a real estate agent obtained and sold false Social Security numbers to enable individuals to create false credit histories

Woman Pleads Guilty to Credit History Fraud in Lee's Summit Mortgage Fraud Scheme - Kansas City, Missouri News:

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Washam-Hawkins, a real estate agent, obtained and sold false Social Security numbers to enable individuals to create false credit histories in order to deceive lenders and obtain loans. Co-defendant Gerald William Bartlett, 40, of Tampa, Fla., used his businesses to provide fraudulent account and payment information to a credit bureau to falsely enhance the creditworthiness of individuals in order for those individuals to deceive lenders and obtain loans. Bartlett pleaded guilty on March 31, 2011, to his role in the conspiracy.

Beginning in late 2004 to early 2005 and continuing through Aug. 15, 2006, several customers of Washam-Hawkins and Bartlett benefitted from the credit history fraud scheme in order to fraudulently purchase six properties in Lee’s Summit in a mortgage fraud scheme totaling $2,717,420.

Washam-Hawkins supplied Shade Jerome Howard of Anaheim,Calif., with false Social Security numbers. Howard then gave Bartlett those false Social Security numbers, along with other identity information, and requested positive credit information for those individuals in order to enhance their creditworthiness. Bartlett, using the names South Florida Management Group and Consumer Financial Group, reported false account and payment information to a credit bureau.

This scheme allowed Howard, along with Ronald E. Brown, Jr., of Gladstone, Mo., and Daryle A. Edwards of Overland Park, Kan., to enhance their creditworthiness in order to deceive lenders and obtain mortgage loans for residential properties in Lee’s Summit. Brown purchased three residential properties totaling $1,339,700. Howard purchased two residential properties totaling $1,201,000. Edwards purchased a residential property for $418,500. Howard, Brown and Edwards were charged separately; they have pleaded guilty and been sentenced.

Under federal statutes, Washam-Hawkins and Bartlett are each subject to a sentence of up to five years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000 and an order of restitution. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.