Florida;
  • Helen Spangler, 62, Oakdale, California, who will make her initial appearance in the Eastern District of California;
  • Victor Lossi, 43, Thousand Oaks, California; and
  • Marine Sarkisian, 49, Hollywood, California , an Azerbaijani national and green card holder.

The following defendant arrested today is expected to be arraigned tomorrow in Los Angeles federal court:

  • Cynthia Borjas, 51, Koreatown.

According to the indictment that a federal grand jury returned on February 5, 2026, from January 2021 to May 2023, Chakrian and Moradians fraudulently obtained the personal identifying information (PII) of elderly victims. The victims owned properties in Santa Monica and in the following Los Angeles neighborhoods: Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, Westwood, and Chinatown, California.

Chakrian and Higdon then used the victims’ PII to create counterfeit identification documents. Borjas and Hekimyan created email accounts in the victims’ names to impersonate them.

Using the victims’ PII, the fraudulent ID documents, and the fraudulent email addresses, Chakrian, Moradians, Hekimyan, Vardevaryan, and Spangler misrepresented themselves as the victims’ agents, brokers, representatives or relatives, and submitted fraudulent applications to private money lenders for hard money loans secured by the victims’ properties.

Chakrian, Hekimyan, Higdon, and Spangler created false and fabricated documents – including bank statements, rental agreements, doctors’ notes, and death certificates – to the lenders. These documents contained lies about the victims’ identities, assets, finances, and health as well as the loan proceeds’ intended purpose, and the types of properties being used to secure the loans.

Upon receiving closing documents from the lenders, Chakrian, Hekimyan, Lossi, and Sarkisian caused the documents to be fraudulently notarized and signed by individuals representing the victims.

Tarkhan used stolen PII to create synthetic identities – profiles or ID documents combining fictitious profile information with real victim PII. Using these synthetic identities, Tarkhan caused bank accounts to be opened under false names. These accounts were used to funnel proceeds derived from the scheme.

Private money lenders relied on the false statements, misrepresentations, and certifications to cause funds to be disbursed via check and wire to mailboxes and bank accounts controlled by Chakrian, Tarkhan, and others.

The total intended loss in this case is approximately $17.4 million, and the total actual loss is approximately $6 million.

All defendants except Hovanesian are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and seven counts of wire fraud. Chakrian, Moradians, Borjas, Hekimyan, Tarkhan, Spangler, Lossi, and Sarkisian are charged with one count of aggravated identity theft. Chakrian, Moradians, Tarkhan, and Hovanesian are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Tarkhan is further charged with five counts of money laundering.

“There is no shortage of massive fraud occurring within California,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Today’s operation represents one of many sophisticated schemes used by criminals – including foreign nationals – to defraud U.S. citizens and taxpayers of their hard-earned property. Those days are over under this U.S. Department of Justice. These defendants will be facing significant prison time for their charged conduct.”

“The growing problem of title fraud victimizes homeowners and lenders, many of whom are elderly and have their identities stolen, in addition to their hard-earned money,” said Akil Davis, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “An investigation by the FBI Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force, LAPD, and other law enforcement partners led to today’s arrests of multiple perpetrators of this cruel scheme who now face lengthy prison sentences.”

“The defendants didn’t just steal identities, they used those stolen identities to secure high value real estate loans, fabricate financial documents, and move millions of dollars through a maze of fraudulent businesses and funnel accounts,” said Tyler Hatcher, Special Agent in Charge, IRS-CI Los Angeles Field Office. “Our agents traced every wire, every transfer, and every shell account to expose the financial backbone of this conspiracy. This indictment sends a clear message, IRS CI will dismantle the money pipelines that allow complex fraud schemes to flourish, and we will hold accountable those who profit from exploiting our financial system.”

“This case reflects the relentless work of our investigators and the strong collaboration with our federal partners to unravel a complex and calculated criminal scheme,” said Interim Glendale Police Chief Robert William. “Their focus and determination ensured those responsible are held accountable and that justice is delivered.”

