An investigator for the County District Attorney’s office was awarded a Peace Officer Certificate of Commendation in San Bernardino Thursday for his work in a recently prosecuted mortgage scam. Maurice Landrum was the lead investigator in a scam in which two people conspired to defraud mortgage giants, Freddie Mac and Bank of America, by illegally occupying foreclosed homes and applying for relocation assistance known as “Cash for Keys.” To avoid a lengthy eviction process, mortgage lenders offer legitimate tenants money to move out of the residence by a specific date, and in exchange, those people turn over the keys and leave the property in turnkey condition. Through his investigation, Landrum was able to prove that the defendants had illegally occupied the properties, contacted the institution’s mortgage departments, and falsified documents. After submitting the documents, the defendants were paid $10,000 to move out. As a result of Landrum’s investigation, and his subsequent arrest of the defendants, a plea was entered to felony grand theft, which resulted in jail sentences of 252 days, a $10,000 fine, and three years felony probation.
