The Internal Revenue Service is Investigating the Tax-Exempt Status of REMICs

The Internal Revenue Service is investigating the Tax-Exempt Status of REMICs

By Daniel Edstrom
DTC Systems, Inc.

Reuters has announced that “The Internal Revenue Service has launched a review of the tax-exempt status of a widely-held form of mortgage-backed securities called REMICs.”  This comes after many years of homeowners, lawyers and securitization experts having discussed the shenanigans of Wall Street.  The standard industry practice is that loans were never perfected into these REMICs, which required the loans as “qualified mortgages” to be in the REMIC within 90 days of the “startup day”, which corresponds with the trust “closing date”.  However, in nearly every case we have seen, the REMIC servicers are doing an assignment of the security instrument into the trust after the loan is in foreclosure in order that whoever is foreclosing has the right to foreclose.  Unfortunately once a loan is in default it is no longer a “qualified mortgage” under REMIC laws, not to mention that it is years past the REMIC “startup day”.  Nor as Judge Arthur Schack puts it in New York, why is the trustee accepting the conveyance of a non-performing loan into the trust?

Specifically the article says “These banks’ transgressions, confirmed in court decisions and through recent action by federal bank regulators, include the failure to formally transfer ownership of mortgages to the trusts that invested in them and the subsequent creation of fraudulent mortgage assignments and other false documents.”  Cease and Desist Consent Orders were just issued against Bank of America, Citibank, HSBC, JP Morgan Chase, US Bank, Wells Fargo, Aurora Bank, EverBank, EverBank Financial Corporation, IMB HoldCo LLC, OneWest, Sovereign Bank, DocX, LPS Default and MERS.  Just wait until the Securities and Exchange Commission decides to investigate Sarbanes-Oxley legislation against the statements these entities have made under oath with what the bank regulators found actually happened with them. Continue reading “The Internal Revenue Service is Investigating the Tax-Exempt Status of REMICs”

OTS Takes Action on Aurora Bank, EverBank, OneWest and Sovereign Bank

OTS Takes Action on Aurora Bank, EverBank, OneWest and Sovereign Bank

By Daniel Edstrom
DTC Systems, Inc.

The Office of Thrift Supervision is in on the action as well.  Here is their press release from April 13, 2011:

Press Releases
April 13, 2011
OTS 11-008 – OTS Takes Action to Correct Foreclosure Deficiencies
FOR RELEASE:
Wednesday, April 13, 2010

CONTACT:
William Ruberry
(202) 906-6677
——————————————————————————–

Washington, D.C. — The Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) has taken enforcement actions against four OTS-regulated mortgage loan servicers for critical weaknesses in processing home foreclosures, the OTS announced today.

After an interagency review of foreclosure policies and procedures at 14 nationwide mortgage servicers, the OTS issued enforcement orders against the four servicers supervised by the agency: Aurora Bank, EverBank, OneWest Bank and Sovereign Bank.  The orders require swift and comprehensive action to remedy the widespread and significant deficiencies identified by the review.

Continue reading “OTS Takes Action on Aurora Bank, EverBank, OneWest and Sovereign Bank”

Cease & Desist Orders for: Citigroup, HSBC, JP Morgan Chase, MetLife, PNC, SunTrust, US Bancorp and Wells Fargo Bank

Cease & Desist Orders for: Citigroup, HSBC, JP Morgan Chase, MetLife, PNC, SunTrust, US Bancorp and Wells Fargo Bank

By Daniel Edstrom
DTC Systems, Inc.

The latest round of Cease and Desist orders issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) are against some of the largest “too big to fail” banks.  Notably missing so far is Deutsche Bank National Trust Company along with Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas and of course OneWest Bank.

The gist of these Cease and Desist orders is that certain “deficiencies” were found and the banks are operating with “unsafe or unsound” practices in residential mortgage servicing and in the Bank’s initiation and handling of foreclosure proceedings.

We hail the OCC for these efforts, but the problem is following up.  How are the banks going to immediately comply with this order?  They would have to stop processing nearly every single foreclosure they are working on today.

Continue reading “Cease & Desist Orders for: Citigroup, HSBC, JP Morgan Chase, MetLife, PNC, SunTrust, US Bancorp and Wells Fargo Bank”

Wells Fargo Does It Again – This Time Investors Take a Hit

Wells Fargo Does It Again – This Time Investors Take a Hit

By Daniel Edstrom
DTC Systems, Inc.

Since Wells Fargo Bank has been around since the Gold Rush days and are such a large lender and securitizer, you would think that they would have state of the art systems handling the servicing of loans.  Especially in light of the huge rush to securitize anything and everything in the last 10 years.  But apparently the meltdown has moved them beyond what their systems are capable of.  This is probably especialy true given that banks are for the most part not lending much anymore (very limited number of new loans), but the number of loans in default, foreclosure, bankruptcy and REO status has skyrocketed. Pushing through so many foreclosures and processing so many advances and distributions is weighing down on their systems and infrastructure.  In their latest March statements to certificateholders (investors who purchased certificates from securitized trusts), Wells Fargo (usually as a Master Servicer or Servicer) is giving investors this disclosure on the first page of the reports:

 NOTE: Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. is processing an extraordinary expense charge related to the analysis, creation, and implementation of new and enhanced systems and processes necessitated by significant and unanticipated changes in industry and market conditions.

