Chain of Title
Page 49
In re Hawkins, 48–49
Inspectors general:
Department of Housing and Urban Development, 283
Florida attorney general, 179
Florida chief financial officer, 261–262, 274–276
Troubled Asset Relief Program, 199
interagency review, 240, 254–255
interest-only mortgages, 11
Internal Revenue Service (IRS), 115, 169–170, 262
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (CCI), 240
Iuspa-Abbott, Paola, 192, 215
Jacquot, Joe, 261
Johnson-Seck, Erica, 124–128, 151
JPMorgan Chase, 12, 14–15, 17–18, 25, 37, 41–43, 45, 53, 65, 70–72, 84–89, 97, 146, 171, 173, 181, 219, 233, 238, 255, 262, 267–268, 274, 278, 283, 295–296, 300
Julian, Bob, 178, 243–244, 260–261
Junk, Dan, 216–217, 225
Jurists Engaged in Defending Title Integrity (JEDTI), 121–122, 155, 185
Justice Department, 97, 155, 199–200, 208, 217, 227, 234–235, 240, 242, 245, 263, 266, 270, 273, 278, 297, 300–301
Kapusta, Tammie Lou, 228–229
Kelleher, John, 269–270, 272–273, 278, 284–285
Kemp v. Countrywide, 236, 270
Kennerty, John, 171
Khuzami, Robert, 278, 300
Kinney, Craig, 68
Koch, Bill, 89
Kowalski, Jim, 208–209, 212–213, 233, 241
Kroll, Andy, 167, 203
Kwiatanowski, Margie, 209, 212
Landmark National Bank, 77
LaSalle Bank, 256
Lavalle, Nye, 50–62, 68, 85, 91, 111, 116, 149–150, 162, 197, 215–217, 241, 258
Lawrence, Tracy, 271–273, 284–285
Lawson, Richard, 244, 275–276
Lehoullier, Dave, 75–76, 110–111
Lender Processing Services (LPS):
contract with Palm Beach County, 287
creation of, 117
federal and state investigations, 171, 179, 199, 227–229, 245, 251, 253, 255, 260–261, 269–273, 275–276, 279, 284, 297, 302
involvement in document fabrication, 125, 155, 244
involvement with DocX, 143, 154, 246, 248
litigation, 160, 169, 256, 295, 298
Securities and Exchange Commission disclosure, 161, 196
Leontakianakos, Mary, 261
Lester, Helene, 269–270, 273
letter rogatory, 211–212
Levitin, Adam, 232–234, 237, 262
Levitt, Arthur, 59, 217–218
Lewis, Judge Diana, 123, 169, 282, 312
Lilley, Deb, 288
Litton Loans, 171, 221
Living Lies, 26–27, 33–34, 39–40, 68–70, 72, 74–76, 87, 90–91, 94, 105, 158, 194
Logan, Judge Walt, 69, 119–121
lost note affidavits, 73, 114, 116, 136, 218, 295
Lowman, David, 255
LSI Title, 284
Luttrell, Cory, 187
Lynch, William, 60–61
Lyons, Tom, 97–98, 154
Madigan, Lisa, 284
Maiden Lane, 170
Maine Attorneys Saving Homes (MASH), 211–212
Marks, Bruce, 183–184
Martin, Susan, 71–72, 88, 105
Masto, Catherine Cortez, 266, 270, 272, 274, 278, 284
Matthews, Doug, 143, 145–146, 246
McCollum, Bill, 174, 179, 203–204, 232, 242, 261
McDonnell, Marie, 252
Merkley, Jeff, 220
Merrigan, Georgi, 257
Merrill Lynch, 59
Meyer, Joan, 244, 276
Miller, Brad, 311
Miller, Kim, 192–193, 202, 218, 244, 258–259
Miller, Tim, 274
Miller, Tom, 239–240, 253–254, 266–267
Mitchell, Dixie, 264
Moore, Crystal, 71, 88, 237
Moratorium Monday, 195–196, 238, 246
Morgan Stanley, 32
mortgage-backed securities, 15, 17–18, 21–25, 28, 30, 33, 37–39, 47, 54, 57, 115, 123, 168, 170, 222, 231–232, 234, 236, 262, 265–266, 277, 279, 287, 295, 300
Mortgage Bankers Association, 47, 194
Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems (MERS), 42, 47–49, 60–61, 69–72, 77, 85, 89, 97, 111, 114, 119, 121, 125, 140–141, 151, 155, 162, 166, 171, 193, 201, 209, 231, 235, 252–253, 255–256, 284–285, 298
Mortgage Justice Group, 185, 189, 247
mortgage servicers:
federal settlement, 278–279, 283–284, 297, 299–300
fee pyramiding and other profit-making schemes, 52–54, 56–57, 59, 115–117, 122, 189, 219, 233
function of, 18, 24–25
HAMP program, 35
interaction with MERS, 48–49