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

If convicted, the defendants would face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for each fraud- and money laundering-related count, and a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in federal prison for the aggravated identity theft count.

This case is being investigated by the Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force (EOCTF) and the Los Angeles Police Department – Commercial Crimes Division. The EOCTF includes agents and task force officers from the FBI, IRS Criminal Investigation, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, and the Glendale Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorneys Claire E. Kelly of the General Crimes Section and Hava Mirell of the Criminal Appeals Section are prosecuting this case.

 

 

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Arrests Made on Complaint for Fraudulently Selling $1.5 Million Home Owned by Victim

Stephanie Abbott —  February 11, 2026 — Leave a comment

Glenis Cardona, 63, Highland, CA, a licensed real estate broker who operates an escrow business , Ivan Reyes, 50, Van Nuys, California and  Arshak Akopyan, a.k.a. “John Akopyan,” 46, Northridge, California were arrested today on a federal criminal complaint alleging they fraudulently sold a $1.5 million Burbank house – whose owner had his home sold out from under him – by using the stolen identifies of that victim homeowner and that of a purported buyer to obtain a near-$1 million loan.

According to an affidavit filed on January 30, 2026, with the complaint, the defendants in late 2023 and January 2024 successfully executed the fraudulent sale of a $1.5 million home in Burbank, California through which they secured approximately $975,000 in loan proceeds.

To complete this transaction, they used the stolen identities of the victim homeowner and a purported buyer. Through her company, Golden Escrow, which has offices in Downey and Sherman Oaks, California, Cardona obtained a report to evaluate whether the Burbank property was encumbered with liens, such as legal judgments.

The defendants also prepared fraudulent documents, including false identity cards, a purchase agreement, a grant deed, a deed of trust, and loan applications, and falsely notarized the deeds. These false documents and information were submitted to a lender who funded the loan.

Cardona purported to represent the victim seller and the victim buyer – even though neither authorized the transaction – and controlled escrow. Tikriti used the victims’ stolen identities to impersonate both the victim seller and the victim buyer. Reyes and Akopyan acted as mortgage brokers and submitted fraudulent loan applications to solicit lenders to fund the illicit transaction.

After the victim lenders deposited the funds in escrow, Cardona directed the funds to various third-party entities so the schemers could collect their fraudulently obtained money.

The scheme’s victims include the owner of the Burbank house, who lost ownership of the home; the victim buyer, who became obligated to pay back the $975,000 mortgage; the lender, a mortgage lending business that unwittingly approved the funded the loan; and the title company, who unwittingly insured the transaction.

Law enforcement continues to search for defendant Basil Tikriti, 54, Marina del Rey, California who is at large.

A complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

If convicted, each defendant would face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.

The FBI is investigating this matter with the help of the Burbank Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Larocque of the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.

 

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Third Mortgage Professional Pleads Guilty to Mortgage Fraud Scheme

Stephanie Abbott —  May 20, 2024 — Leave a comment

German Antonio Lopez-Velasquez, 55, Modesto, California, pleaded guilty today to conspiring to commit bank fraud.

According to court documents, German Antonio Lopez-Velasquez, a real estate agent, worked with Lisa Santos, 48, Long Beach, California, a mortgage loan officer, and Marko Antonio Lopez, 27, Modesto, California, a real estate agent and notary public, to obtain fraudulent mortgage loans for properties based in Stanislaus, San Joaquin, and Santa Clara Counties in California, and elsewhere. The three defendants used false documents, fictional companies, and fictional individuals to obtain mortgage loans for borrowers who were not qualified to receive loans.

Santos pleaded guilty on May 13, 2024, to conspiring to commit bank fraud, and is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 30, 2024. Marko Antonio Lopez previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced on April 1, 2024.

