by David Dayen
307 When he succeeds—and he often does—it’s thrilling: Michael Redman, “Judge Has Enough, Tells Bank Lawyer She Is Referring Him to the Bar in Our Latest Trial Win!” 4closurefraud.org, February 23, 2015.
308 The case remains in limbo: US Bank v. Mara Papasoff, Case No. 50-2012-CA-001698XXXXMB, docket report available at http://courtcon.co.palm-beach.fl.us/pls/jiwp/ck_public_qry_doct.cp_dktrpt_frames?backto=P&case_id=502009CA005542XXXXMB&begin_date=&end_date=.
308 The house on Gazetta Way: US Bank N.A. v. Lisa Epstein, Case No. 50-2009-CA-005542XXXXMB, docket report at http://courtcon.co.palm-beach.fl.us/pls/jiwp/ck_public_qry_doct.cp_dktrpt_frames?backto=P&case_id=502009CA005542XXXXMB&begin_date=&end_date=.
311 the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, “2013 Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (Regulation X) and Truth in Lending Act (Regulation Z) Mortgage Servicing Final Rules,” January 17, 2013.
311 the Homeowner’s Bill of Rights: “California Homeowner Bill of Rights Signed into Law,” press release, California Office of the Attorney General, July 11, 2012; Jennifer Bjorhus, “Minnesota to Get Stricter Law on Home Foreclosures,” Minneapolis Star-Tribune, May 23, 2013.
311 turn the island into a judicial foreclosure state: Robert Brown, “Hawaii Adopts Nation’s ‘Strongest’ Foreclosure Law,” Honolulu Civil Beat, May 4, 2011.
311 But the best estimate is close to six million: “CoreLogic Reports 38,000 Completed Foreclosures in July 2015,” press release, September 8, 2015. “Since the financial crisis began in September 2008, there have been approximately 5.8 million completed foreclosures across the country.” Since the housing bubble peaked at the end of 2006, the number of post-bubble foreclosures is much higher.
311 linked high foreclosure rates with increased suicides: Jason N. Houle and Michael T. Light, “The Home Foreclosure Crisis and Rising Suicide Rates, 2005 to 2010,” American Journal of Public Health, April 17, 2014.
311 “an extinction event”: Zoe Carpenter, “Five Years After Dodd-Frank, ‘It’s Still a Financial System That Needs Reform,’” The Nation, July 23, 2015.
312 Diana Lewis lost 54 percent to 46 percent, becoming just the fourth: Palm Beach County Supervisor of Elections, primary election results, August 26, 2014, available at http://results.enr.clarityelections.com/FL/Palm_Beach/52688/139169/en/summary.html; Jane Musgrave, “Ticktin Ousts Lewis, Goodman Tops Two Rivals in Palm Beach Judge Races,” Palm Beach Post, August 27, 2014.
