MANHATTAN, NY – Eva Christine Rodriguez, 65, of Laguna Hills, California, and her son, Sergio Lorenzo Rodriguez, are facing federal charges after allegedly fleecing thousands of financially strapped homeowners out of more than $5 million in a brazen mortgage modification fraud. The pair, arrested today, ran a scheme preying on those facing foreclosure, promising relief they couldn’t deliver.
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss didn’t mince words: “As alleged, Eva Christine Rodriguez and Sergio Lorenzo Rodriguez preyed on vulnerable homeowners at risk of foreclosure by making false and misleading promises that they knew they would not or could not keep. They allegedly continued to do so even after they were barred from the debt relief industry by a federal court in California. They now face serious criminal charges.”
The scheme, spanning from approximately March 2014 through April 2018, operated through a series of companies – National Servicing Center, American Home Servicing Center, National Advocacy Center, National Advocacy Group, and Capital Home Advocacy Center. Prosecutors allege the Rodriguez duo systematically deceived homeowners, charging exorbitant “advance fees” disguised as closing costs or falsely claiming pre-approval from lenders. They allegedly boasted a 95% success rate and offered empty “no-risk” money-back guarantees.
The alleged victims, desperate to save their homes, collectively handed over more than $5 million, only to be met with denial or unfavorable modification terms. The fraud didn’t stop there. In February 2018, the Federal Trade Commission secured a temporary restraining order, and later a permanent injunction, barring Eva Christine Rodriguez and Sergio Lorenzo Rodriguez from the debt relief industry. But the pair allegedly ignored the court order, launching a new operation, 1st Premier Asset Solutions, using aliases and the same deceptive tactics.
“Loan Modification Scams are a cruel fraud targeting very desperate homeowners faced with losing their homes,” stated Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector-in-Charge of the New York Office of the United States Postal Inspection Service. “While a loan modification may appear to be a lifeline, these scams often become a nightmare. This is allegedly what happened to victims who did business with Eva and Sergio Rodriguez. Postal Inspectors remain on alert for fraud scams targeting consumers, bringing fraudsters to justice worldwide.”
EVA CHRISTINE RODRIGUEZ and SERGIO LORENZO RODRIGUEZ are expected to be presented in federal court in Santa Ana, California, today. The charges against them carry significant penalties, and if convicted, they could face substantial prison time. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case as it develops, exposing the predators who prey on those at their most vulnerable. The complaint unsealed today provides detailed evidence of the alleged scheme, highlighting the systematic deception and financial exploitation.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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