SANTA ANA, CA – A con man in a suit, Moses S. Hall, 63, of Blackwood, New Jersey, got four years in federal prison today for a brazen mortgage modification scam that left approximately 75 Orange County homeowners financially ruined and, in many cases, homeless. Hall, a disbarred attorney, systematically stole over $1 million from desperate families, promising to negotiate with banks and save their homes from foreclosure.
The scheme, operated from 2008 to 2012 through his Fullerton law office and shell companies “Salva Casas” and “Loan Modifications of America,” preyed on homeowners already struggling to stay afloat. Hall instructed victims to stop making mortgage payments and instead funnel those funds directly to him, falsely claiming he’d use the money to negotiate better terms with lenders. Instead, the money lined his own pockets, funding a lavish lifestyle while families faced imminent foreclosure.
But the greed didn’t stop there. Hall also obstructed justice by failing to file tax returns from 2008 through 2012, concealing a trail of over $1 million in cash withdrawals. He pulled cash from multiple accounts, often on the same day from different locations, attempting to hide the source and use of the stolen funds. When questioned by IRS Special Agents in 2015, Hall brazenly lied about how he’d spent the money.
The courtroom today echoed with the pain of Hall’s victims. Several addressed the court, recounting their devastating losses. One homeowner reported paying Hall over $400,000, only to ultimately lose their home. Judge Cormac J. Carney didn’t mince words, stating that Hall had “betrayed the trust” of those who sought his help. The State Bar of California had already disbarred Hall in 2012, and had previously issued $340,000 in restitution to 12 victims.
Hall pleaded guilty in July 2017 to one count of wire fraud and one count of obstructing the due administration of the IRS. Today’s 48-month sentence isn’t enough to erase the damage done, but it’s a start. Judge Carney also ordered Hall to pay restitution to both the victims and the IRS, the exact amount to be determined at a later hearing. This wasn’t a case of legal incompetence; it was cold, calculated theft.
The investigation was a joint effort by IRS Criminal Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Secret Service, with assistance from the State Bar of California. Assistant United States Attorney Charles E. Pell of the Santa Ana Branch Office brought the case to a close. Hall’s story serves as a grim reminder: when desperation meets deception, the consequences can be catastrophic.
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Key Facts
- Agency: U.S. Secret Service
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Press Release
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