Lopez-Velasquez is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 9, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Thurston. Lopez-Velasquez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert made the announcement.

“The integrity of the FHA loan program is essential to helping hard working citizens realize the American dream of homeownership,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Mark Kaminsky with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General. “HUD OIG will continue to work with its prosecutorial and law enforcement partners to vigorously pursue those who seek to jeopardize this program and the health and stability of our nation’s housing market.”

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG) and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Spivak is prosecuting the case.

 

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Man Sentenced for Role in Scam Involving Fake Open Houses at Not-for-Sale Homes

Stephanie Abbott —  October 24, 2022 — Leave a comment

Adolfo Schoneke, 45, Torrance, California, who along with his sister and other co-conspirators participated in a $6 million real estate scam that listed homes for sale without owners’ consent and collected money from multiple would-be buyers, was sentenced today.

Schoneke and his sister, along with co-conspirators, operated real estate and escrow companies based in Cerritos, La Palma and Long Beach, California under a variety of names, including MCR and West Coast Realty Services. Schoneke and the other members of the conspiracy located properties to list for sale – even though they did not intend to sell the properties to anyone, and in many instances the properties were not for sale at all.

The properties were listed on real estate websites such as the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and were marketed as short sale opportunities. In some cases, the homes were marketed through open houses arranged by tricking homeowners or occupants into allowing their homes to be used.

Multiple offers were accepted for each of the not-for-sale properties, but the co-conspirators hid this fact from the victims and instead led victims to believe their offer was the only one accepted. The co-conspirators strung victims along – sometimes for years – by telling them closings were being delayed because lenders needed to approve the purported short sales.

Office workers opened bank accounts to hide the co-conspirators’ involvement in the fraud. Those accounts were used to receive down payments on the homes and other payments from victims who were convinced to transfer the full “purchase price” after receiving forged short sale approval letters. The co-conspirators directed the office workers to withdraw large amounts of cash from these accounts, which made the proceeds harder to trace.

Schoneke “and his co-conspirators used numerous properties to further the fraudulent scheme, and collected more than $11.7 million from victims as part of the scheme (involving more than 860 transfers from approximately 750 or more victims),” according to the sentencing memo. “Although some of the victims were paid back, the scheme caused more than $6 million in losses to nearly 400 victims.”

“The fraud scheme [Schoneke] invented, proposed to his co-conspirators, and carried out involved uniquely devious means designed to steal money from as many victims as possible,” according to a sentencing memorandum filed by prosecutors. “Playing on the dream of home ownership and seemingly out of reach home prices, [Schoneke] figured out a way to ‘sell’ homes that he did not own and had no business in listing for sale.”

Schoneke, who pleaded guilty in May, 2022, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, was sentenced by United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner. A restitution hearing was scheduled for December 12, 2022.

Schoneke’s sister, Bianca Gonzalez, 39, pleaded guilty in April,2022, admitting her role in the wire fraud scheme, and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22, 2023.

In a related case, Mario Gonzalez (no relation to Bianca Gonzalez), 51, Garden Grove, California pleaded guilty in 2019 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3, 2023.

The FBI and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General investigated this matter. The investigation was initiated by numerous complaints to the Long Beach Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, both of which provided substantial assistance during the federal investigation.

Assistant United States Attorney Kerry L. Quinn of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.

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Loan Officer & R. E. Agents Charged in Mortgage Fraud Scheme

Stephanie Abbott —  August 25, 2022 — Leave a comment

German Antonio Lopez-Velasquez, 55,  Modesto, California; Marko Antonio Lopez, 27, Modesto, California and Lisa Marie Santos, 48, Long Beach, California have been charged with bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

According to court documents, Lopez-Velasquez and Lopez, who were both real estate agents, worked with Santos, a mortgage loan officer, to obtain fraudulent mortgage loans for properties based in Stanislaus County, San Joaquin County, Santa Clara County, California and elsewhere. The three utilized false documents, fictional companies, and fictional individuals to obtain mortgage loans for borrowers who were not qualified to receive loans. In total, the defendants caused lenders to issue at least 30 loans based on false information with a total principal loan balance exceeding $10 million.

