USDOJ

Our growing reliance on computer networks and electronic devices in almost every aspect of our lives has been accompanied by an increasing threat from individuals, organized criminal networks, and nation states who victimize American citizens and businesses.  Hackers can steal or hold for ransom our most valuable and personal information

WASHINGTON, D.C. - March 3, 2015 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Department of Justice’s U.S. Trustee Program (USTP) has entered into a national settlement agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. (Chase) requiring Chase to pay more than $50 million, including cash payments, mortgage loan credits and loan forgiveness, to over 25,000 homeowners who are or were in bankruptcy. Chase will also change internal operations and submit to oversight by an independent compliance reviewer. The proposed settlement has been filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, where it is subject to court approval

BOSTON - March 2, 2015 - (RealEstateRama) -- The owner of a home nursing agency was sentenced yesterday to 92 months in prison for fraudulently billing millions of dollars of services to Medicare and then laundering the proceeds.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 10, 2015 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Justice Department announced today that under its settlements with five of the nation’s largest mortgage servicers, 952 service members and their co-borrowers are eligible to receive over $123 million for non-judicial foreclosures that violated the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).  The five mortgage servicers are JP Morgan Chase Bank N.A. (JP Morgan Chase); Wells Fargo Bank N.A. and Wells Fargo & Co. (Wells Fargo); Citi Residential Lending Inc., Citibank, NA and CitiMortgage Inc. (Citi); GMAC Mortgage, LLC, Ally Financial Inc. and Residential Capital LLC (GMAC Mortgage); and BAC Home Loans Servicing LP formerly known as Countrywide Home Loans Servicing LP (Bank of America)

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 5, 2015 - (RealEstateRama) -- Two San Jose, California, brothers were sentenced to prison for committing tax fraud and bank fraud, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag of the Northern District of California announced.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - February 2, 2015 - (RealEstateRama) -- A federal jury sitting in Providence, Rhode Island, convicted a Cranston, Rhode Island, man of one count of corruptly endeavoring to obstruct and impede the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), one count of tax evasion and two counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and filing of false corporate tax returns, the Justice Department and the IRS announced

WASHINGTON, D.C. - December 15, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- I want to thank Mayor [Rahm] Emanuel and Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy for welcoming me to this great city, as well as our outstanding U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Zach Fardon, for his help in pulling together this important meeting

WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 24, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- A federal jury convicted three Miami real estate developers today for their roles in a $20 million mortgage fraud scheme involving the sale of condominium units in the Miami area.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - October 7, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Justice Department announced today that a Montana builder, Gabriel Nistler, and an engineer, Derek Brown, have agreed to pay over $26,000 and remove accessibility barriers at three apartment buildings in Helena, Montana, in order to settle a lawsuit alleging that they had violated the Fair Housing Act.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 29, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The owner of a Florida mortgage company, seven employees of the company and two real estate developers were indicted in the Southern District of Florida in connection with an alleged $50 million mortgage fraud scheme.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - August 18, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Justice Department announced today that the manager and owner of the Linden House Apartments in Cleveland have agreed to pay $100,000 to resolve allegations that they refused to rent to individuals because the individuals had children . The settlement must still be approved by U.S. District Judge Solomon Oliver Jr.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 28, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Justice Department today announced an agreement with the owners and operators of Woodland Garden Apartments in Fremont, California, to settle allegations of discrimination against families with children. Under the consent order, which must still be approved by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the defendants are required to pay $77,500 to the victims of their discrimination and an additional $2,500 to the government as a civil penalty. The settlement resolves a complaint filed by the department on Oct. 25, 2013.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 18, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Two days after the historic Citigroup settlement, Associate Attorney General Tony West outlined the Justice Department’s approach to resolving the remaining cases related to Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities (RMBS) misconduct that contributed to the financial crisis. West declared that the department would not hesitate to bring litigation against these firms if these principles were not met

WASHINGTON, D.C. - July 4, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Department of Justice today announced an agreement with SunTrust Mortgage Inc. that resolves a criminal investigation of SunTrust’s administration of the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP).

WASHINGTON, D.C. - June 18, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The Justice Department, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), along with 49 state attorneys general and the District of Columbia’s attorney general have reached a $968 million agreement with SunTrust Mortgage Inc. (SunTrust) to address mortgage origination, servicing, and foreclosure abuses.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - May 16, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- Six Miami-area residents, including three former loan officers, pleaded guilty in the Southern District of Florida this week to participating in a fraudulent scheme designed to enrich real estate developers by selling condominium units to straw buyers.

BOSTON - May 13, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The former Executive Director of Chelsea Housing Authority (CHA) pleaded guilty today for rigging the inspection process for federally-funded housing units at the CHA.

BOSTON - April 25, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- A Maryland man was sentenced today to serve one year and a day in prison for defrauding thousands of homeowners in a $4 million nationwide home loan modification scheme

WASHINGTON, D.C. - April 23, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) --The Justice Department announced today that the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana approved its settlement with the city of New Orleans regarding a housing discrimination lawsuit late yesterday

Washington, D.C. - April 10, 2014 - (RealEstateRama) -- The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has named the recipients of the 2013 LEED for Homes Awards, recognizing projects, developers and homebuilders that have demonstrated outstanding leadership in residential green building. The award categories recognize innovative multi- and single-family projects, production builders, affordable housing projects and developers, an overall commitment to LEED for Homes and Project of the Year