ARGENT MORTGAGE - Cleveland Criminal Trial - Update !!

                                                         CRIMINAL "Heavyweight" Fight
                                                       WALL STREET  vs  MAIN STREET
                                                    (Argent Mortgage) vs (Homeowners)
                                     Pre-Trial Weigh-In:  9:00am THURSDAY August 25th 2011
Original Art & Graphics provided by PETE GRAFF

                                       "Destruction by Predatory Loans"
Read the true story of how Argent Mortgage ruined an American City in only 3 years !!

OHIO says enough !! - 9 Indicted from ARGENT MORTGAGE

"There was blood on the streets of Cuyahoga County. But it wasn't until there was blood on the streets of Wall Street that anyone cared."
Jim Rokakis - Cuyahogo County Treasure)

'This is going to become an epidemic,' and they sat on their hands. For whatever reason, they didn't act. But if you were looking, the handwriting was on the wall. If you were looking, it was obvious something was wrong."
(Tony Stevenson, a staff attorney with Housing Advocates Inc. in Cleveland)

"All the regulators knew what was going on. Regulators allowed loose lending to keep the economy going."
(Raj Aggarwal, dean of the College of Business Administration at the University of Akron

*All 13 named defendednts appeared at pre-trial hearings (July 11th - July 13th). All posted bond and were released per a CONTINUANCE request, of 6 weeks, to complete Discovery. The request was granted and the PRE-TRIAL hearing(s) are scheduled to begin at 9:00am on Thursday August 25th 2011.* Read 68 Page INDICTMENT (HERE)

                           James Sims    Karen Harris     Linda Warner   Gerald Spuzzillo
James "aka Jessie" Sims - Mortgage Broker - Bond set at $ 2,500

Karen Harris - Defendant - Bond - $ 5,000

Linda Warner - Ohio Appraiser - Bond - $ 5,000
Gerald Spuzzillo -Ohio Appraiser -  Bond - $ 2,500

Linda Warner and Gerald Spuzzillo - Ohio Appraisers, were indicted for falsifying appraisals on real estate deals submitted to both Argent and Long Beach Mortgage
Read: Spuzzillo Appraisal Company (GJS) inflated Property values (HERE 7-29-2006)

James Sims - allegedly an OHIO Mortgage Broker is facing multiple counts including Complicity, Aggravated Theft, and Tampering with Records
Karen Harris - is also named in the indictment and faces charges of Engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, and property forfeiture

                               "ARGENT  9"

                       STEINKUEHLER      PORTER          SCOLA           FORBES

Gerald Steinkuehler - Argent Supervisor - Bond - $ 5,000

Kirk Porter - Argent Underwriter - Bond - $ 2,500

Michael Scola - Argent Account Manager - Bond - $10,000

Terry Forbes - Argent Supervisor - Bond - $ 2,500

                        PASTERNAK      MONGRIOTIS          SHAW           KOBUS

Angela Pasternak - Argent Account Manager -  Bond - $ 2,500

David Mongriotis - Argent Underwriter - Bond - $ 2,500
Deeanne Shaw - Argent Underwriter - Bond - $ 2,500
Denise (O'Brock) Kobus - Argent Account Manager - Bond - $10,000

Erin Foley (Ottaviano) - Argent Underwriter - Bond set at $ 2,500

"[This is] the first time in Ohio and...few instances nationwide that a mortgage fraud investigation has led to CRIMINAL CHARGES against [Argent Mortgage] employees {and} of a sub prime lender. The securitization and selling of these fraudulent, sub prime loans to Wall Street typified the rampant greed of the industry that ultimately led to the financial crisis " said Cuyahoga County prosecutor, Bill Mason

WE WERE WARNED !!  EARLY ON..... Yet - No one did a thing!!!

City's Housing glut allows Mortgage FRAUD to thrive 7-29-2006 - Mark Gillispie

As Decade Dawned signs of Crisis:   9-28-2008 - Roger Mezger

"Argent Mortgage - They ran it like a Boiler Room"  2-4-2005 - L.A. Times
Argent & Ameriquest customers filed more complaints with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) from 2000 through 2004 than did those of two of its biggest competitors combined

* Information for this story and related postings are taken from public record(s), arrest record(s) and/or unsealed indictment. The named defendants appearing on this blog HAVE NOT been convicted (only arrested).  All are presumed innocent. Do not rely on this blog to make any determination as to any person's actual criminal involvement or criminal record. Opinions and commentary expressed, if any, are solely those of the blog author and have no legal weight or bearing in this or any related case(s). The booking mug shots appear courtesy of bustedmugshot.com, Cuyahoga County Jail or mugshotsonline.com.