lacking and/or fabricating evidence to
foreclose, 39, 42, 50, 58, 64, 73–74, 124–125, 142–144, 152, 170, 182, 201, 208–209, 216–218, 237, 243, 248, 270, 272, 302
litigation, 119, 161, 192, 207, 211, 224, 228, 295, 304–307
loan modification problems, 12–13, 66–68, 70, 100, 113–114, 124, 203, 264–265, 269
Michael Redman case, 83, 85
NACA event, 180
state and federal investigations, 221, 240, 253–256, 277
Mortgage Servicing Fraud (blog), 59, 68, 157
Motorola, 80, 88
Moua, Xee, 221
Mozilo, Angelo, 27
Muckle, Paul, 158
Naked Capitalism, 157, 218, 236, 262
National Association of Consumer Attorneys, 160
National Consumer Law Center, 59, 116, 233
National Mortgage Settlement, 278–281, 283, 291, 299, 301, 306
National Organization for Women, 292
Nationwide Title Clearing, 71–72, 88, 208, 237–238, 284
Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA), 67, 180–183, 248
Nemes, Valerie, 166
Nettles, Bill, 171–172
New Bottom Line, 238
New Century Financial, 8, 29, 32
Newsom, Gavin, 267
New York Daily News, 231, 300
New York Times, 56, 61, 69, 218, 266
“NINJA” loans, 31
non-judicial foreclosures, 94, 101, 181–185, 189, 218, 247
No One Leaves (Springfield, MA), 267
notaries/notarizations:
backdating, 86, 166–167, 203
electronic notarizations, 225–226
Erin Cullaro case, 103–104, 126–127, 175, 177–178
Function of, 46, 116
Gary Trafford/Gerri Sheppard case, 270–273
irregularities, 90, 106, 125, 128, 148, 161, 171, 202, 209–210, 216–217, 228–229, 237, 243, 252, 260
Lisa Epstein’s mortgage documents, 43, 49, 99
Lynn Szymoniak’s mortgage documents, 138–139, 141
Nurses’ Coalition Against Homelessness, 106–107
Obama, Barack, 35, 67, 158, 208, 218, 225–226, 230–231, 276–277, 296
O’Brien, John, 252–253, 285, 302
Occupy Our Homes, 268–269, 296, 311
Occupy Wall Street, 265, 267–269, 285, 310
Ocwen, 58, 85, 91, 118, 201, 264–265, 304
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 32, 99, 255, 300
Ohde, Jessica, 145
Old Republic National Title Insurance, 220
Olenick, Michael, 202, 218, 245, 250
Olick, Diana, 220
OneWest Bank, 124–125
Option One, 29, 71, 136–139
Palm Beach Chamber of Commerce, 292
Palm Beach County Bar Association, 198
Palm Beach Post, 192, 218, 222, 244, 258–259, 285, 290, 293
Parker, Chip, 185, 187, 257
Parsons, Virginia, 157, 241
Pelley, Scott, 245–246, 248, 250
Pendley, Chris, 246, 248
Perpetual Savings, 22
Peterson, Christopher, 48–49
PHH Mortgage, 111
Phoenix Light v. JPMorgan Chase, 295
PICO, 238
PigsAss.org, 181–183, 189
Pimco, 232
PNC Bank, 109, 197
pooling and servicing agreements, 18, 34, 37–38, 41–42, 48–49, 102, 110, 114–115, 166, 171, 197, 236, 243, 270
Porter, Katherine, 39, 233–234
Powell, Robyn, 73–74
Powers, Judge Keith, 211–213
principal reduction, 67, 117, 260, 279, 296, 299
process service, 2–3, 87, 120, 123–124, 182, 228, 284
promissory notes:
allegations of destruction of, 110
failure to convey notes to trusts, 36–37, 39, 74, 95, 169, 199, 236, 241, 255–256
irregularities, 65, 68–70, 74, 96, 115, 119, 125, 153, 191, 197, 207, 213, 216, 219–220, 227–228, 296, 305, 307
Lisa Epstein case, 34, 36, 40–43, 45, 100
lost note counts/affidavits, 34, 36, 40–41, 114, 116, 136–137, 153, 163, 193, 207, 217–218, 295
Lynn Szymoniak case, 136–137, 139–140, 281
Nye Lavalle case, 53–55, 57
role of MERS, 48, 193
“show me the note” defense, 118, 224
pro se litigants, 36, 40, 64, 75, 87, 96, 105, 158, 187, 194
public pension funds, 265
Qualified Financial, 152
qui tam lawsuit, 162–163, 169–171, 199, 201, 227, 245, 280, 282, 297–298
Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, 147
