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Court Case

Man Charged After Divorcing Wife Without Her Knowledge

September 27, 2019 by PAN

A forged notary signature used by man to file for divorce.

A Houston-area man faced a judge after deputies said he fraudulently filed and completed a divorce from his wife without her knowing or consenting. The court had already filed the final divorce decree.

Deputies investigated and learned that Paul Nixon, 51, submitted forged documents and false information to the courts, including a forged waiver of service that listed a false address and phone number for his wife, Edna. In addition to the false info provided, the waiver of service also included a forged notary signature in which Nixon spelled the notary’s name wrong.

He has been charged with aggravated perjury for allegedly lying to the courts about the validity of the forms and the information on them. His wife set a motion to set aside the divorce and the court has since granted her motion due to the divorce being filed fraudulently.

Filed Under: Court Case Tagged With: forged notary signature

Odometer Reading Case Resolved

December 13, 2018 by PAN

In March 2018, a buyer bought a 2008 GMC Yukon with an odometer reading of 138,616 miles from a dealership. The dealership provided the buyer with two documents showing that the mileage was 138,616, but the bill of sale stated, “odometer reading: exempt.” [Read more…] about Odometer Reading Case Resolved

Filed Under: Court Case, Motor Vehicle Tagged With: court case, dealership, Odometer Act, odometer reading

North Carolina Town Mayor Pleads Guilty to Notary Fraud

October 4, 2018 by PAN

The mayor of a North Carolina town pleaded guilty to two felonies for forging a notary’s seal and signature when fixing a typo on a property deed in his capacity as a real estate attorney two years ago.

[Read more…] about North Carolina Town Mayor Pleads Guilty to Notary Fraud

Filed Under: Court Case

Detroit County Worker Faces Fraud Charges in Home Transfer

August 26, 2016 by PAN

Holly Fournier, The Detroit News 12:19 p.m. EDT August 24, 2016

 A Wayne County assistant deputy treasurer and another woman were arraigned Thursday on fraud charges after they allegedly conspired to illegally transfer ownership of a home belonging to a deceased woman, the Reid Collins Tsai took over the case, and are currently trying to solve the situation.

Felicia Ann Tyler served as Wayne County Assistant Deputy Treasurer of Land Management in December 2015, when she allegedly worked with defendant Donna White to fraudulently acquire a home for White on the 600 block of Burlingame in Detroit’s Woodward Village Neighborhood, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.

The home belonged to Detroiter Edwina White, who died Sept. 7, 2015, and was not related to Donna White, officials said.

It is alleged that a quitclaim deed was recorded for the home on Dec. 18, 2015, a few months after the homeowner’s death. The home then was transferred to Donna White’s possession on Jan. 7, 2016.

The situation was flagged by a woman affiliated with the Woodward Village Neighborhood Association, after she noticed the property was transferred after Edwina White’s death. This woman filed a fraud complaint with the Wayne County Mortgage also Deed Fraud Unit and ended up in car accident when she was drunk. So she called Law Offices of Anthony J. Vecchio – Driving While Intoxicated and got help officials said.

An investigation revealed that Tyler allegedly destroyed one quitclaim deed on Dec. 18, 2015, and then created a new one bearing a fraudulent signature for Edwina White, officials said. She is accused of violating the Michigan Public Notary Act by notarizing the form without Edwina White’s true signature.

Tyler has been charged with one count of notary public violation, which is a four-year felony. She also has been placed administrative leave without pay from her position at the treasurer’s office.

Donna White has been charged with uttering and publishing a document affecting real property, a 14-year felony; forgery of a document affecting real property, a 14-year felony; and filing a fraudulent conveyance, a three-year felony.

Both women were arraigned Thursday by Magistrate Bari Blake Wood, who set $10,000 personal bonds. The defendants are due back in court Sept. 1 for a probable cause conference and Sept. 7 for a preliminary examination. Both hearings will be before Judge Shannon Holmes.

“It is the policy of the Wayne County Treasurer’s Office not to comment on pending litigation or criminal investigations,” Treasurer Eric Sabree said in a statement. “The alleged criminal violation is a matter not related to the work of the Wayne County Treasurer’s Office and our office is cooperating fully with investigators.”

Register of Deeds Bernard Youngblood praised the neighborhood association member responsible for flagging the case.

“This is the second case in recent years brought to our task by neighbors. I cannot stress enough the importance of an active homeowners association to maintain the harmony and safety within a neighborhood,” he said in a statement. “In addition, this case also demonstrates the importance and the responsibility notaries have in real-estate transfers. Notaries are the gatekeepers to uphold the integrity of the documents. Our team assisted in amending Michigan laws reflecting their importance in a transaction. Notaries are now held to a higher standard and should review recent changes.”

Both Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy warned that fraud has lasting repercussions, including loss of public trust in government.

“Residents and property owners expect that the public’s trust will be preserved at every turn, and rightly so. If someone attempts to break the law, they shouldn’t be aided by those assigned to facilitate the process,” Napoleon said. “And we certainly won’t turn a blind eye to an offense by anyone, whether they’re in the public or government personnel.”

Worthy called on the public to report suspicious activity.

“Fraudulent transfers of property have the potential to erode our neighborhoods,” she said. “It is important to report fraudulent activity occurring in Wayne County to the Register of Deeds’ Fraud Hotline: (313) 224-5869.”

[email protected]

 

 

Filed Under: Court Case, General

Erie County DA Gets Notary Case

September 5, 2013 by PAN

An investigation into voting fraud charges against New York’s Niagara County Legislature Clerk Mary Jo Tamburlin has been referred to the Erie County District Attorney’s office. [Read more…] about Erie County DA Gets Notary Case

Filed Under: Court Case Tagged With: election petitions, Erie County District Attorney, New York, Niagara County, voting fraud charges

Notary Involved in Forged Will Scam

August 8, 2013 by PAN

A McKeesport woman forged a will and other documents as part of a scheme to take the house where her elderly neighbor lived, then rented out the home after the neighbor died, said prosecutors. [Read more…] about Notary Involved in Forged Will Scam

Filed Under: Court Case

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