Livingston County resident and businesswoman Michelle Rene Garbuschewski and her employee Lisa Marie Joboulian were recently charged, along with eight others, for allegedly defrauding state residents who are facing Michigan foreclosures using a foreclosure rescue scheme.
Garbuschewski runs the Howell's Elite Mortgage Relief, a company that supposedly helps people who are facing the possibility of losing their properties as foreclosed homes for sale. She was accused of obtaining money worth $1,000 at least but not more than $20,000 in an illegal manner or under pretenses. The Howell's Elite owner is facing a couple of counts of this violation, while her employee, Joboulian, is charged once under the same offense.
Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox has launched 19 criminal charges against ten individuals and nine mortgage firms for allegedly requiring owners of distressed properties to pay fees upfront for mortgage rescue services or assistance. This, according to Cox, is in violation of the state's Credit Services Protection Act.
The investigation of Elite Mortgage reportedly started in May 2009 following a couple of complaints from homeowners who are in danger of losing their properties to home auctions for sale. According to these homeowners, the company promised that they will negotiate with the lenders of the homeowners to prevent the properties from getting foreclosed.
Garbuschewski and Joboulian allegedly promised to have their mortgages modified. However, the two homeowners facing Michigan foreclosures revealed that the women took the fees worth $8,000 but did not provide any of the promised service to the homeowners. Reports revealed that many of Garbuschewski's customers ended up losing their homes to foreclosures. However, the two homeowners who first filed the complaints were able to save their homes.
According to Cox, companies like Howell's Elite take advantage of families in the state who are facing foreclosure-related troubles and are desperate enough to believe most promises of help given to them.
He encourages homeowners who gave money to companies or people who were charged by the office of the attorney general to step forward and file a formal complaint against the companies and their proprietors. He stated that in this way, they will be able to address the problem of fraudulent operations that victimize homeowners already burdened with Michigan foreclosures problems.
John Cutts has been educated in the finer points of the foreclosure market over 5 years.
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