INDEX
Abbott, Greg, 241
Abercrombie, Neil, 241
Ace Securities, 201
Adams, Tom, 236
Aderholt, Robert, 225
AIG, 95, 147, 170
Akerman Senterfitt, 281–282, 291–293
Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE), 238
allonge, 139–141, 157, 218, 223, 243, 281–282, 291
Allotey, Liquenda, 214
Alt-A loans, 43, 83
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), 223, 237, 257
American Home Mortgage Servicing, 137–138, 140, 143, 148, 171, 216, 256, 297
American Securitization Forum, 223–224
America’s Servicing Company, 171
Ameriquest, 8, 29, 32, 239
AmNet Mortgage, 71, 83, 85–86
Andelman, Martin, 157
Anderson, Scott, 58, 85, 91
Antar, Sam, 157
Arias, Leticia, 293
Aronberg, Dave, 184, 187
Asbury, Carol, 99–100, 164–165, 204–205, 215, 257–260, 304
assignments of mortgage:
“BOGUS” mortgage assignment, 148–154, 196
and fabrication by document processing companies, 116, 124–125, 142–144, 161, 171, 207, 216, 218, 223, 228, 248, 302–303
function of, 37
Ibanez case assignments, 111, 238
Improper/fraudulent assignments, 74, 77, 88–90, 95, 106, 109, 151, 159, 166–167, 169–170, 199–200, 202–203, 214, 226, 237, 243, 245, 262–263, 286, 297
Lisa Epstein’s assignment, 41–43, 45, 65, 72, 96
Lynn Szymoniak’s assignment, 132, 137–139
Michael Redman’s assignment, 70, 85–86
9/9/9999 assignment, 178, 243
Nye Lavalle’s assignment, 54, 57
in public records, 71, 140, 287
role of MERS in, 47–49, 253, 284
Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), 66, 238
Aurora Mortgage, 192
Axelrod, David, 230
BAC Home Loans, 171, 201
Bailey, Judge Jennifer, 204–205
Bair, Sheila, 144, 179, 230, 248, 254
Bakalar, David, 167
Baker Hostetler, 61–62
Banc One, 59
Bank of America, 21, 33, 55, 68, 86, 156, 163, 191, 195, 219–221, 231–233, 236, 239, 247, 253, 266, 269–271, 274, 278, 295, 300
Bank of New York Mellon, 125, 236, 256, 266
bankruptcy, 27, 34, 37, 39, 47–48, 56, 67, 69, 77, 110–111, 115–118, 122–124, 236, 245, 256, 299
Barclays Bank, 295
Barr, Michael, 240
Bear Stearns, 12, 53–55, 57, 59, 170, 214
Ben-Ezra & Katz (foreclosure mill), 256
Bennett, Michael, 182, 185, 189
Berger, Max, 268
Bermuda Triangle Recovery Services, 264
Bernanke, Ben, 9
Biden, Beau, 266, 284, 296
Biden, Joe, 296
Bishop’s Gate Mortgage Trust, 307
Black Panther Party, 132
BlackRock, 232
Bly, Brian, 71, 88, 237
Boca Raton Investment Club, 288
Bock, Sharon, 285–290, 292–293
“BOGUS” documents, 148–154, 157, 178, 193, 196, 243, 248
Bondi, Pam, 232, 244, 247, 260–262, 275, 306
Bradbury, Nicolle, 211–213
Breuer, Lanny, 235, 278, 301
Brown, Lorraine O’Reilly, 193, 302–303
Browner-Hamlin, Matt, 268
Brunner, Jennifer, 216–217, 225–227
Bryn Mawr Trust Company, 133
Bush, George H. W., 54
Bush, George W., 67, 158
Butler, Victoria, 276
Byers, Kevin, 115, 118
Californians for a Fair Settlement, 267, 274
Campaign for a Fair Settlement, 274, 277–278
Canady, Charles, 237
Casey, Bob, 225
cash-out refinances, 29, 101, 135
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), 155, 205
chain of title, 34, 37, 41, 45–46, 50, 54, 57, 70, 95, 111, 160, 236, 239, 241, 243, 253–254, 256, 295, 301, 305
