gwinnettdailypost.com ♦ Wednesday, September 30, 2020 ♦ A7 Norcross resident charged by federal officials as part of alleged mortgage fraud ring By Curt Yeomans “These defendants alleg- buyers what type of assets to take phone calls and respond Kelske, Richard and Chap- said Wyatt Achord, who is curt.yeomans@ edly used their knowledge claim to have in their bank to emails from lenders who man, other people accused of the special agent in charge gwinnettdailypost.com of the real estate lending accounts as well what type were trying to verify the in- being involved in the scheme for the Office of the Inspec- process to manipulate the of employment they should formation on the mortgage include: Tyrone resident tor General at the U.S. De- A Norcross woman is one system for their own ben- list when filling out their applications. Fawziyyah Connor, 41; Mc- partment of Housing and of 12 people who have been efit,” U.S. Attorney Byung mortgage applications. Meanwhile, real estate Donough residents Jerod Urban Development. charged by federal law en- J. “BJay” Pak said. “Mort- As for Hogan’s alleged agents Anthony Richard, Little, 42, and Renee Little, “The efforts that brought forcement for their involve- gage fraudsters threaten the role in the scheme, federal of Locust Grove, and Ce- 33; Stockbridge resident forward these charges dem- ment in a mortgage fraud soundness of the real estate officials said she and other phus Chapman, of Warner Paige McDaniel, 49; Locust onstrate that when law en- scheme. market in our communi- accused document fabrica- Robbins, have been accused Grove resident Donald Fon- forcement is made aware of Federal officials said the ty. We will investigate and tors allegedly altered home- by prosecutors of allegedly tenot, 52; Powder Springs such schemes, we will com- dozen people involved in the charge anyone who takes buyers’ bank statements to falsely claiming to be selling resident Maurice Lawson, mit the necessary resources scheme were filing fraudu- advantage of our mortgage make their assets look larger agents representing home- 36; and Fairburn resident to make sure that fraudsters lent loan applications using lending system for their own and created bank entries to buyers so they could receive Todd Taylor, 54. are brought to justice.” fabricated documents so they personal gain.” show false direct deposits receive commissions from Connor is accused of also Federal Housing Finance could get mortgage lenders The U.S. Department of from an employer who was the home sales. fabricating documents while Agency Office of Inspector to fund mortgages for peo- Justice said listing agents picked by Hill and Kelske. The Department of Justice Jerod Little, Renee Little, General Special Agent in- ple who were, in reality, not Eric Hill, of Tyrone, and Hogan was also accused said Richard and Chapman Lawson, Taylor, McDaniel Charge Edwin Bonano add- eligible for the mortgages. Robert Kelske, of Smyrna, of creating fake earnings had, in fact never met the and Fontenot are accused ed, “As charged, the defen- More than 100 mortgage worked for an unnamed ma- statements that were de- homebuyers and would tell of acting as employment dants engaged in a multiyear applications were approved jor nationwide homebuilder, signed to match the direct closing attorneys that they verifiers. scheme to defraud Fannie over a four-year period be- and allegedly helped more deposit entries so it would could not be available for the “What we have here is a Mae and Freddie Mac. The cause of the scheme. than 100 homebuyers com- appear that the homebuy- home closings and then sent group of mortgage indus- Federal Housing Finance Norcross resident Stepha- mit fraud to get mortgages. er was employed by a fake wire instructions on how to try professionals that have Agency Office of Inspector nie Hogan, 57, is one of at Prosecutors said the home- employer. receive their commissions. allegedly perpetrated a so- General will investigate and least two “document fabrica- buyers were looking to own Prosecutors accused other Richard and Chapman phisticated mortgage fraud hold accountable those who tors” accused of fabricating a home but did not qualify people who were allegedly then allegedly kicked back for profit scheme that was seek to victimize these Gov- bank statements and earn- to get a mortgage. involved in the scheme of a majority of their commis- designed to enrich them- ernment Sponsored Entities ings documents as part of Hill and Kelske allegedly serving as employment veri- sions to Hill or Kelske. selves at the expense of a supervised and regulated the scheme. told the prospective home- fiers who were supposed to In addition to Hogan, Hill, federal housing program,” by FHFA.” Biden, Obama endorse Carolyn Bourdeaux in 7th Congressional District race By Curt Yeomans health care — interested in holding onto curt.yeomans she’s lived it,” the seat. President Don- @gwinnettdailypost.com Biden said. ald Trump offered the first “Carolyn will interjection