Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009 | 1:51 p.m.
Two Las Vegas men have been arrested on several charges of theft, mortgage fraud, identity theft and forgery against senior citizens, Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto said today.
Thomas F. Gentile, 56, and Julio C. Martinez, 61, are in custody after they were allegedly involved in a scam to obtain a mortgage loan against a property owned by Gentile's former employer, without knowledge or consent, Masto said.
An arrest warrant has been issued for a third man, 30-year-old Justin M. Sabo of Huntington Beach, Calif., whose whereabouts are unknown.
"Mortgage fraud continues to be the fastest growing caseload within my office," Masto said in a statement. "These individuals are charged with obtaining a mortgage on the home of an elderly couple without their consent. The alleged conduct in this case is especially egregious."
Between January and March, Sabo, Gentile and Martinez got and used the identity of Gentile's former employer, an attorney general's mortgage fraud task force investigation revealed.
The three men, using the false identification, got a $65,000 mortgage loan against the former employer's property. The victims were senior citizens who had paid cash for their home and did not hold a mortgage on the property, Masto said.
The lenders also were victimized when they approved an application without knowing it was false, Masto said.
The elderly couple received a notice of foreclosure for non-payment, and they contacted the attorney general's office.
Since the couple are senior citizens, several counts alleged in the criminal complaint could increases their sentences if the three men are found guilty, Masto said.
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