Lopez-Velasquez was also charged with witness tampering. He is alleged to have attempted to persuade an individual to make false statements to law enforcement officers regarding a mortgage loan under investigation.

U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced made the announcement.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG), and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS). Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Spivak is prosecuting the case.

“The FHFA-OIG is committed to holding accountable those who waste, steal, or abuse the resources of the Government-Sponsored Enterprises regulated by FHFA, which the defendants have been charged with defrauding,” said Jay Johnson, Special Agent in Charge, FHFA-OIG, Western Regional Office. “We are proud to have worked with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners on this case and to demonstrate, once again, that FHFA-OIG will investigate and hold accountable those who seek to victimize the Government-Sponsored Enterprises supervised and regulated by FHFA.”

“This case demonstrates HUD OIG’s commitment to pursuing and bringing to justice those who put Federal programs, such as the FHA Mortgage Insurance Fund at risk for their own enrichment,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark T. Kaminsky with HUD OIG Office of Investigation. “HUD OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners and the US Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of California to investigate and hold accountable those who perpetrate mortgage fraud in central California.”

If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine for bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud. If convicted, Lopez‑Velasquez faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for witness tampering. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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Former Head of Anaheim Chamber of Commerce Pleads Guilty to Making False Statement

Stephanie Abbott —  July 1, 2022 — Leave a comment

Todd Ament, 57, Orange, California, the former president and CEO of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce pleaded guilty today to federal criminal charges for defrauding a cannabis company, fraudulently obtaining a COVID-relief business loan worth nearly $62,000, lying to a bank while seeking a loan for a $1.5 million second home, and cheating on his taxes.

According to his plea agreement, in 2019, Ament served as president and CEO of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce. During that time, Ament and a political consultant who was a partner at a national public relations firm, devised a scheme to divert proceeds intended for the Chamber through the PR firm and into Ament’s personal bank account.

Ament and the political consultant schemed to defraud a cannabis company that had retained the political consultant to lobby for favorable cannabis-related legislation in Anaheim. The cannabis company paid $225,000 to the Chamber with the understanding that it would have access to a task force that crafted such legislation, but at least $41,000 of that money was paid directly to Ament without those payments being disclosed to the client.

In December 2020, Ament lied to JPMorgan Chase by submitting a letter falsely representing that three deposits from the PR firm to Ament-controlled bank accounts – totaling $205,000 – were earned income based on services provided by TA Consulting LLC on the PR firm’s behalf. In fact, Ament knew the $205,000 represented a loan to himself and was not earned income.

In April 2020, Ament applied to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) on behalf of his company, TA Consulting LLC, a sole proprietorship based in Big Bear City that had no substantial operations or employees. In May 2020, the SBA wired Ament $61,900 as EIDL proceeds for his business. Ament used the money to pay for various personal expenses, including at clothing stores, boat dealers and on property taxes on his home.

Finally, Ament admitted in his plea agreement that for the tax years 2017, 2018 and 2019 he knowingly and willfully caused false tax returns to be signed and filed that did not report income he had received from various sources. For example, in July 2019, Ament signed and filed a federal tax return that reported that his gross receipts for the tax year 2018 was $0, when in fact his actual gross receipts for that year were $179,336.

In total, Ament caused a tax loss to the United States government of $249,998 for those three tax years.

Ament pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud, one count of making a false statement to a financial institution, and one count of subscribing to a false tax return.

United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha scheduled a December 9 sentencing hearing, at which time Ament will face statutory maximum sentences of 20 years in federal prison for each wire fraud count, 30 years in federal prison for the false statement to a financial institution count, and three years’ imprisonment for the tax count.

The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are investigating this matter.