of the presi- The 7th Congressional listen and dential race into the 7th District race got anoth- bring peo- district race in July when er injection of presiden- ple together he called for the election tial politics on Wednesday to overcome of the Republican Party’s Carolyn Joe Barack when former Vice President this crisis. I’m Biden Obama nominee for the seat, Rich Joe Biden endorsed Caro- Bourdeaux proud to en- McCormick, during a visit lyn Bourdeaux in the con- dorse Carolyn — but it begins by elect- to Atlanta. gressional race — and then for Congress.” ing Democrats right now. Bourdeaux said she is got another when former Obama said, “I’m proud So give these candidates hopeful that Biden will de- President Barack Obama to endorse these outstand- your vote — and vote early feat Trump in November, endorsed her on Friday. ing Democratic candidates if you can, either by mail however, and highlighted Biden praised Bourdeaux who will work to get the or in person.” issues she wants to work for focusing on health care virus under control, re- The 7th Congressional with him on. Photo: Gwinnett County Police and said she will unite peo- build the economy and the District is one of the Dem- “It’s a true honor to be This surveillance image shows a man, shown here wear- ple. Obama also cited health- middle class, and protect ocratic Party’s top targets endorsed by Vice President ing a white shirt, who allegedly stole an unattended gun care but also said he looks Americans’ health care and in this year’s congressio- Joe Biden,” Bourdeaux said. that had been used moments earlier in a shooting at a forward to Bourdeaux and pre-existing conditions pro- nal elections. the seat has “I look forward to working bar in Duluth on Sept. 16. other Democrats running tections from Republican long been held by Repub- with him to help Georgians this year tackling the post- assault. licans, and Bourdeaux was safely return to their jobs COVID economy. “They’re dedicated to less than 500 votes away and schools, lower the cost “Carolyn Bourdeaux shoring up and strength- from beating U.S. Rep. Rob of prescription drugs, and Police looking for knows what it’s like for ening our democracy, a Woodall, R-Ga., and flip- rebuild our economy to sup- families across the coun- project that’s going to take ping the seat in 2018. port working families and man who swiped try who struggle to pay for time and require all of us But Republicans are also the middle class.” gun after shooting Lowndes County wins ‘sovereign immunity’ ruling from Georgia Supreme Court at Duluth-area bar By Dave Williams sion of local services. dividuals, and were there- limitation as broadly as the By Curt Yeomans “The lead detective as- Capitol Beat News Service The county sued the DCA, fore protected by sovereign state seeks would eviscerate curt.yeomans@ signed to the case is asking its commissioner at the time immunity. Georgians’ well-established gwinnettdailypost.com the public to view the photos ATLANTA — The Georgia – Camila Knowles – and But on Monday, the state rights to seek redress against and to call in tips about the Supreme Court Monday re- the mayors and councils of Supreme Court disagreed, their government.” Gwinnett County police suspect’s identity,” police versed a lower court decision the five cities, arguing the declaring that sovereign im- Such nuanced arguments after looking for a man who said in a statement. “The that would have blocked the lack of consensus over a new munity generally “does not over whether the doctrine stole a gun from the scene of gun is considered evidence Lowndes County Commission service delivery agreement apply to individual-capacity of sovereign immunity ap- a shooting in unincorporated and was used during an ag- from suing a state agency in meant the previous 2008 claims … against state offi- plies in certain lawsuits soon Duluth earlier this month. gravated assault. Detectives a dispute over eligibility for agreement remained in ef- cers and employees alleged could become moot. Police said the shooting want to recover the gun and state financial aid. fect and that the local gov- to be acting without legal Georgia voters will de- occurred Sept. 16 at Sports secure it as evidence.” In a unanimous ruling, the ernments, thus, were still authority.” cide on Election Day Nov. 3 Time Bar and Grill, located Anyone who has infor- justices declared the state eligible for state aid. “The Georgia Constitution whether to ratify a proposed at 3675 Satellite Boulevard, mation about the identity cannot use the legal doctrine After the DCA and Knowles allows only the General As- constitutional amendment and that other patrons at of the man accused of steal- of “sovereign immunity” as filed a motion to dismiss the sembly to waive the state’s the legislature approved this the restaurant subdued the ing the gun, and where he is a defense against lawsuits in case using sovereign immu- sovereign immunity,” Jus- year that essentially would suspect in the shooting and