Clerks testify before House committee about fraudulent mortgage documents

Oakland County Clerk/ Register of Deeds Bill Bullard Jr. was the lead witness Wednesday in a hearing held by Marty Knollenberg (R-Troy), chairman of the House Banking and Financial Services Committee on the recent investigation by Bullard into fraudulent signatures on foreclosure documents filed by America's largest banks and financial institutions. Bullard's investigation uncovered signatures on foreclosure documents filed in Oakland County in 2008 and 2009 which matched a national pattern of signatures by a nonexistent bank "Vice President, Linda Green." Bullard was joined on the bi-partisan witness panel by Curtis Hertel Jr., Register of Deeds for Ingham County who also found similar signatures. "We are not saying citizens have no responsibility here. If someone does not pay their mortgage they will lose their home. But banks have to play by the rules, too." Hertel further stated, "We are looking at a massive fraud committed against the people of the state of Michigan." Hertel proposed several reforms to prevent such false signatures from being filed in the future including giving homeowners a judicial hearing should such a practice be uncovered in their case. Published: Fri, May 6, 2011