INDIANAPOLIS, IND. – Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller announced today the return of more than $415,000 to Indiana homeowners victimized by a complicated tax sale scheme orchestrated by California-based 4Bridge, LLC and Colorado-based Asset Recovery, Inc.

According to complaints filed by the Attorney General’s Office in Marion County Circuit Court this year, 4Bridge and Asset Recovery perpetrated a complicated scheme that took advantage of vulnerable Hoosiers across the State who had fallen behind in their real-estate taxes and who did not understand the tax sale process. Homeowners in Elkhart, Howard, Lake, Madison, Marion, Vanderburgh, and Vigo counties will receive a refund.

The settlement calls for restitution totaling $418,525.97 to 24 Indiana homeowners and a permanent injunction preventing further behavior described in the complaints:

• Violations of the Home Loan Practices Act:  Concealing material information in connection with real estate transactions and engaging in real estate transactions without proper licensure.
• Violations of the Deceptive Consumer Sales Act:  Unfair, abusive, or deceptive acts, omissions, or practices in connection with consumer transactions.

“Rarely have we seen a scam that so brazenly exploited desperate property owners and took advantage of their lack of understanding of a complicated legal process. Victims not only lost their property but thousands of dollars rightfully owed to them,” Zoeller said.

Consumers whose funds had already been distributed will receive monthly payments from Asset Recovery and 4Bridge made payable to, and distributed by the Attorney General’s Office. The remaining homeowners are able to claim the surplus available to them. The Marion County Circuit Court has already entered Orders directing funds to be paid to several of the affected homeowners.

Zoeller added his office is pursuing an action against other companies he alleges conducted similar schemes across the state. Earlier this year, the Attorney General filed a lawsuit – for up to $12 million in restitution and penalties – against FLRC, LLC. / Oak Tree, LLC; and Coastal Title, Inc. Several individuals operating on behalf of the companies were named in the lawsuit as well.

These schemes impacted at least 48 vulnerable Hoosiers in Allen, Johnson, Lake and Marion counties, attempting to swindle them out of surplus funds upwards of tens of thousands of dollars.

“These cases have not only highlighted how homeowners were being exploited, but also assisted local officials in providing more education to citizens,” Zoeller said. “Working with county officials has been key in identifying and preventing potential fraud.”

4Bridge and Asset Recovery’s Scheme

When a homeowner falls behind on their property taxes, the county lists the property at tax sale. The minimum bid set for these homes is the amount owed in taxes. If the winning bid exceeds the amount of the unpaid property tax owed, the county claims the tax amount, special assessments, penalties and the costs of the auction. The original homeowner is entitled to any surplus amount beyond what may be owed to a mortgage lender. This surplus may be considered a rough equivalent to their home’s equity.

The original homeowner then has one year to redeem the property if he or she can pay back the taxes originally owed. If the homeowner can’t pay within a year, then the bidder is awarded ownership of the property. It’s during this one-year time window that 4Bridge and Asset Recovery perpetrated the scheme.

Using court and public records, the companies and their agents located and contacted the original homeowners whose properties had been sold at tax sales for large surplus amounts. They deceived at least 24 homeowners by making misrepresentations about their legal rights to redemption or surplus in the tax sales. The scam worked best with property owners who did not have an outstanding mortgage that would have to first be paid off with the surplus.

By exploiting the homeowners’ unfamiliarity, 4Bridge, Asset Recovery and their agents persuaded the homeowners to sign quitclaim deeds and other legal paperwork turning over their remaining legal interest in the properties to the companies. 4Bridge and Asset Recovery, in turn, were then able to submit claims for the tax sale surplus funds that the 24 original owners would have been entitled to – in amounts ranging from $3,000 up to $53,000.

The Attorney General’s Office through its Homeowner Protection Unit (HPU) fielded complaints about the tax sale scheme from the affected owners and from county officials, who were able to identify the potential scheme only after the deed exchanges were filed with the county offices.

The complaint notes violations including “unfair, abusive or deceptive” conduct; “incurable deceptive acts” and that the entire scheme conducted by Asset Recovery is considered “unconscionable”.  Under the settlement the companies did not admit wrongdoing but have agreed to comply with settlement terms.

Tips for consumers

Zoeller added the AG’s Office’s investigation continues due to concerns other homeowners may have fallen victim to this scam or similar scams in Marion County or other counties. Owners who suspect they have been defrauded are asked to file a consumer complaint with the Attorney General’s Office at www.IndianaConsumer.com or by calling 1-800-382-5516. Owners are further encouraged to contact their local county offices to verify any information they may receive concerning the tax sale process.

To avoid fraud, Zoeller urges any distressed homeowner facing a tax sale due to unpaid property taxes or foreclosure due to unpaid mortgage payments to first seek legal advice from a qualified attorney before engaging in any quitclaim deed or other legal transaction. Free legal advice is available from the Indiana Foreclosure Prevention Network at www.877gethope.com or from Indiana Legal Services, which recently received a grant from the AG’s Office to support this type of counseling.