located, is asked to call de- certain circumstances. Sov- nity as a defense, the county tice Nels S.D. Peterson wrote do away with sovereign im- placed his silver revolver on tectives at 770-513-5300 or ereign immunity prohibits amended the suit to include for the court. “Applying the munity as a legal defense. the bar top. Crime Stoppers, which lets citizens from suing state or as defendants Knowles and Amid the fracas, howev- tipsters remain anonymous, local governments without members of the DCA board, DON'T JUST KINDA TV. DIRECTV. er, another male allegedly at 404-577-8477. They can their permission. dropping the agency itself as Where sports fans call home. grabbed the gun while it was also visit www.stopcrime- The case stems from a a party to the suit. SELECTTM ALL INCLUDED PACKAGE unattended and stuffed it ATL.com. proposed service delivery Significantly, the plaintiffs $ 99 in his pocket before walk- There is a cash reward of- agreement Lowndes County added that they were suing mo. ing out of the bar. He then fered by Crime Stoppers for drafted in 2016. When the the defendants in their indi- For 12 mos. plus taxes w/24-mo.4 agmt & qualifying9 AT&T wireless svc (min. $50/mo. after discounts for new customers). Autopay & Paperless bill req’d. Prices higher in 2nd year.* got into a small grey SUV. information that results in city of Valdosta and four oth- vidual capacities rather than Over 155 Channels Police have released sur- an arrest and indictment. er cities in Lowndes County in their officials capacities *$19.95 ACTIVATION, EARLY TERMINATION FEE OF $20/MO. FOR EACH MONTH REMAINING ON AGMT., EQUIPMENT NON-RETURN & ADD’L FEES APPLY. Price incl. SELECT Pkg., monthly service & equip. fees for 1 HD DVR & is after $5/mo. autopay & paperless bill discount for 12 mos. Pay $44.99/mo. + taxes until discount starts w/in 3 bills. New approved residential customers only (equipment lease req'd). Credit card req'd (except MA & PA). Restr’s apply. veillance images of the man Tipsters are asked to refer- wouldn’t ratify the agreement, with the DCA. Don’t settle for cable. Call now! accused of stealing the gun. ence case No. 20-069326. the Georgia Department of Both the trial court and Iv Support Holdings LLC 1-888-505-3785

Community Affairs (DCA) the Georgia Court of Appeals SELECT ALL INCLUDED PACKAGE: Ends 8/31/20. Available only in the U.S. (excludes Puerto Rico and U.S.V.I.). 1st & 2nd year Pricing: $49.99.mo for rst 12 mos. only. After 12 mos. or loss of eligibility, then prevailing rate applies (currently $85/mo for SELECT All Included), unless cancelled or changed prior to end of the promo period. Pricing subject to change. $5/mo. discount: Must enroll in autopay & paperless bill within 30 days of TV activation to receive bill credit starting in 1-3 bill cycles. First time credit will include all credits earned since meeting oer requirements. Must maintain autopay/paperless bill and valid email address to continue credits. No credits in 2nd year for autopay/paperless bill. Includes: SELECT All Included TV Pkg, monthly service & equipment fees for one Genie HD DVR, and standard pro installation. Additional Fees & Taxes: Price excludes Regional Sports Fee of up to $9.99/mo. (which is extra & applies to CHOICE stepped in and declared the ruled against the county on and/or MÁS ULTRA and higher Pkgs.), applicable use tax expense surcharge on retail value of installation, custom installation, equipment upgrades/add-ons (min. $99 one-time & $7/mo. fees for each extra receiver/DIRECTV Ready TV/Device), and certain other add’l fees & charges. See att.com/directvfees for additional details. Dierent oers may apply for eligible multi-dwelling unit and telco customers. DIRECTV SVC TERMS: Subject to Equipment Lease & Customer Agreements. Must maintain a min. base TV pkg of $29.99/mo. Programming, pricing, terms and conditions subject to change at any time. Some oers may not be available through all channels and in select areas. Visit directv.com/legal or call for details. . ©2020 AT&T Intellectual Property. All Rights Reserved. AT&T, Globe logo, DIRECTV, and all other DIRECTV marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T aliated companies. All other marks cities and the county would the basis that the actions are the property of their respective owners. be ineligible for state financial the DCA commissioner and assistance until they could board members were being come to an agreement over sued for were taken in their Need hearing help how to divvy up the provi- official capacities, not as in-  safely    Gwinnett Daily Post      855.875.2842 Follow us on T he Instagram Audiology Center of Snellville Photo: Gwinnett County Police @ gwinnettdailypost This surveillance image shows a man, shown here wearing Snellville • 2176 Oak Road, Suite C a white shirt, who allegedly stole an unattended gun that had been used moments earlier in a shooting at a bar in Samuel Vaught, Au.D. • Heather Davis, Au.D. • Doctors of Audiology Duluth on Sept. 16.