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By Katie Byard
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 02:17 p.m. EDT, Sep 08, 2008
Defendants named in a 106-count indictment concerning mortgage fraud crimes stole more than $1 million from lending institutions and destabilized area neighborhoods, local and state authorities said today.
The indictment concerns allegations that fraudulent information was used on loan documents to get mortgages on 16 Akron-area houses, authorities said.
Almost all of the purchasers were ''straw buyers'' who were ''in on the crimes'' and had no intention of paying off the loans, said Keith Thornton, chief of investigations for the Summit County Sheriff's Office, shortly before a news conference this afternoon.
Nineteen defendants — including some operating under three business names — are named in the indictment, which was handed down last week.
Summit County Sheriff Drew Alexander said the fraud included inflating the value of properties and using fraudulent income information to obtain loans.
Some or all of the defendants ''would basically just split up the money,'' Alexander said, and the houses would go into foreclosure.
Nineteen defendants were named in the indictment — handed down Thursday — that covers more than 200 felony charges, including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, money laundering, forgery, falsification, theft and receiving stolen property.
Those named in the indictment include Garrick Feaster, Sarina Elmore, Naketia Johnson, Donte Gibson, Monte Pitts, Crystal Tyler, Anthony Ramsey, Karmen Beckett, Lizrae Benford, Michael Dowdell, Edwin Cain, Richard Turner and Alfred Jones, all of the Akron area. Also named were Adam J. DeStefanis and Brian DeStefanis of Medina County; Steve Sikorski of Cuyahoga County; Angie Rodgers and Shanika Jordan of the Youngstown area; and Richard Putnam of Stark County.
Pitts and Cain are incarcerated at different Ohio facilities.
The indictment grew out of a three-year investigation by the Summit County Mortgage Fraud Task Force, authorities said.
Thornton said the indictment is separate from the ongoing Evergreen mortgage fraud case, now in Summit County Common Pleas Court.
Evergreen Corp. President David B. Willan was charged Dec. 19, along with others, in a 147-count indictment alleging widespread Akron-area securities and mortgage fraud.
Willan goes on trial in November.
Katie Byard can be reached at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com.
Defendants named in a 106-count indictment concerning mortgage fraud crimes stole more than $1 million from lending institutions and destabilized area neighborhoods, local and state authorities said today.
The indictment concerns allegations that fraudulent information was used on loan documents to get mortgages on 16 Akron-area houses, authorities said.
Almost all of the purchasers were ''straw buyers'' who were ''in on the crimes'' and had no intention of paying off the loans, said Keith Thornton, chief of investigations for the Summit County Sheriff's Office, shortly before a news conference this afternoon.
Nineteen defendants — including some operating under three business names — are named in the indictment, which was handed down last week.
Summit County Sheriff Drew Alexander said the fraud included inflating the value of properties and using fraudulent income information to obtain loans.
Some or all of the defendants ''would basically just split up the money,'' Alexander said, and the houses would go into foreclosure.
Nineteen defendants were named in the indictment — handed down Thursday — that covers more than 200 felony charges, including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, money laundering, forgery, falsification, theft and receiving stolen property.
Those named in the indictment include Garrick Feaster, Sarina Elmore, Naketia Johnson, Donte Gibson, Monte Pitts, Crystal Tyler, Anthony Ramsey, Karmen Beckett, Lizrae Benford, Michael Dowdell, Edwin Cain, Richard Turner and Alfred Jones, all of the Akron area. Also named were Adam J. DeStefanis and Brian DeStefanis of Medina County; Steve Sikorski of Cuyahoga County; Angie Rodgers and Shanika Jordan of the Youngstown area; and Richard Putnam of Stark County.
Pitts and Cain are incarcerated at different Ohio facilities.
The indictment grew out of a three-year investigation by the Summit County Mortgage Fraud Task Force, authorities said.
Thornton said the indictment is separate from the ongoing Evergreen mortgage fraud case, now in Summit County Common Pleas Court.
Evergreen Corp. President David B. Willan was charged Dec. 19, along with others, in a 147-count indictment alleging widespread Akron-area securities and mortgage fraud.
Willan goes on trial in November.
Katie Byard can be reached at 330-996-3781 or kbyard@thebeaconjournal.com.
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