More information about real estate scams is located on the Attorney General’s website here.

Making Sense by Michael Reagan

Now that was a debate.

The Mike Pence-Tim Kaine bout Tuesday night wasn’t the main event of 2016.

It was what they call in boxing an “undercard” match. It was a contest between two natural lightweights — the VP candidates.

There was no exciting 12th round knock out.

But Pence and Kaine engaged in a good, spirited political fight that provided much more substance and entertainment value than the Trump-Clinton debate.

Pence easily won on points, both for what he said and what he didn’t say. In their post-debate analysis everyone from Rachel Maddow to Sean Hannity agreed on that.

Poor Tim Kaine. Everyone — even his wife — also agreed that he made himself look like a rude jerk by interrupting the moderator and Pence way too many times.

Kaine was wound up so tight in the opening rounds that the presidential debate commission probably should have ordered a drug test to see if Kaine was on some sort of performance drug.

Seriously, though, I hope Trump was watching Pence’s debating style closely.

I hope he has been studying the video over and over to see how Pence deflected or ducked his opponent’s punches and pivoted to offense.

Pence not only showed Trump how to win a political debate, he was an absolute gentleman while doing it.

He didn’t have to say derogatory things about women or Latinos or Muslims. He didn’t suggest using nuclear weapons to fight crime in Chicago.

And when Kaine tried to drag him down a rat hole by making him defend something dumb or insulting Trump had said, Pence kept his cool and flicked the example away as silly or untrue.

The major criticism from some Republicans and Trumpsters was that Pence didn’t do more to defend Donald Trump.

But the reality is, you can’t defend half of what Trump has said and Pence could have wasted two weeks of air time trying.

Pence was perfect Tuesday night. What he did won’t move the needle for Trump’s chances to win next month, but it moved the needle on his future.

Twenty minutes into the debate lots of people, including those I watched it with, were saying, “Gosh, I wish Mike Pence was on the top of the ticket.”

It’s obviously way too late for the GOP to make that happen, but Pence might be the top choice of Republicans in 2020 if Trump loses to the Clinton Crime Family a month from now.

The only thing that concerns me about Pence’s pummeling of Kaine is that Trump was so quick to take credit for it.

The next day at his rallies Donald was doing his usual “Look at me” routine, praising Pence and boasting he was his first hire.

Sorry, Donald. As I tweeted, your first hire was actually campaign consultant Paul Manafort. How did that work out?

Trump’s the clear underdog, a raw amateur up against a political heavyweight. He has to win his debate with Hillary Sunday night or at least fight her to a draw.

Pence has shown him how the professionals do it.

Whether he can learn to box with Hillary without tripping over his huge ego may determine whether Trump ends up the 2016 champ or the 2016 chump.

IS IT TRUE a group of retired and active Police Officers met with the City’s Personnel Director  George Fithian last night?  …the gathering quickly turned extremely heated when Mr. Fithian informed them that money earmarked for the retirees Healthcare fund is being deposited into the City’s General fund instead of being deposited into separate fund for City retirees?  …when Mr. Fithian told them about this issue about half of the attendees walked out of the meeting in a rage?  …we can say this is a developing story?

IS IT TRUE we hear that Mayor Winnecke really get upset when we talk about the EARTHCARE deal gone bad? …the City could really use the $200,000 plus he wasted on this so called business deal of the decade?

IS IT TRUE that the politicians in Washington has mandated a new law that will terminates all Employees Healthcare Plans in existences before March 10, 2010? …when this happens it will drive future Healthcare cost through the roof? … the Mayor should start putting money aside to off sit the large budget deficit facing the 2018 City Employee Healthcare program?

IS IT TRUE we wonder what the status of the funding requests for the new Penguin exhibit, Mesker Park Amphitheater renovations and the new Carousel project at the Zoo? …you now know why people are saying that the Mayor and Council members are selecting “Zoo over City Employees”?

IS IT TRUE we urge you to vote in todays “CCO READERS POLL” because you will find the question very interesting?

IS IT TRUE we wonder why EVSC School Board member and EPD officer Jeff Worthington is no longer the police liaison officer at Mater Dei High School?

IS IT TRUE don’t be surprised if a couple of our City Council members don’t come down with an unexpected virus and won’t be able to attend Monday’s Council meeting? …all we can say is that they may run but can’t hide from the EFD or the EPD?

IS IT TRUE if City Council have so much love for members of the Police and Fire Departments they should step up and forfeit their own health care coverage to help with the budget shortfall? …it’s time for Council step up and lead by example,?

IS IT TRUE Mayor Winnecke and his Council leadership are telling people that they have the votes to reduce our Homestead Tax Credits by 2%? …we hope you realize that when they do that everyone living in Vanderburgh County property taxes shall go up additional 2%? …could this be called “taxation without representation”?

