DISMISSED | MORTGAGE FRAUD – Ms. V. was employed as an escrow officer in Phoenix and was charged with 37 Felony counts, including Wire Fraud, Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, and Engaging in Illegal Monetary Transactions Greater than $10,000.00. While she was an escrow officer she submitted to lenders several preliminary HUD-1 forms, also known as “Pre-audit” and final HUD-1 forms.  Other defendants and their family members were buyers (or the backers of “straw buyers”) of several homes (27 total) where Ms. V. was the escrow agent.  The alleged “cash back scheme” stemmed from these HUD-1 forms Ms. V. drafted that resulted in large sums of unearned/undeserved monies to be distributed to the buyer.  The charges against Ms. V. and the other Defendants arose from these illegal pay-outs.  Per the Assistant United States Attorney, the range of loss was between $2,500,000.00 and $7,000,000.00.  Ms. V. was unwittingly duped into submitting these HUD-1 forms without knowing illegal kickbacks were taking place.  Her charges were ultimately dismissed in full.