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The U.S. Department of Justice (USDOJ) provides access to information on law enforcement, public safety, crime control and prevention, and the fair and impartial  administration of justice

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Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force Members Reveal Results of Distressed Homeowner Initiative

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 9, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Attorney General Eric Holder, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan, FBI Associate Deputy Director Kevin L. Perkins and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Jon Leibowitz today announced the results of the Distressed Homeowner Initiative, the first-ever nationwide effort to target fraud schemes that prey upon suffering homeowners.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado John Walsh Speaks at the Residential Mortgage-Backed...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 3, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Thank you, Attorney General Schneiderman for that kind introduction. First and foremost, this announcement is a reflection of the hard work of the men and women of the New York Attorney General’s Office. We on the federal side commend those efforts, and the dedication and commitment Attorney General Schneiderman brings to the RMBS Working Group’s mission.

Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez Speaks at the Chicago CityLIFT Program Annoucement

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 3, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Good morning, and thank you for that generous introduction. I am honored to be here with Attorney General Madigan, who has been a national leader among state attorneys general in the wake of the housing crisis. She is a zealous advocate on behalf of the people of Illinois and a valuable partner in the fight against discrimination and in protecting the rights of consumers.

Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West Speaks at the Residential Mortgage-backed Securities Working Group...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 2, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Good morning, everyone, and thank you all for being here. My name is Tony West, and I’m the Acting Associate Attorney General of the United States, the third-ranking official here at the Department of Justice. I am proud to be here this morning with my colleagues and partners in the Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities, or RMBS, Working Group, one of eight working groups within the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force chaired by United States Attorney General Eric Holder.

Justice Department Sues Owners and Manager of Rental Homes in North Carolina for Engaging...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - September 26, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a Fair Housing Act lawsuit against the owners and manager of approximately two dozen rental homes in Washington, N,C., alleging that th...

Justice Department Sues Owner of Alabama Mobile Home Park for Engaging in Race Discrimination

WASHINGTON, D.C. - September 11, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against the owner and operator of the Heritage Point mobile home park in Montgomery, Ala., alleging that the companies and their employees or officers discriminated against African-Americans.

Two Investment Advisors Convicted in California of High Yield Investment Fraud

WASHINGTON, DC - August 28, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- William J. Ferry, a former stock broker and investment advisor, and Dennis J. Clinton, a former real estate investment manager, were found guilty by a federal jury in Santa Ana, Calif., today for t...

Justice Department Reaches Lending Discrimination Settlement with GFI Mortgage Bankers Inc.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 28, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- GFI Mortgage Bankers Inc., a large independent home mortgage firm that concentrates on the New York, New Jersey, and Florida markets, will pay $3.555 million to resolve a lending discrimination lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. The lawsuit alleges that GFI engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination by pricing residential mortgage loans for qualified African-American and Hispanic borrowers higher than for similarly-qualified non-Hispanic white borrowers between 2005 and 2009.

Twelve-Year Federal Fugitive Indicted for Fraud and Identity Theft in Nationwide Foreclosure Rescue Scam

WASHINGTON, DC - August 20, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Federal authorities have charged a former Los Angeles man with aggravated identity theft and having operated a foreclosure-rescue scam in Southern California and elsewhere that promised to postpone foreclosure sales for more than 800 distressed homeowners.

Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against South Carolina Landlord for Discriminating Against Families with Children

WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 15, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Justice Department announced today that John Wingard Altman has agreed to pay $25,000 to settle a lawsuit involving violations of the Fair Housing Act at Altman Apartments, a 16-unit apartmen...

Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against South Carolina Landlord for Discriminating Against Families with Children

WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 14, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Justice Department announced today that John Wingard Altman has agreed to pay $25,000 to settle a lawsuit involving violations of the Fair Housing Act at Altman Apartments, a 16-unit apartmen...

