Ralph Roberts, Realtor in Macomb, Daily Breaking the News with Major Federal Case in Georgia


Atlanta’s downtrodden neighborhoods proved a gold mine for Omni National Bank and its founders, who amassed tens of millions of dollars’ worth of mansions, company stock and a private jet after launching an unusual bank that financed renovations of inner-city houses.

Four men in total were arrested of bank fraud in which they routinely doctored their records to hide losses, and a loan officer took kickbacks in return for doling out loans. Omni allowed people to “flip” houses three, four and even five times, artificially inflating their value, Georgia prosecutors said.

"This is just the tip of the iceberg," said Ralph Roberts, a Macomb daily real estate broker and author of a book on mortgage fraud who tipped off authorities about the Omni National Bank case. "You're going to be seeing more cases. When the economy suffers, people start to do bad things."

Ralph Roberts, said people across the country told him they were victims of the scheme. “Everyone I talked to lost everything they put in,” said Roberts. “It wasn’t set up to make [them] money. It was set up to make inner-city real estate broker, Delroy Davy money.” Some related to Roberts that they were chauffeured around Atlanta on a tour bus that included a stop at Davy’s sprawling mansion.

Davy recruited “straw buyers” to obtain fraudulent loans. For years, Omni was a magnet for these so-called property flippers, some of whom made superficial repairs and then resold the homes at inflated prices.

Roberts, a Realtor from Macomb daily researches these cases involving mortgage fraud throughout North America, is aware of the rising frequency of fraud in the nation. His daily blog, FlippingFrenzy.com, from Macomb exposes hundreds of fraud cases. “I want families to understand one thing,” alerts Roberts. “Real estate fraud is not a victimless crime. The bank loses money. The seller loses money on the house. But, even more significantly, the entire community loses value, and ultimately, the tax base erodes.

"When people are trying to sell their homes and they have foreclosures on their street, it lowers their value and makes it harder to sell their home," Roberts continued. "Some folks won’t buy into a neighborhood with foreclosed homes. This is the spreading ripple effect."

Macomb County’s foreclosure expert was instrumental in exposing a mortgage fraud ring in 2008 and 2009 when four Michigan men were accused of mortgage fraud in which they illegally made more than $300,000 by selling two upscale homes at inflated values to a "straw buyer.”

The case, involved homes in Washington and Shelby townships that went into foreclosure, was part of a rising frequency of real estate fraud in Michigan and the nation, according to Roberts.

The growing problem prompted the Michigan Attorney General, Michael Cox and the Michigan State Police two years ago to form a mortgage fraud task force, which investigates these cases in our state.

Formally charged in 41B District Court in Clinton Township with racketeering, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years, and two counts each of false pretenses, a 10-year felony, were Dequincy Hyatt, 27, of Detroit, a managing partner in J.B.Homes and Construction; Seaesther Thompson-Hayes, 50, of Flat Rock, a mortgage broker; and Aaron Brooks Jr., 26, of Southgate, a former service representative for the People's Trust Credit Union.

A fourth man, builder Pietro Biundo, 35, who built the Washington Township house and lived in the same subdivision, was charged in a warrant with a lesser degree of false pretenses but has not been formally charged.

In the Washington Township case, the Adams Drive home in Washington Pointe subdivision near 28 Mile and Mound roads initially listed for $679,000 but eventually dropped to $530,000.

The straw buyer obtained a mortgage for $785,000, $225,000 more than the asking price, according to Roberts. Investigators never determined amount taken or how the defendants used the additional $225,000.

Biundo reported on the deed that the home sold for $140,000, which drastically decreased the assessed value and surrounding property taxes.

In the Shelby Township case, defendants skimmed about $163,000 from the transaction in which a $510,000 home was sold for $710,000 to the same straw buyer, according to Cox.

Gina Patrona, who lives across the street from the Washington Township home, said the home was in "terrible shape" with no grass, window treatments or furniture. Together with a second foreclosed home nearby, her home's property value was negatively affected.

"I don't think we could sell our home for half of what we put into it," she said Wednesday.

