Title
Receive and accept the Annual Real Estate Fraud Report for Fiscal Year 2013-14 submitted by the District Attorney's Office in accordance with California Government Code section 27388(d).
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
Receive and accept the Annual Real Estate Fraud Report for Fiscal Year 2013-14 submitted by the District Attorney's Office in accordance with Government Code section 27388(d).
SUMMARY:
The District Attorney's Office submits its annual Real Estate Fraud Report for Fiscal Year 2013-14 in order for the Board of Supervisors to evaluate the District Attorney's effectiveness in investigating, prosecuting and deterring real estate fraud activity. Cases adjudicated in Fiscal Year 2013-14 include approximately 766 victims, with losses and restitution of approximately $11.4 million.
DISCUSSION:
For Fiscal Year 2013-14, the District Attorney's Office received 28 new referrals involving suspected real estate fraud activity. Of those referrals, the District Attorney opened 16 new investigations. Two of those investigations concluded during Fiscal Year 2013-14 with two separate criminal cases being filed and guilty pleas entered in each.
As for the other investigations opened during Fiscal Year 2013-14, the District Attorney's Office has assigned District Attorney Investigators to evaluate the allegations. Several of these investigations will require significant investigative resources as they involve interviewing multiple victims and witnesses and obtaining and analyzing considerable real estate and financial records.
During Fiscal Year 2013-14, criminal convictions and sentences were obtained in five cases that had been investigated and charged in prior fiscal years. Three of those convictions were obtained in related federal criminal prosecutions against former Monterey County residents Barbra Alexander, Michael Swanson and Beth Pina. Those cases arose out of the District Attorney's crim...
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