A Florida mortgage broker had just cut a deal at a Broward County title company that netted her $178,000.
But before she could spend any money, local and federal authorities swept in to arrest her and two others in what police said was a nearly $1 million mortgage fraud scam.
Brahms Alexis, 28, has been charged with mortgage fraud, grand theft and identity theft and is being held in jail on a $36,000 bond, according to a statement from the Broward County Sheriff’s office.
Also charged was Jacqueline Lopez, 50, a one time real estate agent, and 44-year-old Marjorie Lawrence, police said.
The three were arrested in a sting set up at the offices of a Hollywood, Fla., title company that was not involved in the scam.
“The ink had not yet dried on the bogus mortgage documents when local, state and federal authorities arrived at a Hollywood title company,” the sheriff’s office said in the statement. “Moments later, three south Florida residents were in handcuffs, under arrest for mortgage fraud.”
Investigators allege that Lopez, an unlicensed real estate agent already under investigation for fraud, stole the identity of a client and passed it on to Alexis.
Alexis shopped the name around and ultimately secured two mortgages for $890,000 without the knowledge of the victim.
“The mortgages were generated in order to close on a…property currently on the market for $712,000,” the sheriff’s office said. “The goal: to pocket the difference, a total of $178,000, and quickly resell the property before the unsuspecting victim got the first mortgage bill.”
On Sept. 7 investigators set up surveillance outside of the title company that was used to close the deal. Lawrence allegedly posed as the person whose identity was stolen and signed the closing documents in the victim’s name.
“When all three were ready to leave,” the sheriff’s office said, “investigators stepped in.”
Along with the Broward County Sheriff the Florida Office of Financial Regulation and the U.S. Secret Service were involved in the investigation.
