The Mortgage Meltdown of 2006-2010: A Crisis of Fraud, Plausible Deniability, and Failed Legal Oversight

By Daniel Edstrom *
September 24, 2024

The mortgage meltdown of 2006-2010 wasn’t just the result of risky loans or Wall Street’s greed. It was a perfect storm where nearly every step of the process—from mortgage origination to foreclosure—was marred by misrepresentation, fraud, and systemic negligence. Central to this crisis was the culture of plausible deniability, where every participant could claim ignorance of wrongdoing, allowing the entire system to collapse without anyone being held fully accountable. And even when the crisis hit, the legal and regulatory system showed significant leniency toward financial institutions while homeowners were left to face severe consequences.

Continue reading “The Mortgage Meltdown of 2006-2010: A Crisis of Fraud, Plausible Deniability, and Failed Legal Oversight”

Glaski vs Bank of America NA et al – FOR PUBLICATION

Glaski vs Bank of America NA et al – FOR PUBLICATION

Edstrom_MortgageSecuritization_POSTER_17_x_22_v4_1By Daniel Edstrom
DTC Systems, Inc.

On August 8, 2013 the Fifth Appellate District in the Court of Appeal of the State of California ordered the Thomas A. Glaski vs Bank of America, NA et al decision published, stating:

 

 

As the nonpublished opinion filed on July 31, 2013, in the above entitled matter hereby meets the standards for publication specified in the California Rules of Court, rule 8.1105(c), it is ordered that the opinion be certified for publication in the Official Reports.

Based on the importance of this case, the text of the July 31, 2013 ruling is listed verbatim:

IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA

FIFTH APPELLATE DISTRICT

THOMAS A. GLASKI,Plaintiff and Appellant,v.

BANK OF AMERICA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION et al.

Defendants and Respondents.

F064556

(Super. Ct. No. 09CECG03601)

OPINION

 

APPEAL from a judgment of the Superior Court of Fresno County.  Alan M. Simpson, Judge.

Law Offices of Richard L. Antognini and Richard L. Antognini; Law Offices of Catarina M. Benitez and Catarina M. Benitez, for Plaintiff and Appellant.

AlvaradoSmith, Theodore E. Bacon, and Mikel A. Glavinovich, for Defendants and Respondents.

-ooOoo-

INTRODUCTION

            Before Washington Mutual Bank, FA (WaMu) was seized by federal banking regulators in 2008, it made many residential real estate loans and used those loans as collateral for mortgage-backed securities.[1]  Many of the loans went into default, which led to nonjudicial foreclosure proceedings.  Some of the foreclosures generated lawsuits, which raised a wide variety of claims.  The allegations that the instant case shares with some of the other lawsuits are that (1) documents related to the foreclosure contained forged signatures of Deborah Brignac and (2) the foreclosing entity was not the true owner of the loan because its chain of ownership had been broken by a defective transfer of the loan to the securitized trust established for the mortgage-backed securities.  Here, the specific defect alleged is that the attempted transfers were made after the closing date of the securitized trust holding the pooled mortgages and therefore the transfers were ineffective.

In this appeal, the borrower contends the trial court erred by sustaining defendants’ demurrer as to all of his causes of action attacking the nonjudicial foreclosure.  We conclude that, although the borrower’s allegations are somewhat confusing and may contain contradictions, he nonetheless has stated a wrongful foreclosure claim under the lenient standards applied to demurrers.  We conclude that a borrower may challenge the securitized trust’s chain of ownership by alleging the attempts to transfer the deed of trust to the securitized trust (which was formed under New York law) occurred after the trust’s closing date.  Transfers that violate the terms of the trust instrument are void under New York trust law, and borrowers have standing to challenge void assignments of their loans even though they are not a party to, or a third party beneficiary of, the assignment agreement.

We therefore reverse the judgment of dismissal and remand for further proceedings.

Continue reading “Glaski vs Bank of America NA et al – FOR PUBLICATION”

Wells Fargo Investors Sue Wells Fargo Executives and Directors

Wells Fargo Investors Sue Wells Fargo Executives and Directors

By Daniel Edstrom
DTC Systems, Inc.