Rally in Tally, 184–190, 192, 203, 247, 259, 276, 306
Ranieri, Lew, 21–24, 27
Ratigan, Dylan, 222–223, 234
Reagan, Ronald, 23
Real estate mortgage investment conduit (REMIC), 23–24, 38–39, 114–115, 169–170, 262, 295, 301
Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, 224
redlining, 29
Redman, Jennifer, 80–87, 93, 103, 173, 186–187, 239, 264, 304
Redman, Michael:
activism, 87–88, 106–112, 149–154, 180–184, 186–187, 189, 195, 204–206, 214–215, 221, 223, 230, 234, 238–240, 246–247, 256, 262, 264, 268
aftermath of activism, 303–312
creation and maintenance of 4closureFraud, 91, 127, 131–132, 144–145, 151–152, 154–157, 160, 167, 190, 193, 205, 210, 213, 229, 231–232, 237, 254, 266, 278
early life and career, 79–83
foreclosure, 83–85, 87
guide to looking up public records, 88–92, 99–100
HR 3808, 225–226
interaction with Lisa Epstein, 71, 75, 77–78, 88, 90, 93–94, 100–104, 106, 108–112, 172–174, 180–184, 198, 250–252
interaction with Lynn Szymoniak, 149–151, 169, 281
research on foreclosure fraud, 85–87, 197, 231–232
role in Lisa Epstein’s political campaign, 286, 289–290, 293, 308
work with foreclosure defense lawyers, 126–128, 164–165, 175–176, 257–259, 304–307
work with state and federal investigations, 176–179
work with the media, 72, 88, 105, 192–193, 218, 222
Redman, Nicole, 83, 92, 173, 186, 246, 303, 308
Reed, Kasim, 296
registers of deeds. See clerks of courts
Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities (RMBS) working group, 277–278, 285, 300–301
Resolution Trust Corporation, 54
Richardson, Denise, 157
Ritholtz, Barry, 219–220
robo-signing, 58, 128, 171, 191, 197, 200–201, 208–209, 214, 216–218, 220–221, 227, 230–231, 241, 253, 261, 272, 274, 277–278, 282, 289, 293–294, 298, 300, 302, 305–307
robo-verifiers, 197, 306–307
robo-witnesses, 305–306
Rockenbach, Kara, 198
“rocket docket,” 64, 194, 206–208, 223, 231, 237, 256–257, 306, 308
Rondolino, Judge Anthony, 191, 203
Roosevelt, Franklin, 18–19
Roosevelt Institute, 234
Rosen, Evan, 239, 304–308
Rucci, Grace, 109, 186, 196, 247, 288
Ruetenik, Dan, 245–246
Sadler, Keith, 192
Salomon Brothers, 21–22, 24
Samons, Cheryl, 165–167, 202–203, 228–229, 263
Santelli, Rick, 16–17
Sarasota Herald-Tribune, 97, 154, 237
Sasser, Judge Meenu, 73–74, 145, 149, 153–154, 163, 195, 198–199, 202, 205
savings and loans (S&Ls), 20, 22–23, 28–29, 51–52, 54, 66, 210, 300
Savings of America (SOA), 52–55
Savoia, Tami, 108–109, 145, 154
Saxon Mortgage, 73, 118, 171, 284
Schack, Judge Arthur, 69, 125
Schneiderman, Eric, 232, 241–242, 265–266, 276–278, 284–285, 300–301
Schwartztol, Larry. See American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Scott, Kelly, 229
Scott, Rick, 203, 256
Secondary Mortgage Market Enhancement Act (SMMEA), 23
Secret Service, 205
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), 17, 55, 59, 161, 168, 202, 217, 278, 300
securitization:
definition and structure, 24–25, 36–37
fabrication of securitization agreement, 218
federal investigation, 277, 300–301
history of, 21–24
housing bubble securitizations, 30–33
Lisa Epstein research, 40, 72, 100, 285
Lynn Szymoniak research, 200, 243–244
role of MERS, 45, 47
rules (pooling and servicing agreements), 37, 56–57, 110, 114, 168, 197, 223–224, 231–232, 241–242, 307
securitization audits, 26, 95
securitization FAIL (notes and mortgages never made it to trusts), 33–34, 39, 42, 50, 69, 85, 115–116, 137, 160, 199, 207, 209, 236, 238, 266, 269–270, 295, 301
Select Portfolio Servicing, 68, 89, 171
Senate Banking Committee, 239
September 11 attacks, 112, 188–189
Service Employees International Union (SEIU), 224, 268
Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), 255, 262
Seterus, 307
Shapiro & Fishman (foreclosure mill), 73, 197–198, 203, 247, 261, 306
share loans, 6–7
Sheppard, Gerri, 270–272, 284
short sales, 219, 279, 299, 304, 311
Siegel, Marc Alan, 286–290, 293
Silvers, Damon, 233–234
Sink, Alex, 205
60 Minutes, 245–248, 250–251, 253, 262, 291, 296
Smith, Shannon, 202
Smith, Yves, 218, 262, 300
Snow, Brittany, 193
Soto, Darren, 184, 187, 203
Soud, Judge A.C., 207
Spark, Andrew, 261
spina bifida, 3, 11–12, 41, 196, 205
State of the Union address (2012), 276–277
Statute of Frauds, 46, 122
strategic defaults (moral hazard), 194, 260
Stephan, Jeffrey, 208–215, 217–218, 221, 241, 253
Stern, David J. (foreclosure mill), 109, 145, 151, 153, 162, 165–167, 200–203, 208, 228–229, 237, 243, 256, 263, 291, 298, 306, 311
Stewart, Jon, 170, 224
Stoller, Matt, 234–235
Stopa, Mark, 157, 185, 207, 257
Stop Foreclosure Fraud, 157, 298
subprime mortgages, 1, 9, 11, 28–33, 43, 114, 124, 170, 174, 218, 239
Suggs, Ken, 147, 160–161, 163, 169
Summers, Larry, 230
SunTrust, 294
surrogate signing, 227, 275, 302
Swanson, Lori, 266
Szymoniak, Lynn:
activism, 152–154, 186, 215, 230, 234–235, 250–253, 265, 268, 285, 309–312
“BOGUS” document, 148–154
creation and maintenance of Fraud Digest, 141–142, 144, 157, 191, 237
early life and career, 132–135
foreclosure, 135–143, 192, 218, 256
, 262, 281–282, 291–292, 293
Housing Justice Foundation, 294–298, 304
interaction with Damian Figueroa, 151–154, 162–163, 169–170, 201–202, 298–299
interaction with Lisa Epstein, 144–145, 149–154, 163–164, 196
meetings with President Obama and Vice President Biden, 296
qui tam lawsuit, 162–163, 169–170, 199–200, 297–298
research on foreclosure fraud, 138–143, 171–172, 197, 200–201, 205, 214
role in Lisa Epstein’s political campaign, 285–289
role in private litigation, 146–148, 160–162
role in state and federal investigations, 143–146, 161, 168–169, 171–172, 178–179, 199, 227, 229, 241–244, 262–263, 269–270, 272–275, 302–303
60 Minutes, 245–248, 250, 255
whistleblower award, 280–283, 290–291
“ta-da” endorsements, 197
Taibbi, Matt, 207, 215, 237
Take Back the Land, 267
Thievin, Shelley, 85–86, 89
Thigpen, Jeff, 252–253, 285, 302
Thomas, Tywanna, 142, 193
Thompson, Diane, 233
Thompson, Judge James, 257
Thorpe, Kim (“KT”), 158, 308
threshold error rates, 283–284
Ticktin, Jessica, 312
Ticktin, Peter, 227
Tobin, Judge Victor, 257
Tompkins, Anne, 172
Torch the Fraud, 246
Trafford, Gary, 270–272, 284
Trawick, Henry, 312
Traynor, Judge Michael, 204–205
Treasury Department, 35, 67, 230, 233, 238, 240–241, 262, 279
Trent, Kenneth Eric, 202
Tribe, Laurence, 208, 273
Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), 97, 199, 239, 283
Trowbridge, Christina, 43, 49, 65, 89, 216
trustees:
bankruptcy trustees, 56, 245, 256
fabrication of documents, 170
failure to receive mortgages and notes, 37–39
inability to foreclose, 55, 115–116, 118, 125, 201, 218, 236, 255
interaction with MERS, 48–50
involvement in mortgage-backed securities, 15, 17–18, 24–25, 36, 66, 109, 136, 163, 293
private litigation, 160–161, 207, 297–298, 307
state and federal investigations, 144, 199, 266
Truth in Lending Act, 34
2010 midterm elections, 229, 232
underwater mortgages, 2, 11, 65, 84, 122, 260, 269, 279
“Unfair, Deceptive and Unconscionable Acts in Foreclosure Cases,” 243–244, 260
U.S. Attorney’s office:
in Iowa, 240
in the Middle District of Florida (Jacksonville), 134, 135, 143–145, 148, 161, 168–169, 171, 199, 227, 234, 237, 242, 245, 262–263, 273, 302–303
in Ohio (Clevaland), 217