Cox in a prepared statement echoed the words of Ralph Roberts by pointing out the negative impact on the economy as a whole.

"The housing market, consumers and mortgage lenders suffer when scam artists limit the ability of law-abiding citizens to obtain loans," Cox said. "With those loans, consumers would be buying a home or a car, something our economy desperately needs for recovery."

The Atlanta Case Mirrors Detroit

“Such schemes have worsened the damage in some of Atlanta’s struggling neighborhoods,” said Brent Brewer, a civil engineer turned neighborhood activist.

Several houses flipped with Omni National Bank financing have driven up property taxes in his West End neighborhood, he said. Yet the homes mostly sit vacant, attracting criminals and squatters.

The most explosive charge in the Atlanta case alleges Delroy Davy paid kickbacks to an unnamed loan officer at Omni who gave approval for funding to investors who wanted to buy his inner-city properties.

In a flipping case with Michigan connections, an East Point man, Mark Anthony McBride, pleaded guilty to falsifying his identity and using straw borrowers to obtain millions in loans from Omni only days after his release from prison.

Omni is “the most egregious of the lenders because they’re local. They know if the appraisals are correct,” said Brewer

Brewer said Omni repossessed, sold and financed one house near him three separate times, even though for much of that time it sat vacant and windowless, with huge sections of its exterior walls torn away.

Property records confirm Omni took possession and resold the house three times in two years at rising values, following a pattern that allowed the bank to hide its growing number of foreclosures.

Sharon M. Da Pra, a Married Woman and Jeffrey L. Da Pra, Her Husband

TROTT & TROTT, P.C.Attorneys and Counselors31440 Northwestern Highway Suite 200Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334-2525THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE AT THE NUMBER BELOW IF YOU ARE IN ACTIVE MILITARY DUTY.ATTN PURCHASERS: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest.MORTGAGE SALE - Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by , original mortgagor(s), to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender's successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated February 24, 2006, and recorded on March 6, 2006 in Liber 17649 on Page 50, and assigned by said Mortgagee to Citigroup Global Markets Realty Corp. as assignee as documented by an assignment, in Macomb county records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Sixty-One Thousand Five Hundred Forty-Three And 93/100 Dollars ($161,543.93), including interest at 7.875% per annum.Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue, at the place of holding the circuit court within Macomb County, at 10:00 AM, on January 8, 2010.Said premises are situated in City of New Baltimore, Macomb County, Michigan, and are described as: Lot 23, Harbor Creek Subdivision No. 1, as recorded in Liber 117, Pages 34 through 38 of Plats, Macomb County Records.The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale.Dated: December 2, 2009For more information, please call: FC D (248) 593-1309Trott & Trott, P.C.Attorneys For Servicer31440 Northwestern Highway, Suite 200Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334-2525File #259583F02(12-2)(12-23)

Ralph Roberts Realty, LLC
12900 Hall Road, Suite 300
Sterling Heights, Michigan 48313
Phone: O (586) 751-0000
Fax: (586) 620-6449

Timothy Stevenson, A Single Man and Heidi MacPherson A single Woman

TROTT & TROTT, P.C.Attorneys and Counselors31440 Northwestern Highway Suite 200Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334-2525THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE AT THE NUMBER BELOW IF YOU ARE IN ACTIVE MILITARY DUTY.ATTN PURCHASERS: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest.MORTGAGE SALE - Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Timothy Stevenson, A Single Man and Heidi MacPherson A single Woman, original mortgagor(s), to ABN AMRO Mortgage Group, Inc., Mortgagee, dated July 16, 2004, and recorded on August 5, 2004 in Liber 15734 on Page 610, in Macomb county records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Forty Thousand Six Hundred Twenty-Six And 42/100 Dollars ($140,626.42), including interest at 5.25% per annum.Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue, at the place of holding the circuit court within Macomb County, at 10:00 AM, on January 8, 2010.Said premises are situated in City of Richmond, Macomb County, Michigan, and are described as: Lot 9, Block 3, The Gleason Addition to Village of Richmond, as recorded in Liber 2, Page 60 of Plats, Macomb County RecordsThe redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale.Dated: December 4, 2009For more information, please call: FC C (248) 593-1301Trott & Trott, P.C.Attorneys For Servicer31440 Northwestern Highway, Suite 200Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334-2525File #226581F02(12-4)(12-25)


