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Federal Mortgage Fraud Defense Attorneys

Defending against serious criminal allegations of federal mortgage fraud

The term “mortgage fraud” refers to a wide range of actions and schemes in which individuals or companies use false information on mortgage documents for wrongful personal gain. While mortgage fraud is not a specific federal charge in itself, you may be charged under laws involving conspiracy, bank fraud, wire fraud, or others depending on the circumstances of your case. Since the housing crash in 2008, the government has more aggressively prosecuted this type of criminal offense and the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act (FERA) gives federal law enforcement agencies extensive authority to enforce laws relating to mortgage fraud. The penalties you face for conviction of mortgage fraud can be extreme and, in some case, have included sentences of up to 30 years in federal prison and fines up to $1 million.

If you are facing allegations of mortgage fraud, you should have the highest quality of defense possible. Our experienced Connecticut attorneys have extensive experience in federal criminal courts, so call Koffsky & Felsen, LLC at 203-327-1500 to discuss your case today.

Common mortgage fraud allegations

The individuals and companies most commonly accused of mortgage fraud schemes are mortgage brokers, real estate professionals, appraisers, and even real estate lawyers. Individual home buyers may also be targeted in these investigations. The end goal of a mortgage fraud scheme may be to obtain a monetary profit or to obtain funding for a property for which a borrower would otherwise not qualify.

Examples of actions that may constitute mortgage fraud include the following:

• Providing false identifying or financial information on a mortgage loan application. This can often include stealing the identity of another individual in order to use their information to apply.
• Providing altered or forged pay stubs, tax returns, or other financial documents to support inaccurate information on an application.
• Falsely appraising a property at an inflated value to facilitate a greater profit upon resale. This type of fraud often occurs in connection with property “flipping.”
• Using information of a “straw buyer” to qualify for a loan while hiding the identity of the true borrower.
• Taking out a mortgage loan but making no payments while renting the property until foreclosure, resulting in equity skimming.
• Secretly taking out a second mortgage to make the down payment on the first mortgage without the first lender's knowledge or approval.

Mortgage fraud cases may involve many different situations and many different players. Evidence in these cases is often complicated and extensive, and you should always have a defense attorney who understands the complexities of this type of criminal case.

Call a qualified Connecticut federal mortgage defense lawyer for a consultation

At Koffsky & Felsen, LLC, we understand how stressful and even frightening it can be to face federal criminal charges. We work tirelessly to protect your rights while building an aggressive defense to ensure you receive a fair and just outcome. Call today at 203-327-1500 to find out how we can help you with your case in a initial consultation.