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Lender Agrees to Pay More Than $1 Million to Resolve Fraud Allegations

Stephanie Abbott —  June 22, 2022 — Leave a comment

American Financial Network, Inc., a mortgage lender based in Brea, California, has agreed to pay $1,037,145 to resolve allegations that it improperly and fraudulently originated government-backed mortgage loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), a component of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Since at least December 2011, AFN has been a participant in FHA’s Direct Endorsement Program. Through this program, a lender such as AFN is authorized to originate and approve mortgage loans to be insured by FHA without any prior review or approval by FHA. Lenders such as AFN are responsible for carefully underwriting the mortgage to make sure that it meets all FHA requirements. Once a mortgage loan is insured by FHA, if the borrower defaults or is unable to repay the mortgage, the lender that holds the mortgage note can submit a claim for insurance benefits to FHA to cover its losses.

The settlement resolves allegations that between December 2011 and March 2019, AFN knowingly underwrote certain FHA mortgages and approved for insurance certain mortgages that did not meet FHA requirements or qualify for insurance, resulting in losses to the United States when the borrowers defaulted on those mortgages. The settlement further resolves allegations that AFN knowingly failed to perform quality control reviews that it was required to perform.

This case began in March 2019 when a whistleblower, a former loan processor with AFN, filed a qui tam complaint under seal in federal court in Spokane. When a whistleblower, or “relator,” files a qui tam complaint, the False Claims Act requires the United States to investigate the allegations and elect whether to intervene and take over the action or to decline to intervene and allow the relator to go forward with the litigation on behalf of the United States. The relator is generally able to then share in any recovery. Pursuant to the settlement agreement, the relator in this case will receive $228,172 of the settlement, and will also recover her attorney’s fees, expenses, and costs.

Vanessa R. Waldref, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, made the announcement.

“FHA-backed mortgages are a critical resource for first-time homebuyers, moderate-income borrowers, and families who have suffered negative credit due to the pandemic or other events out of their control,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “By improperly originating ineligible mortgages, lenders take advantage of the limited resources of the FHA program and unfairly pass the risk of loss onto the public.”

“Quality and affordable housing is a critical issue in Eastern Washington and across the nation,” said U.S. Attorney Waldref. “Protecting the resources that support families who dream of purchasing their first home makes our community stronger. I commend the exceptional investigative work by Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and HUD’s Office of Inspector General that holds accountable those who abuse housing programs.”

“HUD’s Office of Inspector General is committed to working with the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners to ensure that federal programs designed to help our nation’s most vulnerable are not abused,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Scott Tanchak. “Today’s settlement demonstrates the Government’s commitment to protecting the integrity of HUD programs.”

“Investigations such as these help safeguard the integrity of the home loan approval process and protect vulnerable veterans from fraudulent lending practices,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason Root of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General’s Northwest Field Office. “The VA OIG thanks the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington and HUD’s Office of Inspector General for their partnership in this joint investigation.”

The settlement was the result of a joint investigation conducted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Washington, HUD’s Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Spokane Resident Office.

Assistant United States Attorneys Tyler H.L. Tornabene and Dan Fruchter and Special Assistant United States Attorney Frieda K. Zimmerman handled this matter on behalf of the United States. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

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Former Head of Chamber of Commerce Named in Complaint Alleging False Statements on Loan Application

Stephanie Abbott —  May 17, 2022 — Leave a comment

Todd Ament, 57, Orange, California, the former president and CEO of the Anaheim Chamber of Commerce is expected to appear this afternoon in federal court after being charged with lying to a mortgage lender about his assets while seeking a loan for a $1.5 million home in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Ament was charged in a 99-page criminal complaint filed Monday afternoon in United States District Court with making false statements to a financial institution while seeking funding in late 2020 to purchase a second home, a five-bedroom residence in Big Bear City, California.