Chambers, James, 27, 107, 182
Charney, April, 113–115, 117–121, 124, 126–127, 186–187, 199, 205, 207, 212–213, 237, 305
Chase Home Finance, 12–17, 24–25, 35, 42, 45, 49, 65, 72, 97, 109, 188, 215–217, 231
Chevy Chase Bank, 69
Church of Scientology, 71, 237–238
Citigroup, 71, 86, 131, 171, 216, 221, 229, 232, 274, 278, 300, 307
Citizen’s Commission to Investigate the FBI, 132–133
Citizen Warriors Radio, 258, 262, 276
Clark, Greg, 121
Clark, Henry (“Tommy”), 146, 161, 263
Clarkson, June, 104, 174–179, 202–203, 214, 228–229, 242–244, 260–262, 269, 275–276, 285, 306
Clayton Holdings, 31
clerks of courts, 45–47, 71, 85, 148, 150, 168, 203, 242–243, 252–253, 260, 273, 285–290, 292–293, 302
Clinton, Bill, 29–30, 59, 174
CNBC, 16–17, 218, 220, 224
CNN 214, 222, 257
Coakley, Martha, 252, 266, 274, 284
Codrington, Cirilo, 43–45
collateralized debt obligation (CDO), 30, 33
collateralized mortgage obligation (CMO), 22–23
Colton, Judge Roger, 308
Commodity Futures Modernization A
ct, 30
Conboy, Tom, 285–286, 288
confidential information disclosures (CIDs), 200, 227, 242, 297
congressional oversight panel for TARP, 233, 239
Conners, Trish, 243, 275–276
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 227, 279, 311
Conway, Jack, 266
Cook, Whitney, 39, 43, 65, 72, 89, 96–97, 216
Cordray, Richard, 217, 220, 232, 241
Cottrell, Beth, 72, 89, 208, 215–218, 225
Countrywide Financial Corporation, 27, 29, 33, 59, 67, 174, 197, 236–237, 270, 280, 284
county recorders. See clerks of courts
Covington & Burling, 235, 278, 301
Cox, Thomas, 210–213, 233–234, 240–241, 244
Craine, Marshe, 231
cramdown, 67
credit rating agencies, 23, 28, 30, 32, 287
Crist, Charlie, 223
Cullaro, Erin, 103–105, 126–128, 175–179, 229, 261
Cullaro, John, 128, 178–179
Cullaro, Lisa, 103, 126–128, 175–176, 178–179
Cullen, Mark, 133–137, 141, 143, 146, 163, 169, 250, 281–282, 292
Cullen, Mark Elliot, 134, 139–140, 243, 262, 281, 294, 304
Cullen, Molly, 134, 200, 290
Cullen, Zach, 134–135, 164, 290, 294
Cymrot, Mark, 61
Daily Business Review, 192, 215
The Daily Show, 222, 224, 247
Dako, Dhurata, 237
Dall, Robert, 21
Davidson, Howard, 156–157
Delaguila, Mary, 63, 196
Delany, Andrew (“Ace”), 26–27, 34, 69, 76, 158–159, 223
delinquency letter (paragraph 22 defense), 113, 124, 305
DeMartini, Linda, 236, 270
Denninger, Karl, 90–91, 105, 152, 157
Department of Homeland Security, 205
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 43, 173, 199, 266, 279, 283, 298–299
Depository Institution Deregulation and Monetary Control Act (DIDMCA), 28
derivatives, 30, 33
de Soto, Hernando, 46
Dettelbach, Steve, 217
Deutsche Bank, 71, 125, 136–137, 139–141, 147, 160, 163, 191, 199, 250, 262, 266, 268, 278, 281, 291, 293–294
Devereaux, Mark, 143–146, 302–303
DHI Mortgage, 10–12, 17, 24–25, 37, 41–43, 45, 97
Dibert, Steve, 194–195, 259, 292
Dillon, Mike, 68, 157
Dimon, Jamie, 296
DocX, 141–143, 145–148, 150–152, 154–156, 160–161, 163, 169, 171, 178–179, 193, 196, 199–200, 218, 227–229, 245–246, 248, 253, 302–303
Dodd-Frank Act, 230
Donovan, Shaun, 266, 279, 299
double-pledging notes, 56, 58, 115