IS IT TRUE it seems like Mayor Winnecke and his Council leadership approach to help balance the 2017 City budget is to reduce our Homestead Credit  by 2% and increase our County COTI income taxes to the max?

IS IT TRUE we hearing that the Mayor is weighing his options concerning making any adjustment on the City Employees Health care agreement?  …all we can say is “let the political games” because members of EPD and FOP are watching?

IS IT TRUE when Mayor Winnecke found out that Councilman Dan McGinn is requesting that our 2017 Home Tax Credit to be reduced by 2% he immediately increased the General Fund request expenditures by $500,000 in the 2017 City budget?  …were also told that none of this new found money will go to City Employee Healthcare fund?

IS IT TRUE that all politics is local?  …that politics start in the city, goes to the County, moves on to the State and ends up on the National level?  …we wonder why their isn’t more attention given to the political decisions that are made locally?

IS IT TRUE every time City Controller Russ Lloyd Jr speaks about the excellent financial condition of Evansville we have flashbacks? …wasn’t this guy the past Mayor of Evansville who spent our surplus “Rainey Day” funds down to almost nothing before he was voted out of office by a large margin? …is this the same guy that spent almost $2 million dollars of taxpayers money to develop a new Downtown baseball stadium but pulled the plug on the project at the last minute?  …could this be why we don’t consider City Controller Lloyd a conservative watchdog for the taxpayers of Evansville because of his poor track record of handling our tax dollars?

IS IT TRUE that Ms Hargis asked some good questions addressed to Personnel Director George Fithian but failed to ask the more important question? …she should asked “what are the unpaid bills in the Hospitalization Funds as of June 30, 2016 compared to 2015 which would affect the 2017 budget”?

IS IT TRUE that the unpaid bills in the General Fund at the beginning of 2016 was $6.1 million and two years earlier that amount was only $2.3 million? … we wonder why the only CPA on City Council has not noticed this trend but more importantly why hasn’t she spoke out about this trend on the open floor of the Council?

FOOT NOTES: Todays READERS POLL question is: WHO DO YOU FEEL IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE MEMBER OF EVANSVILLE CITY COUNCIL?

Please take time and read our newest feature articles entitled “BIRTHDAYS, HOT JOBS” and “LOCAL SPORTS” posted in our sections.

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2016 ELECTION: CRASH, BURN AND REPEAT

Raging Moderate by Will Durst

We might as well be watching a 30-car pile-up the way Americans are holding hands over their eyes trying to avoid the grisly bits of the most grotesque presidential race we have witnessed in this, the second decade of the 21st Century. Of course, it’s only the 2nd election during that time, but still.

That is not to say 2012 wasn’t genuinely gruesome, with more than its share of cataclysmic collisions and demolition derby debacles, but this time they’re headed downhill faster than an 18-wheeler with burned out brakes carrying a load of nitroglycerine on the western slope of the Andes.

This is a race to rock bottom to see which team ends up least wrecked, and right now they’re both jostling for pole position. Everybody is losing paint riding into each other while running over rocky roads gouged by their own staffs. Must be why they call them pit crews.

You’ve heard the term “Accidents waiting to happen?” Well the opposite is “accidents waiting for a break in the action.” The two most polarizing drivers in the history of American politics have veered into so many walls, both their nicknames could be Crash.

Recently the Donald and the Hillary pulled into the paddock to attack their opponent’s foreign policies, a shock to the majority of spectators who were unaware either had a foreign policy that didn’t consist on calling in air strikes on the other’s campaign. And tire irons swung at their fuel lines.

Now we’re getting to the point in this short track race where driver fatigue kicks in, and the unforced errors have begun to accumulate. Hillary Clinton said she was wrong to call half of Trump’s supporters a basket of deplorables. And she was wrong. It’s more like 63 percent.

Donald Trump used the Mexican president as a prop, then gave an immigration speech that spurred most of his Hispanic advisory board to resign. Although to be honest, Trump Hispanic Advisory Board sounds like Democratic Leadership Council. Trump also praised Vladimir Putin for being a strong leader with an 84 percent approval rating. It would be higher, but the KGB hasn’t been able to track down the other 16 percent. Yet.

Even the Libertarian candidate, Gary Johnson, got in trouble for not knowing what Aleppo was. Presumably he was thinking a small leopard or someone suffering from the initial stages of Hansen’s Disease.

Time is running out for all the major candidates to grab some clean air. Hillary needs to prove she’s not a robotic automaton who will do or say anything to get elected. And she intends to do that as soon as she installs a larger hard drive and updates her operating system. Pneumonia, right.

Trump knows he needs to assure the electorate he’s more than some spoiled rich guy whose diplomatic horsepower is measured in arrogant smirks; he’s even gone so far as to hire a female campaign manager to smirk for him.

The good news is the finish line is only two months away. The bad news is one of these lug nuts is going to take the checkered flag. The upside being, on November 8th, our long national nightmare will be over. Until November 9th, when the funny car race for 2020 begins. Gentlemen and ladies, prepare to start your engines.