Michael “Mickey” Henschel, accused of leading a foreclosure-avoidance scam that preyed on struggling borrowers, has been arrested and charged with 11 counts related to the scam that made him $7 million. According to the indictment, Henschel owned a Van Nuys-based company that operated under several different names (including Valueline), and illegally marketed foreclosure and eviction-delay services to homeowners in default on their mortgages and renters facing eviction.
As part of the scam, Henschel and his co-conspirators allegedly convinced homeowners to sign fake grant deeds that supposedly showed that the homeowners conveyed an interest in their properties to fictional third parties. Henschel then allegedly filed bankruptcies in the names of fake people to activate the automatic stay provision of the Bankruptcy Code that stops a foreclosure sale.
Henshel charged large fees before agreeing to clear the title to the properties, in addition to the monthly fees paid for the illegal services. During the course of the scam, which ran from October 2010 through July 2013, Henschel and his co-conspirators allegedly collected more than $7 million for the illegal services.
Henschel has been charged with one count of conspiracy, eight counts of bankruptcy fraud and two counts of wire fraud. If convicted, he would serve a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each of the conspiracy and bankruptcy fraud counts, while the two wire fraud counts carry a statutory maximum sentence of 20 years.
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Choosing the right attorney can make the difference between whether or not you can keep your home. A well-qualified Miami foreclosure defense attorney will not only help you keep your home, but they will be able to negotiate a loan that has payments you can afford. Miami foreclosure defense attorney Timothy Kingcade has helped many facing foreclosure alleviate their stress by letting them stay in their homes for at least another year, allowing them to re-organize their lives. If you have any questions on the topic of foreclosure please feel free to contact me at (305) 285-9100. You can also find useful consumer information on the Kingcade & Garcia website at www.miamibankruptcy.com.