D.R. Horton, 9, 10
dual tracking, 100, 255, 283
Durbin, Dick, 67
Echevarria, Codills, and Stawiarski. See Florida Default Law Group (FDLG)
Edwards, Theresa, 176–179, 202–203, 214, 228–229, 242–244, 260–262, 269, 275–276, 285, 306
Eggers, Byron, 258
Elder, James (“Jazzy”), 109, 196
Ellis, Scott, 203
EMC, 53–57, 59
Epstein, Alan, 1, 4, 7–12, 14, 40–41, 288, 308
Epstein, Jenna, 3, 11–12, 16, 41, 63, 72, 131, 149, 159, 186, 195–196, 205, 246–247, 268, 289, 292–293, 308–309, 312
Epstein, Lisa:
actions as a pro se litigant, 40–45, 63–66, 73–74, 108–109, 145, 148–149, 153–154, 159, 179
activism, 109–112, 180–189, 194–196, 204–208, 230, 234, 237–238, 246–247, 256, 264–265, 268
aftermath of activism, 307–312
campaign for clerk of courts, 285–290, 292–293
creation and maintenance of Foreclosure Hamlet, 74–76, 131, 157–158, 192, 213–214
early life and marriage, 3–8
home purchase and foreclosure, 8–18, 31, 300
interaction with Lynn Szymoniak, 144, 149, 151, 163–164, 169, 248, 250–252
interaction with Michael Redman, 71, 77–78, 87–91, 94, 100–102, 106–107, 172–176, 198, 221, 225–226, 257–259
loss of job, 159–160
research on foreclosure fraud, 24–27, 33–37, 39, 41, 48–50, 55–56, 68–70, 72, 130, 152, 154, 197, 255
work with foreclosure defense attorneys, 126–128, 131, 304–306
work with state and federal regulators, 95–99, 103–105, 176–178, 202–203, 229, 233, 241–242, 261–262, 270, 272–276
work with the media, 192–193, 214–215, 218, 222–223
Fairbanks Capital, 68
Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA), 147, 160, 162
False Claims Act, 162, 169, 280, 298
Fannie Mae, 19, 21, 24, 28, 33, 47, 60–62, 164, 170, 211, 219, 229, 268, 271, 279, 285, 307
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), 32, 90, 132–134, 143, 145–146, 155, 161, 171–172, 199, 244, 246, 248, 251–252, 259, 263, 294, 300, 302–303
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), 125, 144, 168, 179, 241, 248, 254
Federal Housing Administration (FHA), 19, 113–114, 170, 281
Federal Housing Finance Administration (FHFA), 199
Federal Reserve, 9, 22, 29, 31, 56, 97, 170, 255, 300
Federal Reserve Bank of New York, 232
Federal Trade Commission, 68
fee pyramiding, 53–54, 219, 233, 278
Fidelity National Foreclosure Solutions, 116–117
fifty-state attorney general investigation, 221, 232, 239–242, 244, 253–255, 260, 265–267, 273–274, 278
Figueroa, Damian, 151–154, 157, 162–163, 169–170, 201–203, 215, 236, 281, 298–299
Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission, 31, 168, 234
Financial Stability Oversight Council, 230
Fink, Larry, 22
Firm Solutions Panama, 44, 228
First Alliance Mortgage Company, 29
First Franklin Mortgage, 109
Florida attorney general’s office, 96, 99, 103–104, 127–128, 172–179, 202, 206, 214, 228–229, 232, 244, 260–262, 275–276, 287, 306
Florida Bankers Association, 110, 181, 183–184, 247
Florida Bar Association, 97, 159, 202–205, 257, 259, 306
Florida Default Law Group (FDLG), 15, 41, 44, 70–72, 76, 87–88, 96, 100, 104, 126–128, 175–176, 178–179, 213
Florida Department of Law Enforcement, 174, 203, 273
