Former Las Vegas Resident Charged with Committing Mortgage Fraud in Nevada

LAS VEGAS—A former Las Vegas resident has been charged with federal conspiracy and fraud charges for his involvement in a Nevada mortgage fraud scheme involving straw buyers and falsified mortgage loan documents, announced Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.

Brian K. Jackson, 38, currently of Anaheim, California, was indicted by the Federal Grand Jury in Las Vegas on October 21, 2009, and charged with Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud, Mail Fraud, and Wire Fraud. On Tuesday, November 10, 2009, Jackson was arrested in the Los Angeles area, and appeared before a U.S. Magistrate Judge there and was released on a $50,000 surety bond. Jackson is scheduled to be arraigned by U.S. Magistrate Judge George W. Foley in Las Vegas on Friday, November 20, 2009, at 8:30 a.m.

The Indictment alleges that from about 2002 to May 14, 2008, Jackson, owner of Unlimited Properties, a now-revoked Nevada limited liability corporation, participated in a conspiracy to defraud financial institutions by causing money from mortgage loans to be diverted to his own use and benefit. Jackson solicited and paid persons (straw buyers) to apply for mortgage loans in their name. The loans were processed through Sapphire Mortgage, located in Henderson, Nevada. Jackson caused false and fraudulent information to be placed in the straw buyers’ mortgage loan applications concerning their employment, income, assets, intent to occupy property, etc. Jackson caused the same home to be purchased multiple times by different straw buyers at ever increasing prices. Jackson caused the “equity” to be diverted to himself personally or his company, Unlimited Properties. Jackson also placed renters in the properties, and caused the mortgages to default.

The Indictment specifically discusses several transactions involving a home located at 2061 Scenic Sunrise Drive in Las Vegas. Between March 2002 and late 2004, Jackson twice orchestrated the sale of the property using two straw buyers and the placement of false information in their loan applications. In June 2004, Jackson also orchestrated the sale of the Scenic Sunrise property to himself and falsely stated in his loan application that he intended to reside in the property when he knew he did not. During this period, Jackson also leased the Scenic Sunrise property to another individual and accepted money from the individual as guarantee that he would purchase it in the future, even though Jackson knew that the property at the time was owned by the first straw buyer and was in the process of being sold to the second straw buyer. The indictment alleges that Jackson or his company received about $179,000 from these fraudulent transactions.

In May 2008, the owner of Sapphire Mortgage, Cindy Birkland, was arrested and charged in state court in Las Vegas with mortgage fraud related offenses. If convicted, Jackson faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.

This investigation is being led by IRS Criminal Investigation and the FBI, and other agencies of the Southern Nevada Mortgage Fraud Task Force, including the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Nevada Attorney General’s Office, Office of the Inspector General for the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Secret Service. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brian Pugh. Persons who have information concerning potential mortgage fraud may contact the Southern Nevada Mortgage Fraud Hotline at (702) 584-5555.

The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.