Ralph Roberts Realty, LLC
12900 Hall Road, Suite 300
Sterling Heights, Michigan 48313
Phone: O (586) 751-0000
Fax: (586) 620-6449

Kristen E. Kananen, married woman

TROTT & TROTT, P.C.Attorneys and Counselors31440 Northwestern Highway, Suite 200Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334-2525THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE AT THE NUMBER BELOW IF YOU ARE IN ACTIVE MILITARY DUTY.ATTN PURCHASERS: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest.MORTGAGE SALE - Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Kristen E. Kananen, married woman, original mortgagor(s), to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender's successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated February 24, 2004, and recorded on March 1, 2004 in Liber 15080 on Page 289, in Macomb county records, Michigan, and assigned by said Mortgagee to BAC Home Loans Servicing, L.P. as assignee, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Thirty Thousand Seven Hundred Twenty-Two And 61/100 Dollars ($130,722.61), including interest at 5.875% per annum.Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue, at the place of holding the circuit court within Macomb County, at 10:00 AM, on January 8, 2010.Said premises are situated in Village of New Haven, Macomb County, Michigan, and are described as: Unit 40, Amherst Condominium, according to the Master Deed recorded in Liber 9991, Pages 741 through 800, both inclusive, amended by First Amendment to the Master Deed recorded in Liber 11138, Pages 503 through 514, botrh inclusive, Second Amendment to the Master Deed recorded in Liber 11890, Page 203 through 223, both inclusive, Third Amendment to the Master Deed recorded in Liber 13100, Page 625 through 645, both inclusive, Macomb County Records, and designated as Macomb County Condominium Subdivision Plan No. 693, together with rights in general common elements and limited common elements, as set forth in the above described Master Deed and as described in Act 59 of the Public Acts of 1978 as amended.The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale.Dated: December 7, 2009For more information, please call: FC X (248) 593-1302Trott & Trott, P.C.Attorneys For Servicer31440 Northwestern Highway, Suite 200Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334-2525File #292939F01(12-7)(12-28)

Ralph Roberts Realty, LLC
12900 Hall Road, Suite 300
Sterling Heights, Michigan 48313
Phone: O (586) 751-0000
Fax: (586) 620-6449

Samuel Deleon and Maria Deleon, Husband and Wife

TROTT & TROTT, P.C.Attorneys and Counselors31440 Northwestern Highway Suite 200Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334-2525THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE AT THE NUMBER BELOW IF YOU ARE IN ACTIVE MILITARY DUTY.ATTN PURCHASERS: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest.MORTGAGE SALE - Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Samuel Deleon and Maria Deleon, Husband and Wife, original mortgagor(s), to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender's successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated March 2, 2007, and recorded on April 4, 2007 in Liber 18617 on Page 304, in Macomb county records, Michigan, and assigned by said Mortgagee to Chase Home Finance LLC as assignee, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Thirty-Six Thousand One Hundred Twenty-Six And 04/100 Dollars ($136,126.04), including interest at 6.875% per annum.Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue, at the place of holding the circuit court within Macomb County, at 10:00 AM, on January 8, 2010.Said premises are situated in City of Roseville, Macomb County, Michigan, and are described as: The West 50 feet of Lot 24 and the East 10 feet of Lot 25, Junction Little Farms Subdivision, as Recorded in Liber 3, Page 133 of Plats, Macomb County Records.The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale.Dated: November 23, 2009For more information, please call: FC S (248) 593-1304Trott & Trott, P.C.Attorneys For Servicer31440 Northwestern Highway, Suite 200Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334-2525File #291210F01(11-23)(12-14)