The affidavit in support of the criminal complaint outlines a plot in which Ament – with the assistance of a political consultant who was a partner at a national public relations firm – devised a scheme to launder proceeds intended for the Chamber through the PR firm into Ament’s bank account. This infusion of cash – which appears to have been a loan from the PR firm engineered by the political consultant – allegedly influenced the lender’s decision to fund the mortgage.

The scheme led to a series of wire transfers from the PR firm that ultimately gave Ament $205,000 and made it appear he had enough cash on hand to secure the home loan, according to the affidavit. Ament allegedly used some of that money for the down payment, and some was used to make an out-of-escrow payment to the seller. The affidavit states that Ament made a $200,000 payment directly to the seller in an apparent effort to reduce the sale price of the house, thus reducing property taxes and lowering the commission to the seller’s real estate agent, the affidavit states.

An investigation outlined in the affidavit revealed that Ament and the political consultant had a close relationship for several years, one that included leading a small group of Anaheim public officials, consultants and business leaders. That group –described by Ament and the political consultant as a “family” and a “cabal” – met regularly at “retreats” to allegedly exert influence over government operations in Anaheim, according to the affidavit.

Ament and the political consultant also allegedly devised a scheme to divert proceeds intended for the Chamber through the PR firm and into Ament’s personal bank account. The affidavit alleges that Ament and the political consultant schemed to defraud a cannabis company that had retained the political consultant to lobby for favorable cannabis-related legislation in Anaheim. The cannabis company paid $225,000 to the Chamber with the understanding that it would have access to a task force that crafted such legislation, but at least $31,000 of that money was paid directly to Ament without those payments being disclosed to the client, the affidavit alleges.

The charge of making false statements to a financial institution carries a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison.

A criminal complaint contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

The FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation are conducting the investigation in this matter.

Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel H. Ahn, Daniel S. Lim and Melissa S. Rabbani of the Santa Ana Branch Office are prosecuting this case.

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Leader of Mortgage Fraud Scheme Sentenced to Prison

Stephanie Abbott —  May 10, 2022 — Leave a comment

James Christopher Castle, 57, formerly of Petaluma, California was sentenced today to 15 years in prison for a bank fraud scheme that sought to fraudulently eliminate home mortgages and then profit on the subsequent home sales.

According to evidence at trial, in May 2020, Castle was extradited to the United States from Australia. Castle had fled to New Zealand and then Australia in 2011 when it became clear that his scheme was unraveling. After a three-year extradition process, Castle was transported back to the United States by the U.S. Marshals Service to stand trial in the United States.

Between April 22, 2010, and November 18, 2011, Castle was the leader of a conspiracy that ran a “mortgage elimination program” that purported to help distressed homeowners avoid foreclosure. The conspirators fraudulently altered the chain of title on residential properties, sold the properties, and received the sales proceeds.

As a requirement for participation in the “mortgage elimination program,” the conspirators enrolled homeowners as members in a Nevada City-based church named Shon-te-East-a, Walks With Spirit, or its successor entity Pillow Foundation. The conspirators told the homeowners that these entities would offer protection against the banks.

Castle directed other co-conspirators in all aspects of the mortgage elimination program, including recruiting homeowners into the scheme, marshaling the necessary recorded documents, and guiding the homes through sale. Once the homeowner enrolled with Shon-te-East-a or Pillow Foundation, Castle would cause a sham deed of trust to be created and recorded, giving the impression that the homeowner had refinanced the mortgage loan with a new lender. In reality, the new lender was a fake entity controlled by the conspirators, and the homeowner owed no money to the purported new lender.

The next step in the process was also a recorded document. The conspirators caused a fake deed of reconveyance to be recorded, giving the appearance that the true mortgage loan had been discharged and that the true lienholder no longer had a security interest in the home.

With title appearing to be clear, the conspirators caused the sale of the home and split the proceeds between the co-conspirators and the homeowners.