Thanks to Oktay for this complaint. 

Quote

This action arises out of individual defendants’ (as defined herein) illicit business practices and improper statements in connection with its mass processing of loan ownership and servicing documents in furtherance of its efforts to foreclose on lendees whose mortgage loans had entered delinquency.  In particular, the Individual Defendants are responsible for the Company employing illegal practices, including fabricating, improperly altering, or attesting to false information in documents filed with courts to facilitate the foreclosure of homeowners.  For example, Wells Fargo servicing agents falsely maintained in court-filed affidavits and attached loan documentation that the Company was the legal owner of the loan on which they sought to foreclose without reading the affidavit or examining the information contained in the loan documentation.  These improper practices called “robo-signing,” lead to filing and false sworn documents to the court and the wrongful foreclosure of homes for which the Company did not have legal ownership rights. Continue reading “Wells Fargo Investors Sue Wells Fargo Executives and Directors”

Why Did the Banks Need to Falsify and Forge Fabricated Documents?

Why Did the Banks Need to Falsify and Forge Fabricated Documents?

Posted [on LivingLies] on January 5, 2012 by Neil Garfield

The investors who purchased David Stern’s foreclosure mill have taken the extraordinary step of announcing publicly that they had been duped into buying a “criminal enterprise.” Obviously they didn’t want to get caught up in the dragnet of prosecutors looking for convictions. Nobody would spend $60 million like these investors did and then announce to the world that not only was it worthless, it was worse than worthless. It turns out that once they owned it they discovered that the entire enterprise was based upon criminal and other illegal or improper acts. It will soon be obvious that virtually all the foreclosure mills operated identically to Stern because they were owned and operated by the same people.

Those criminal acts were all about pushing foreclosures through the system. The end result of foreclosure is that somebody gets the house upon entry of a “credit bid” which is to say that they don’t pay cash, they just submit a “bid” based upon the fact that the property was the collateral for money that was due them. Since Stern was not taking the homes, and it is obvious that others were taking the homes, the question is why did they need to go through all those gyrations and subject themselves to prison time if the mortgages were legitimate? Continue reading “Why Did the Banks Need to Falsify and Forge Fabricated Documents?”

Ohio Supreme Court Certifies Questions Regarding GMAC Robo-signing Issues and Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act

Ohio Supreme Court Certifies Questions Regarding GMAC Robo-signing Issues and Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act

By Daniel Edstrom
DTC Systems, Inc.

On August 24, 2011, the Ohio Supreme Court agreed to hear the following questions:

MOTION AND PROCEDURAL RULING

On review of preliminary memoranda pursuant to S.Ct.Prac.R. 18.6. The court will answer the following questions:
1. “Does the servicing of a borrower’s residential mortgage loan constitute a `consumer transaction’ as defined in the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act., R.C. 1345.01(A)?”

2. “Does the prosecution of a foreclosure action by a mortgage servicer constitute a `consumer transaction’ as defined in the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act., R.C. 1345.01(A)?”

3. “Is an entity that services a residential mortgage loan, and prosecutes a foreclosure action, a `supplier . . . engaged in the business of effecting or soliciting consumer transactions’ as defined in the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act., R.C. 1345.01(C)?'”

O’DONNELL, J., dissents.

Ruling: http://dtc-systems.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/State-ex-rel-DeWine-v.-GMAC-Mtge-LLC.pdf

Presentation regarding Mortgage Servicing Origination and Foreclosure Issues: http://dtc-systems.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/08-Mortgage-Servicing-Origination-and-Foreclosure-Issues-Jeff-Loeser-presentation.pdf

Nevada Attorney General Sues Lender Processing Services for Consumer Fraud

Nevada Attorney General Sues Lender Processing Services for Consumer Fraud

By Daniel Edstrom
DTC Systems, Inc.

The Nevada Attorney General released the following information today:

Carson City, NV – Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto announced today a lawsuit against Lender Processing Services, Inc., DOCX, LLC, LPS Default Solutions, Inc. and other subsidiaries of LPS (collectively known “LPS”) for engaging in deceptive practices against Nevada consumers.

