1.- ANTECEDENTES PREVIOS

Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Barry McLaughlin and Regional Inspector General for Audit (RIGA) Heath Wolfe provided an overview of single-family programs, the Program Fraud Civil Remedies Act, and common Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgagee audit findings at an Illinois Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) conference held in Springfield, IL. More than 20 members attended.

SAC Rene Febles and Special Agent (SA) Michael Carlucci described mortgage fraud "red flag" indicators to New York City and Long Island Credit Union Real Estate Network members meeting in Brookhaven, NY. Approximately 20 members attended.

SAC Barry McLaughlin provided a presentation, entitled "Staying Ahead of Mortgage Fraud - Solutions, Tools, and Strategies for the Mortgage Industry," for more than 80 Illinois MBA members meeting in Naperville,

IL. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Layng and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Supervisory

Special Agent Anthony D'Angelo also addressed the members.

SAC Barry McLaughlin, Federal National Mortgage Association senior industry relations manager Amy Heinz, and Freddie Mac lead investigator Robb Hagberg described mortgage fraud schemes, trends, and consequences for the secondary mortgage market at an MBA National Fraud Conference held in Chicago, IL. More than 125 members attended.

SAC Barry McLaughlin provided an overview of HUD OIG, mortgage fraud, predatory lending, and common fraud schemes and trends at a Milwaukee Chapter of the League of Woman Voters meeting held in

Milwaukee, WI. More than 30 members attended.

Assistant Special Agent in Charge (ASAC) Brad Geary provided a presentation, entitled "An Informed Discussion of Nontraditional Mortgage Products and Escalating Foreclosures," and described the role of HUD OIG in both FHA and Section 8 landlord rescue fraud investigations at a Federal Reserve Bank meeting held in Waukesha, WI. In addition, ASACs Brad Geary and Ray Espinosa provided two training sessions, entitled

"Current Trends in Mortgage and Real Estate Fraud," described mortgage fraud schemes and "red flag" indicators, and hosted a question and answer forum at a Federal Reserve Bank meeting in Milwaukee, WI. More than 160 financial, legal, mortgage institution, nonprofit, and local governmental representatives attended.

ASACs Ray Espinosa and Brad Geary provided an overview of real estate and mortgage fraud schemes at a National Association of Realtors meeting held in Chicago, IL. ASACs Espinosa and Geary described inflated appraisals, property flipping, equity skimming, and rescue fraud for more than 80 attorneys in attendance.

ASAC Suzanne Steigerwald provided an overview of HUD OIG's mission and authority and described fraud detection and enforcement methods used to successfully prosecute investigations at a real estate fraud conference hosted by the HUD Homeownership Center in Denver, CO. More than 100 real estate professionals attended.

ASAC Brad Geary provided a presentation, entitled "Mortgage Fraud: Destruction of Neighborhoods," and explained the impact of bankruptcy and mortgage fraud on communities at a U.S. Trustee meeting held in

Detroit, MI. In addition, SA Jim Waldron provided an overview of bankruptcy issues that affect single-family

and public housing programs. Approximately 75 U.S. Trustees, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, and others attended.

ASAC Brad Geary provided a presentation, entitled "The Latest Trends in Mortgage and Real Estate Fraud," and described property flipping, rescue fraud, and FHA vulnerabilities at the Illinois Association of Mortgage Professionals Midwest Lending conference held in Lombard, IL. Approximately 50 association members attended.

ASAC Herschell Harvell discussed mortgage fraud trends and patterns at an annual Fraud and Risk Conference sponsored by SourceMedia in Las Vegas, NV. Approximately 110 mortgage industry representatives attended.

ASAC Brad Geary provided a presentation, entitled "Real Estate Fraud and Bankruptcy Prosecutions," and discussed foreclosure and rescue fraud trends and investigations at a U.S. Trustees meeting held at the Department of Justice National Advocacy Center in Columbia, SC. More than 50 trial attorneys attended.

ASAC Brad Geary provided an overview of HUD OIG bankruptcy investigations and real estate schemes within the FHA and Section 8 programs to more than 25 bankruptcy trustees meeting in Madison, WI, and more than 80 bankruptcy trustees and attorneys meeting in Chicago, IL.

Special Agent (SA) Kedric McKnight provided an overview of FHA mortgage fraud and current trends involving FHA loan fraud schemes at a North Texas Housing Coalition conference held in Irving, TX. Approximately 550 individuals representing the mortgage and real estate industries attended.

SA Heather Yannello and Auditor Patrick Anthony provided a presentation, entitled "Flip or Fraud, Know your Limits," at the Buffalo/Niagara Board of Realtors Association's annual conference held in Buffalo, NY. SA Yannello and Auditor Anthony described illegal property flipping and other real estate fraud schemes for more than 100 real estate agents in attendance. In addition, SAC Febles discussed HUD fraud and responded to questions from association members.

SA Murray Stravers provided an overview of HUD OIG, FHA and conventional loans, and general mortgage fraud schemes at an Association of Certified Fraud Examiners conference sponsored by Freddie Mac in Las Vegas, NV. In addition, SA Stravers described fraud indicators, applicable Federal criminal and civil statutes, administrative remedies, fraud prevention measures, tips on packaging mortgage fraud referrals, investigative procedures and interviewing techniques, and the importance of mortgage fraud task forces. More than 110 individuals including Assistant U.S. Attorneys; financial and real estate professionals; and Federal, State, and local government officials and law enforcement personnel attended.

SA Michael Wagenhauser and FBI SA Todd Urheim provided an overview of HUD OIG and mortgage fraud schemes at a Richmond Association of Realtors meeting in Richmond, VA. SAs Wagenhauser and Urheim described document and appraisal fraud, property flipping, equity skimming, bankruptcy fraud, Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act violations, and identity theft for approximately 35 association members.

SA Kedric McKnight was the keynote speaker at a U.S. Office of Thrift Supervision seminar held in Irving,

TX. SA McKnight presented common mortgage fraud schemes, described HUD OIG's role in loan

origination fraud investigations, and hosted a question and answer forum following his presentation. Approximately 50 individuals representing various lending institutions, real estate firms, and nonprofit corporations attended.

Forensic Auditor James Hoogoian provided an overview of HUD OIG and appraisal fraud relating to FHA-insured mortgages at an Appraisal Fraud Prevention Seminar sponsored by HUD and the Appraisal Institute in Santa Ana, CA. More than 80 licensed appraisers attended.