Justice Department Settles Housing Discrimination Lawsuit Related to Senior Housing in Santa Rosa, California

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 30, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Justice Department today announced an agreement with a California municipality and a homeowners’ association to resolve allegations of discrimination on the basis of familial status in violat...

FORMER NORTH CAROLINA BUILDER ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH TAX OBSTRUCTION AND CONVERSION OF GOVERNMENT...

WASHINGTON, DC - July 25, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- William B. Clayton, a residential builder formerly of Corolla, N.C., was arrested yesterday on charges of obstructing the tax laws and converting government property, the Justice Department and Inter...

Alabama Real Estate Investor Pleads Guilty to Conspiracies to Rig Bids and Commit Mail...

WASHINGTON, DC - July 25, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- An Alabama 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 southern Alabama, the Department of J...

Justice Department Reaches Settlement with Wells Fargo Resulting in More Than $175 Million in...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 12, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Department of Justice today filed the second largest fair lending settlement in the department’s history to resolve allegations that Wells Fargo Bank, the largest residential home mortgage originator in the United States, engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination against qualified African-American and Hispanic borrowers in its mortgage lending from 2004 through 2009.

Combating Financial Fraud by Educating Homeowners

WASHINGTON, D.C. - June 27, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Combating financial fraud is one of the top priorities of the Department of Justice under the leadership of Attorney General Eric Holder. Two and a half years ago, President Obama created the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, a multi-agency coalition of federal and state officials, chaired by Attorney General Holder, to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. The task force has enhanced enforcement and prevention efforts involving many types of financial fraud.

Mortgage Fraud Summits Arm Distressed Homeowners with Information to Protect Them from Scams

WASHINGTON, D.C. - June 27, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Department of Justice, the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Inspector General and the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of Inspector General, among other federal and state partners, are holding mortgage fraud summits in Las Vegas and Los Angeles today to help protect homeowners in areas hit hardest by these scams. The summit originally planned to be held in Tallahassee, Fla., will be rescheduled due to severe weather in the area. The summits, organized by President Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force’s (FFETF) Mortgage Fraud Working Group, are an opportunity for homeowners to learn about common mortgage fraud schemes and how to avoid becoming a victim.

Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Thomas E. Perez Speaks on the...

WASHINGTON, D.C. - June 4, 2012 - (RealEstateRama) -- Good afternoon. Thank you for joining us today to discuss the department’s $21 million settlement with SunTrust Mortgage for discrimination in the pricing of mortgage loans. I am honored to be joined today by Neil MacBride, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, whose office worked jointly on this case with the Civil Rights Division. Neil has been an excellent partner on a range of issues, including fair lending and protecting the rights of our servicemen and women. I appreciate his leadership and partnership.

Coinciding with One-Year Anniversary of “Operation Stolen Dreams,” Three Loan Officers and a Title...

WASHINGTON, DC - July 6, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Justice Department announced today the unsealing of a criminal information earlier today, charging four defendants – Louis Gendason, 42, of Delray Beach, Fla.; Kimberly Mackey, 46, of Pittsburgh; John Incandela, 24, and Marcos Echevarria, 29, both of Palm Beach, Fla. – with conspiracy to commit wire fraud involving a nation-wide reverse mortgage scam that defrauded elderly borrowers, financial institutions and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Justice Department Settles Fair Housing Lawsuit Against Michigan Mobile Home Operators for Discrimination Against...

WASHINGTON, DC - July 5, 2011 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Justice Department today announced the settlement of a lawsuit alleging that the owner and operators of a Monroe, Mich., mobile home park violated the Fair Housing Act by discriminating against families with children. The case was brought by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Business Real Estate Press Releases

Support Ukrainian Refugees

GFP Real Estate and Its Tenants Raise More Than $200,000 to...

GFP Real Estate is pleased to announce that its "Support Ukraine in Crisis" campaign raised more than $200,000 to support humanitarian relief efforts on the ground in Ukraine.