In total, 37 properties were sold through the Shon-te-East-a conspiracy. The conspirators recorded fraudulent documents on an additional approximately 100 homes but were unable to sell these before the scheme unraveled.

On Aug. 2, 2021, a jury found Castle guilty of 35 counts of bank fraud.

U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert made the announcement.

Three other co-defendants have previously entered guilty pleas. On April 21, 2017, Remus A. Kirkpatrick, 65, formerly of Oceanside, California pleaded guilty to one count of falsely making writings of lending associations and was sentenced to six years in prison. On May 26, 2017, Michael Romano, 75, Benicia, California pleaded guilty to conspiracy and was sentenced to three years in prison. On July 14, 2017, Laura Pezzi, Roseville, California pleaded guilty to falsely making writings of lending associations and was sentenced to time served.

In related cases, on September 4, 2015, Tisha Trites and Todd Smith, both of San Diego, California pleaded guilty to related charges. Trites is scheduled to be sentenced on June 14, 2022, and Smith was sentenced to two years in prison.

Two other co-defendants, George B. Larsen, 60, San Rafael, California and Larry Todt, 70, Malibu, California were convicted of conspiracy and bank fraud following a jury trial in December 2017. Larsen was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and Todt was sentenced to 7 years and three months in prison.

Co-defendant John Michael DiChiara passed away on August 24, 2019, while awaiting trial.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Audrey B. Hemesath is prosecuting the case.

 

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Man Pleads Guilty in a Real Estate Scam Involving Fake Open Houses at Not-for-Sale Homes

Stephanie Abbott —  May 2, 2022 — Leave a comment

Adolfo Schoneke, 44, Torrance, California  pleaded guilty today to a federal criminal charge for participating with his sister in a $6 million real estate scam that involved listing homes without the owners’ consent and collecting money from multiple would-be buyers for each of the not-for-sale homes.

On April 4, 2020, Schoneke’s sister, Bianca Gonzalez, 39, a.k.a. Blanca Schoneke, pleaded guilty to the same criminal charge.

According to court papers, from November 2013 to December 2016, Schoneke and Gonzalez, along with co-conspirators, operated real estate and escrow companies based in Cerritos, La Palma and Long Beach, California under a variety of names, including MCR and West Coast Realty Services. Schoneke, Gonzalez and other co-conspirators found properties that they would list for sale – even though they did not intend to sell them to anyone.

The properties were listed on real estate websites such as the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) and were marketed as below-market short sales opportunities. In some cases, the homes were marketed through open houses arranged by tricking homeowners into allowing their homes to be used.

Multiple offers were accepted for each of the not-for-sale properties, but the co-conspirators hid this fact from the victims and instead led each victim to believe that his or her offer was the only one accepted. The co-conspirators strung victims along – sometimes for years – by telling them closings were being delayed because lenders needed to approve the purported short sales.

At the co-conspirators’ direction, office workers opened bank accounts to hide the co-conspirators’ involvement in the fraud. Those accounts were used to receive down payments on the homes and other payments from victims who were convinced to transfer the full “purchase price” after receiving forged short sale approval letters. The co-conspirators directed the office workers to withdraw large amounts of cash from these accounts, which made the proceeds harder to trace.

Investigators estimate that several hundred victims collectively lost more than $6 million during the scheme.

A co-conspirator, Mario Gonzalez, 50, was charged in a related case and pleaded guilty in January 2019 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. His sentencing is scheduled for October 3, 2022.

Adolfo Schoneke pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and Bianca Gonzalez’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for October 3, 2022.

United States District Judge R. Gary Klausner has scheduled an August 8,2022 sentencing hearing, at which time Schoneke will face a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison.

The FBI and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General investigated this matter. The investigation was initiated by numerous complaints to the Long Beach Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, both of which provided substantial assistance during the federal investigation.

Assistant United States Attorney Kerry L. Quinn of the Major Frauds Section is prosecuting this case.

 

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