The lawsuit, filed on December 15, 2011, in the 8th Judicial District of Nevada, follows an extensive investigation into LPS’ default servicing of residential mortgages in Nevada, specifically loans in foreclosure. The lawsuit includes allegations of widespread document execution fraud, deceptive statements made by LPS about efforts to correct document fraud, improper control over foreclosure attorneys and the foreclosure process, misrepresentations about LPS’ fees and services, and evidence of an overall press for speed and volume that prevented the necessary and proper focus on accuracy and integrity in the foreclosure process.

“The robo-signing crisis in Nevada has been fueled by two main problems: chaos and speed,” said Attorney General Masto. “We will protect the integrity of the foreclosure process. This lawsuit is the next, logical step in holding the key players in the foreclosure fraud crisis accountable.” Continue reading “Nevada Attorney General Sues Lender Processing Services for Consumer Fraud”

Daniel Pennell Explains why MERS is Completely out of Control

Daniel Pennell Explains why MERS is Completely out of Control

By Daniel Edstrom
DTC Systems, Inc.

Daniel Pennell has the following qualifications:

  • PMP
  • LSSGB
  • Certified Lean Six Sigma (Process & Quality Control)
  • Certified Technical Program & Risk Manager
  • Former investment advisor and insurance broker
  • 16 Years designing and automating & business processes in regulated environments
    • Florida State Supreme Court
    • Florida 20th & 6th Judicial Circuits
    • Chubb Insurance
    • Pharmacia
    • Other State, Federal and Fortune 500 clients

Mr. Pennell goes on to give a professional analysis of the Frankenstein (MERS) process.  Which can only be described as completely out of control.  It is of significance to note that the very entities that created and brought forth Frankenstein are governed by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.  It is just as important to note that Frankenstein is NOT governed by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, nor governed by federal, state or county land recordation laws.   The OCC requires that national banks have “effective risk management procedures and internal controls to conduct the activities safely and soundly.”   It is apparent to everyone except OCC that this is not and has not been the case (i.e. rampant industry standards of notary violations, no personal knowledge, forgery, perjury, etc).  It is also apparent that the national banks are using other entities such as Frankenstein and foreclosure mills such as the Stern Law Firm and Dolan Media (NDEx West) to perpetuate these activities.  Dolan Media specifically states to their investors they are proudly not involved in the robo-signing fiasco (notary violations, no personal knowledge, forgery, etc).  If Mr. Pennell did an analysis of the shoddy work done by Dolan Media he would find that they give Frankenstein a run for its money.  What I want to emphasize though is that  Frankenstein, because of the very nature of its work, is required to have “effective risk management procedures and internal controls to conduct activities safely and soundly.”   But this was the OPPOSITE of the INTENT of the parties when they created this monster in their laboratories.   I can still hear the echos of their diabolical laughter.  As a side note, see Fred Smith explain why Frankenstein (MERS) was involved: http://livinglies.wordpress.com/2011/01/23/fred-smith-explains-why-mers-was-involved-multiple-securitizations/

Continue reading “Daniel Pennell Explains why MERS is Completely out of Control”

Split: The Note and the Deed of Trust (Redux)

The Note and Mortgage are split in judicial states the same as the Note and Deed of Trust in non-judicial states.

Split: The Note and the Deed of Trust (Redux)

by Daniel Edstrom

The Note and Mortgage are split in judicial states the same as the Note and Deed of Trust in non-judicial states.

The first issue is that the note was sold in 2005 but the Deed of Trust appears to have been left behind.  For the uninitiated, if the Note and Deed of Trust are split, this causes a nullity.  A nullity means the security interest is lost and the debt becomes unsecured.  In securitization this is standard operating procedure and is one of the issues that we are left to face.  Upwards of 60,000,000 homes may be unencumbered leaving those who own the notes on these houses with no power of sale.  And more considering MERS wasn’t the only party involved in splitting the note from the security instrument.

Who owns these loans if they are unsecured?  That was the whole purpose of creating the securitization diagram in the first place.

The result?  More questions, few answers. Continue reading “Split: The Note and the Deed of Trust (Redux)”