Tampa, Florida – U.S. District Decide James Moody has sentenced Eric Liebman (34, Tampa) to fifteen months in federal jail for conspiracy to commit chapter fraud. Liebman had pleaded responsible on September 24, 2019.
In accordance with court docket paperwork, from January 2010 by February 2017, Liebman conspired together with his co-defendant, James Lee Clark, to defraud mortgage collectors and guarantors, reminiscent of Fannie Mae, which held mortgage notes on properties that had been in foreclosures. Liebman and Clark falsely and fraudulently represented to the distressed owners dealing with foreclosures that in alternate for executing quitclaim or guarantee deeds for his or her properties to an entity managed by Liebman, they’d negotiate with the mortgage collectors to forestall foreclosures. Liebman and Clark satisfied the distressed owners to pay them lease or conform to put their homes up on the market. So as to proceed to gather ill-gotten rents, or revenue from gross sales of the properties, Liebman filed fraudulent chapter petitions within the names of the owners to forestall the mortgage collectors from lawfully foreclosing and taking title to the properties.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Housing Finance Company – Workplace of Inspector Normal. The Workplace of the US Trustee for the Center District of Florida, Tampa Division, additionally supplied substantial investigative help. It was prosecuted by Particular Assistant United States Legal professional Chris Poor.