Ralph Roberts Realty, LLC
12900 Hall Road, Suite 300
Sterling Heights, Michigan 48313
Phone: O (586) 751-0000
Fax: (586) 620-6449

Amanda L. Agosta, A Married Woman and Joseph R. Agosta, Her Husband

TROTT & TROTT, P.C.Attorneys and Counselors31440 Northwestern Highway, Suite 200Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334-2525THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE AT THE NUMBER BELOW IF YOU ARE IN ACTIVE MILITARY DUTY.ATTN PURCHASERS: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest.MORTGAGE SALE - Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Amanda L. Agosta, A Married Woman and Joseph R. Agosta, Her Husband, original mortgagor(s), to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for lender and lender's successors and/or assigns, Mortgagee, dated January 24, 2005, and recorded on February 8, 2005 in Liber 16374 on Page 227, and assigned by said Mortgagee to BAC Home Loans Servicing, L.P. as assignee as documented by an assignment, in Macomb county records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Thirty-Four Thousand Four Hundred Seventy-One And 19/100 Dollars ($134,471.19), including interest at 5.75% per annum.Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue, at the place of holding the circuit court within Macomb County, at 10:00 AM, on November 13, 2009.Said premises are situated in City of Roseville, Macomb County, Michigan, and are described as: North 55 feet of Lots 67 and 68, Assessor's Plat of Schollenberger Subdivision, as recorded in Liber 20, Page 7 of plats, Macomb County Records.The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale.Dated: October 16, 2009For more information, please call: FC X (248) 593-1302Trott & Trott, P.C.Attorneys For Servicer31440 Northwestern Highway, Suite 200Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334-2525File #253327F02(10-16)(11-6)

Ralph Roberts Realty, LLC
12900 Hall Road, Suite 300
Sterling Heights, Michigan 48313
Phone: O (586) 751-0000
Fax: (586) 620-6449

Courtney V Robinson, a Single Woman

TROTT & TROTT, P.C.Attorneys and Counselors31440 Northwestern Highway Suite 200Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334-2525THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT. ANY INFORMATION WE OBTAIN WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE. PLEASE CONTACT OUR OFFICE AT THE NUMBER BELOW IF YOU ARE IN ACTIVE MILITARY DUTY.ATTN PURCHASERS: This sale may be rescinded by the foreclosing mortgagee. In that event, your damages, if any, shall be limited solely to the return of the bid amount tendered at sale, plus interest.MORTGAGE SALE - Default has been made in the conditions of a mortgage made by Courtney V Robinson, a Single Woman, original mortgagor(s), to Pathway Financial, LLC, Mortgagee, dated April 23, 2004, and recorded on May 5, 2004 in Liber 15364 on Page 672, and assigned by said Mortgagee to Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Inc. as assignee as documented by an assignment, in Macomb county records, Michigan, on which mortgage there is claimed to be due at the date hereof the sum of One Hundred Thirty-Four Thousand Two And 38/100 Dollars ($134,002.38), including interest at 5.5% per annum.Under the power of sale contained in said mortgage and the statute in such case made and provided, notice is hereby given that said mortgage will be foreclosed by a sale of the mortgaged premises, or some part of them, at public vendue, at the place of holding the circuit court within Macomb County, at 10:00 AM, on January 8, 2010.Said premises are situated in Charter Township of Shelby, Macomb County, Michigan, and are described as: Lot 5, Hawthorne Heights Subdivision, as recorded in Liber 32, Page 1 of Plats, Macomb County Records.The redemption period shall be 6 months from the date of such sale, unless determined abandoned in accordance with MCLA 600.3241a, in which case the redemption period shall be 30 days from the date of such sale.Dated: December 10, 2009For more information, please call: FC D (248) 593-1309Trott & Trott, P.C.Attorneys For Servicer31440 Northwestern Highway, Suite 200Farmington Hills, Michigan 48334-2525File #294619F01(12-10)(12-31)


Ralph Roberts Realty, LLC
12900 Hall Road, Suite 300
Sterling Heights, Michigan 48313
Phone: O (586) 751-0000
Fax: (586) 620-6449