Woman sentenced in multi-state mortgage fraud

<p>A woman who was accused of mortgage fraud in multiple states was sentenced Wednesday in federal court to more than five years in prison and ordered to pay nearly $1.1 million in restitution.</p><p>Rebecca Marie Hauck, 34, was sentenced by United States District Judge Timothy C. Batten Sr. to five years, 10 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.</p><p>She was ordered to pay restitution of $1,197,970, and ordered to forfeit to the government any profits from any book, television or any entertainment rights.</p><p>Hauck had pleaded guilty last May 16.</p><p>"Ms. Hauck was involved in a fraud scheme that resulted not only in millions of dollars in losses but also snarled property titles on many residences," United States Attorney David E. Nahmias said in a prepared statement. "She and co-defendant Matthew Cox stole homeowners' identities and placed multiple loans on houses, which created even more victims."</p><p>According to Nahmias and evidence presented to the court, Hauck and Matthew Bevan Cox rented properties, then fraudulently erased mortgage liens on the properties. They stole the owners' identities and fraudulently took out multiple new mortgage loans.</p><p>They also used stolen identities to obtain drivers licenses, purchase vehicles, lease mail drops, rent apartments and open bank accounts to receive proceeds from their schemes in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina and North Carolina, authorities said. Cox allegedly obtained some of the stolen identities from homeless people by posing as a Red Cross worker taking a survey.</p><p>Hauck was indicted in Sept. 29, 2005, on 42 counts of bank fraud, wire fraud, interstate transportation of fraud proceeds, identity theft, money laundering and conspiracy. The indictment was unsealed on March 21, 2006 when Hauck was arrested while living under a stolen identity in Houston, Texas.</p><p>Two of Cox's former associates were convicted earlier of fraud charges in Tampa and sent to prison in schemes involving the use of phony records on dilapidated homes in Tampa Heights and Ybor City to defraud lenders of millions.</p><p>Authorities are still looking for Cox, 36, who faces the same charges as Hauck. Authorities are asking anyone with information about Cox's whereabouts to contact the Secret Service toll-free, 24 hours a day at 1-877-242-3375.</p><p>___</p><p>HASH(0x1cd9c1c)</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2006/11/113059