by Associated Press Published: March 4,2010
Tags: fraud, Hurricane Katrina, real estate, Warrs
GULFPORT — A government report suggests the Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) should have gotten appraisals on the two beachfront parcels that it sold in 2004 to Gulfport businessman and former Gulfport mayor Brent Warr. The Feb. 22 report by the Inspector General’s Office of the U.S. Department of Defense says the Retirement Home probably could [...] [...]
ABERDEEN — A former Tennessee lawyer has pleaded guilty to one count related to his role in defrauding the U.S. Department of Agriculture out of $2.8 million in bioenergy subsidy money. H. Max Speight entered the plea in federal court in Aberdeen. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Mims told Judge Glen H. Davidson that a “supplemental plea agreement” [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: January 27,2010
Tags: banking and finance, embezzlement, fraud, law enforcement, state agency, state government
BRANDON — Authorities say a former branch manager of a Brandon bank has been sentenced to one year in prison for fraud and embezzlement. U.S. Attorney Donald R. Burkhalter said Peggy Sue Harrell was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Jackson. She was also ordered to pay $39,308 in restitution. Harrell pleaded guilty to the charges [...] [...]
by Amy McCullough Published: December 21,2009
Tags: Charles Evans Jr, fraud, Jon Christopher Evans, Mississippi Valley Title Insurance Company
Jackson area businessmen allegedly involved in $41 million insurance fraud Two Jackson metro area brothers were sued by a Madison title insurance company in Chancery Court in September for allegedly perpetrating $41 million worth of commercial real estate and title insurance fraud in Mississippi. Proceedings to deal with the aftermath of the alleged mortgage-stacking scheme are [...] [...]
by Amy McCullough Published: December 21,2009
Tags: fraud, Melanie Lillie, R. Allen Stanford, Stanford Financial Group, Travis Bedsole, Troy Lillie
Mississippians had a total of $391 million invested with Stanford offices in the state The state Capitol was packed in October for testimonies of four victims and two former brokers involved in the Stanford Financial Group fraud scheme. The hearing was organized by the Secretary of State, and a report has since been released with recommendations [...] [...]
by Amy McCullough Published: December 7,2009
Tags: Chris Evans, fraud, Mississippi Valley Title Insurance Company
Evans brothers commercial real estate parceling dazed lenders Since two Jackson metro area brothers were sued by a Madison title insurance company for allegedly perpetrating commercial real estate and title insurance fraud, parties have worked to unravel the alleged scheme and speculated on the way the alleged fraud occurred. Mississippi Valley Title Insurance Company (MVT) filed its [...] [...]
by Amy McCullough Published: November 13,2009
Tags: banking and finance, fraud, real estate
Two months after a Madison title insurance company sued two brothers for committing commercial mortgage fraud, banks are scrambling to obtain titles to properties on which they have made loans, and parties are wondering how much the title company may have to pay out. In a Sept. 18 lawsuit in Madison Chancery Court, Mississippi Valley Title [...] [...]
by Amy McCullough Published: November 6,2009
Tags: fraud, insurance, real estate
A Madison title insurance company is accusing two brothers of committing mortgage fraud and leading the title company to issue fraudulent title insurance policies in Madison County and elsewhere in the state. Mississippi Valley Title alleges brothers Charles H. Evans Jr. and Jon C. (Chris) Evans committed mortgage fraud on banks and induced MVT to issue [...] [...]
Mississippi Valley Title alleges attorneys Charles and Chris Evans committed mortgage fraud on banks and induced Mississippi Valley Title to issue fraudulent title insurance policies. The claim was part of a motion filed in Madison County Chancery Court in October asking for a preliminary injunction. Charles Evans was an approved attorney for MVT, from whom the company accepted title [...] [...]
by Wally Northway Published: September 24,2009
Tags: construction, fraud
GULFPORT — A Louisiana man turned himself in to authorities after being indicted by a grand jury for home repair fraud, according Attorney General Jim Hood. James Randolph Helmes, 45, of Denham Springs, La., is charged with felony home repair fraud after allegedly being paid for work he failed to complete and/or never began. The home [...] [...]