Florida First Amendment Foundation, 296
Florida Office of Financial Regulation, 174
Florida Rural Legal Services, 134
Florida Supreme Court, 96, 98, 110, 126, 153, 185, 187–188, 197–198, 200, 237, 257, 307
force-placed insurance, 52, 233, 283, 295
Ford Pinto memo, 62
foreclosure fraud happy hours, 106–107, 109–111, 144–145, 148, 150–151, 153, 158, 162, 172, 182, 223, 234, 245, 250, 262, 274, 298
Foreclosure Hamlet, 75–76, 90, 106–107, 109–111, 154, 157–158, 192, 194, 196, 202, 213, 222, 288, 292, 308
foreclosure mills, 2–3, 15, 41, 50, 58, 76, 87, 99, 104, 109, 117, 121, 123, 143, 151, 156, 163, 165, 174, 177, 193, 203, 207–208, 237, 257, 260–262, 306
Foreclosure Watch, 268
Forrest, Chris, 237
4closureFraud, 91, 127, 144, 151, 154–157, 160, 164, 173, 183, 190, 192–193, 204–205, 208, 210, 213, 215, 222, 225–226, 229, 231, 234, 237, 259, 264, 266, 291, 304
Frank, Barney, 292
Franken, Al, 220
Franklin, Talcott, 232
Fraud Digest, 141–142, 144–145, 157, 168, 191, 262
Freddie Mac, 21–24, 28, 33, 47, 60, 83–85, 110, 170, 229, 279, 285
Gardi, Matt, 288
Gardner, Max, 115–119, 129, 143, 241
Gardner, Susan, 3
Garfield, Neil, 26, 33–34, 39, 68, 91, 93–95, 194
Garn-St. Germain Depository Institutions Act, 28
Geithner, Timothy, 67, 230, 238
GetNet, 218
Gibbs, Robert, 226
Giddens, Michael, 203
Giffords, Gabby, 220
Gillis, Ronald, 158, 288
Ginnie Mae, 21
GMAC Mortgage (Ally Bank), 208–215, 217–218, 221–222, 228–229, 232, 241–242, 274, 278, 283–284
Goldbeck McCafferty & McKeever, 237
Goodman, Rachel. See American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Google Reader, 87, 156, 304
Grady, Tom, 184
Grayson, Alan, 220, 229, 232, 234
Great Depression, 18–19, 66–67, 267, 312
Great Recession, 1, 59, 97
Green, Linda, 138, 140–142, 145, 148–149, 153, 163, 218, 227, 241, 243, 246, 248, 250, 263, 269
Greenspan, Alan, 29
Guidice, Theresa and Joe, 301
Guttman, Reuben, 169–171, 282
Harman, Kathy, 41–43
Harp, Korell, 138–139, 141, 145, 152, 193
Harpootlian, Dick, 146–147, 160–163, 169, 171, 296
Harris, Kamala, 232, 266–267, 273–274, 277–278
Harris, Ramsey, 214
Herman, Harley, 97–98
Hertel, Curtis, 285
Hindman, Barbara, 85–86, 89
Holder, Eric, 227, 235, 301
Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), 35, 67–68, 100, 206, 253, 279
Home Defenders League:
ACORN campaign, 66
post-ACORN coalition, 238
Homeless for the Holidays, 238–239, 304
Homeowner’s Bill of Rights (California, Minnesota), 311
Home Owner’s Loan Corporation (HOLC), 18–19
Houk, Lane, 149
House Financial Services Committee, 168, 233
Housing Justice Foundation, 294–296, 304
HR 3808 (Interstate Recognition of Notarizations Act), 225–227
HSBC, 196, 295
Huang, Christina, 142, 145
Hueston, John, 284–285
Huffington Post, 194, 234, 281
Hunt, Lona, 307
Ibanez, Antonio, 111, 238, 274
Ice, Ariane, 122–124, 126–128, 131, 165, 175, 209
Ice, Thomas, 122–128, 165–167, 175, 205, 209, 233, 241, 306–307
Ice Legal, 122–128, 144, 165–167, 175–176, 178, 185, 187, 195, 203, 209–213, 215–216, 228, 306–307
Immel, Chris, 209–210, 212
Independent Foreclosure Review, 255, 300
IndyMac Bank, 124–125, 130, 151, 201, 298