Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark S. Bennett has made a name for himself as a tenacious prosecutor of mortgage fraud cases in Northeast Ohio.
Bennett, 45, has been with the U.S. Attorney’s Office since 2007 and has a reputation for seeking justice for the victims of mortgage fraud. This week, he was honored by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General for his work in prosecuting nearly 100 defendants involved in mortgage fraud.
Northeast Ohio was one of the areas hardest hit by the mortgage-fraud crisis in the early 2000s, with many homes being sold at fraudulently inflated prices. Bennett’s work has made a significant difference in bringing those responsible to justice.
Bennett has prosecuted several high-profile cases, including United States v. Thomas France, where France was sentenced to over 10 years in prison and ordered to pay over $3 million in restitution for fraud involving six properties in Medina.
Another notable case is United States v. Anthony Viola and Uri Gofman, where Viola, a real estate company owner from Cleveland Heights, was sentenced to over 12 years in prison and real estate owner Uri Gofman, of Beachwood, was sentenced to over eight years in prison. The two were convicted of multiple counts related to the fraudulent sale of 34 homes, resulting in a loss of over $3 million.
Bennett also prosecuted United States v. Romero Minor, et. al, where Minor, of Macon, Georgia, was sentenced to nearly six years in prison for fraud involving $7.5 million and 48 properties in Mahoning and Trumbull Counties. Minor recruited straw buyers to ‘purchase’ properties in their names, and then conspired with others to prepare and submit fraudulent mortgage loan applications to various mortgage lenders.
Bennett is a graduate of Baldwin Wallace College and the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, and serves on the Legal Aid Society’s board. He has been recognized for his work in bringing those responsible for mortgage fraud to justice and has made a significant impact in the community.
Nicholas Padilla, Jr., the deputy assistant Inspector General for HUD, presented the award to Bennett, saying, ‘Your efforts have truly made a difference to the public.’ U.S. Attorney Steven M. Dettelbach added, ‘Mark has been tenacious in seeking justice for the victims of mortgage fraud, and those who caused so much hardship in our city.’
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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