The Blotter

Three people from southern New Jersey were arraigned on charges of mail and wire fraud, conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering in a $2.6 million time share mortgage fraud. They are only three of 16 people involved in the alleged fraud.

The New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department announced that the court-appointed receiver for New Mexico Title Escrow Co., which unexpectedly shut down earlier this year, will begin servicing 900 escrow accounts that were left pending by the company. Read on for more details.

The mastermind of a mortgage fraud scheme that spanned two states and involved 70 properties and losses of at least $18 million was sentenced for his part in the fraud. Read on to find out more.

After a hearing with the public regarding the investigation into New Mexico Title, the New Mexico Insurance Division wrote to the company’s receiver to request access to New Mexico Title’s files in order to address consumer’s title issues. Read on for more details.

The former office manager of a Tampa-based mortgage company and his wife, the director of marketing for a title company, were among those who pleaded guilty to racketeering in connection with a mortgage fraud scheme. Read on for more details.

A real estate agent and developer from Ashburn, Va., has been convicted for his role in a property flipping scheme that caused $7 million in losses to lenders. Read on for more details.

A woman from Lake County, Fla., pled guilty to converting and misdirecting more than $3.5 million of real estate escrow funds. Read on for more about the case.

The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network released its full year 2011 update of mortgage loan fraud reported suspicious activity reports, showing a 31 percent increase in SARs filings over 2010. Read on for more from the report.

A New York real estate attorney, mortgage loan officer and mortgage loan processor have pled guilty for their roles in a $9 million mortgage fraud scheme. They are just the latest of a 12-person fraud ring to plead guilty to the charges against them.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development debarred a title agent and three mortgage loan officers following their criminal convictions on charges they defrauded elderly borrowers, mortgage lenders and the Federal Housing Administration. Read on for details.