Continue reading “Wells Fargo Does It Again – This Time Investors Take a Hit”

Bankruptcy Judge Margaret M. Mann GETS IT!

Bankruptcy Judge Margaret M. Mann GETS IT!

By Daniel Edstrom
DTC Systems, Inc.

Coming off of the heels of in re: Agard (http://dtc-systems.net/2011/02/mers-agency-york-bankruptcy-court-agard/), the Honorable Judge Mann from the United States Bankruptcy Court Southern District of California took 76 days to review the Motion for Relief From Automatic Stay for the in re: Salazar Chapter 13 bankruptcy (Bankruptcy No: 10-17456-MM13).   The findings of fact and conclusions of law were an amazing reading that confirms many of the issues we have been discussing in regards to loans, securitization and foreclosure.  Like Judge Grossman in the agard case, Judge Mann goes to great lengths to research the details that are applicable to this case.   Here are some highlights: Continue reading “Bankruptcy Judge Margaret M. Mann GETS IT!”

Update on Foreclosures in Oregon

Update on Foreclosures in Oregon

David Ambrose
Ambrose Law Group, LLC

Here is the latest, which while limited to Oregon, certainly can be applicable to any other states permitting nonjudicial foreclosure actions but requiring the recording of assignments of the mortgage or trust deed. 

You may recall the postings about the decision of Judge Alley in U.S Bankruptcy Court in Oregon (McCoy v BNC Mortgage), finding that in to proceed with nonjudicial foreclosures in Oregon, the applicable statute requires that there be a chain of recorded assignments (which, by the way, in Oregon you cannot record a document unless it is notarized), from the original beneficiary to the current beneficiary, and that MERS is not the beneficiary.

Continue reading “Update on Foreclosures in Oregon”

Foreclosure Mill Law Firms Starting to Meltdown

Foreclosure Mill Law Firms Starting to Meltdown

Dan Edstrom
DTC Systems, Inc.

Foreclosure mill law firm the Law Offices of David J. Stern, P.A. will be ceasing the practice of law with respect to all pending foreclosure matters in the State of Florida.  In an 8-K filing dated March 7, 2011 by DJSP Enterprises, Inc., the following was given:

“Item 8.01 Other Events.

DJSP Enterprises, Inc.’s (the “Company’s”) primary customer, the Law Offices of David J. Stern, P.A., has announced that it will be ceasing the practice of law with respect to all pending foreclosure matters in the State of Florida as of March 31, 2011.  As a result, the Company does not expect to receive any further file referrals from this customer.”

Continue reading “Foreclosure Mill Law Firms Starting to Meltdown”

Securitization Workshop for Attorneys March 19th 2011 in San Francisco

Securitization Workshop for Attorneys March 19th 2011 in San Francisco

By Daniel Edstrom

Join us for our 3rd Securitization Workshop for Attorneys being held in San Francisco on March 19th, 2011.  Visit the event website for more information: http://securedocumentresearch.eventbrite.com

This workshop has been approved for Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) by the State Bar of California.  Total credit hours approved are 6.75 hours.

Description of event:

SECURITIZATION WORKSHOP FOR ATTORNEYS
March 19th, 2011 – in San Francisco, CALIFORNIA

Continue reading “Securitization Workshop for Attorneys March 19th 2011 in San Francisco”

Ben Ezra Order to Show Cause Why Ben Ezra & Katz Should Not be Held in Contempt of Court on Feb 11, 2011

Ben Ezra Order to Show Cause Why Ben Ezra & Katz Should Not be Held in Contempt of Court on Feb 11, 2011

From LivingLies, which posted it from 4ClosureFraud.org …

How is this for some timing.

Last night Fannie Mae announced they are dumping this firm and today we get this…

CENTRAL MORTGAGE COMPANY,
PLAINTIFF,

VS.

EDUARDO GONZALEZ DELREAL
ETAL,
DEFENDANTS,

ORDER TO SHOW CAUSE WHY BEN-EZRA &  KATZ SHOULD NOT BE
HELD IN CONTEMPT OF COURT ON FEBRUARY 11, 2011 AT 9:00A.M.

From the order to show cause…

Counsel  for  the Plaintiff, Ben-Ezra &  Katz were properly noticed  to  appear for  hearing  on  January 21,  2011  and  failed  to  do  so.  The Court attempted to  contact Ben-Ezra &  Katz  to  address  this matter  during hearing,  but was unable  to get anyone on  the  telephone.

In  the  instant Case,  Plaintiff filed  an  action  of foreclosure  on Defendant’s property located at 1301  SW 2601 h  Terrace, Homestead, FL 33032.

Continue reading “Ben Ezra Order to Show Cause Why Ben Ezra & Katz Should Not be Held in Contempt of Court on Feb 11, 2011”

Support Cameron/Baxter Films in support of Foreclosure Defense!

Support Cameron/Baxter Films in support of Foreclosure Defense!

By Daniel Edstrom
DTC Systems, Inc.

HELP KICKSTART the Foreclosure Crisis film “COPS ‘n ROBBERS vs THE PEOPLE: the Death and Rebirth of the American Dream”. Taking the High Road. This is a movie of the People, by the People, for the People. Join our Kickstarter.com backer community and INSPIRE AMERICA to its higher conscience! VALENTINE’S DAY DEADLINE. FEB. 14! http://kck.st/hLX9W5