MIAMI – Dora Ameneiro Martinez, a 45-year-old former title agent from Haines City, Florida, has been sentenced to 36 months in federal prison for her role in a $6.6 million mortgage fraud scheme.
According to the US Department of Justice, Martinez, who owned Apex Title Agency Incorporated, participated in approximately 30 fraudulent real estate transactions between June 2019 and July 2022. She made false and fraudulent statements to lenders to defraud them into approving mortgages and lending money.
As part of her scheme, Martinez prepared false and fraudulent mortgage applications and other related documents on behalf of herself, her company, and other homeowners. The documents contained false statements and representations relating to existing mortgages on the properties and other necessary information for the lenders to assess the qualifications of the homeowners.
The title paperwork and Closing Disclosures falsely stated that there were no existing mortgages on the properties, inducing the lenders to fund mortgage loans. However, the properties were actually encumbered by existing mortgages that were not disclosed to the lenders.
Martinez also applied for and processed a mortgage refinancing loan that she failed to satisfy the existing mortgage and diverted the proceeds for her own personal use. The lender relied on her to pay off the existing mortgage to be in first position.
US Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida, along with other law enforcement officials, announced the sentence imposed by Chief US District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga. The case was investigated by the Federal Reserve Board’s Office of Inspector General and the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General.
Martinez was also ordered to pay $6,634,750 in forfeiture as part of her sentence. A restitution hearing is scheduled for August 16. Assistant US Attorney Manolo Reboso is prosecuting the case, with Assistant US Attorney Daren Grove handling asset forfeiture.
Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 23-cr-20451.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: White Collar Crime|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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