Mortgage Fraud Task Force Honored

BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Mortgage Fraud Task Force received the team award from the Buffalo Federal Executive Board (FEB). Each year, the FEB honors federal employees for excellence in public service. Task force members received the award during the Excellence in Government Awards Ceremony this afternoon at the Buffalo Convention Center.

The inscription on the award read, “This task force works with federal, state, and local law enforcement and regulatory partners, financial services institutions, real estate professional organizations, legal services agencies, and community organizations to identify and target mortgage-related fraud. The outstanding accomplishments of this reflect great credit upon themselves, their agencies, and the United States.”

“I am thrilled that the members of the Mortgage Fraud Task Force are being honored for their outstanding efforts,” said U.S. Attorney Hochul. “Their dedication protects the process of buying a home, which for so many is the American dream.”

The task force is led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross, Deputy Chief of the White Collar and General Crimes Division. Members include Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen A. Lynch and personnel from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service under the direction of Inspector in Charge Robert Bethel; the Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Rene Febles; the Internal Revenue Service under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Charles Pine; the United States Secret Service under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Tracy Gast; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Richard W. Kollmar. The task force also includes Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Bankruptcy Trustee.