Las Vegas Woman Convicted for Role in Mortgage Fraud Scheme

WASHINGTON—A Las Vegas mortgage agent was found guilty today for participation in a mortgage fraud scheme that netted $1.2 million in fraudulent mortgage loans, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of the District of Nevada, and Special Agent in Charge Kevin Favreau of the FBI’s Las Vegas Field Office.

After a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge Miranda Du in the District of Nevada, a federal jury convicted Heidi Haischer, 44, of one count of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud for submitting fraudulent loan documents to purchase two homes.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Haischer submitted to lending institutions loan applications in which she misrepresented her income, submitted false verification of employment and misrepresented her intent to reside in one of the properties as her primary residence. Evidence at trial established that Haischer participated in an illegal property flipping ring that fraudulently obtained properties that Haischer and her co-conspirators intended to sell for a profit. Haischer and her co-conspirators also enriched themselves by collecting brokerage commissions generated by the sales of the properties.

Co-conspirator Kelly Nunes was convicted in a related case in Las Vegas on February 2, 2012, of one count of bank fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire and bank fraud.

This case was investigated by the FBI. Trial Attorneys Thomas B.W. Hall and Brian R. Young of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case, with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada.

Today’s conviction is part of efforts underway by President Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF), which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated, and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices and state and local partners, it is the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory, and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state, and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions, and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed more than 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants, including more than 2,700 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, visit www.stopfraud.gov.