Mortgage Fraud Event- Phoenix

The Summit was held in the Ceremonial Courtroom in the Sandra Day O'€™Connor U.S. Courthouse in Phoenix. A sign greets attendees of the Mortgage Fraud Summit. It was at this meeting that Attorney General Holder and the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force announced new funding distribution for enforcement efforts. The task force, established by President Barack Obama in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes, is comprised of representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general, and state and local law enforcement.

Statue of former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor within the court building bearing her name.

Assistant Attorney General Civil Division, Tony West converses with U.S. Attorney from the Eastern District of California, Ben Wagner before the start of the conference.

Conference panelists look to the audience as a question is posed.

Mortgage Summit audience members attentively listen to the panelists. At the conference they heard that new investments included in the FY 2010 budget will soon be distributed to combat mortgage fraud. This spring, nearly $8 million for mortgage fraud enforcement and related efforts, including task forces, will be allocated for this work, including $1.7 million to Arizona.

Attorney General Eric Holder and Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard listen to a summit participant.

Press conference held by Attorney General Eric Holder, Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard and task force members. On stage with the Attorney General is Ben Wagner, U.S. Attorney from the Eastern District of California; Tony West, Assistant Attorney General Civil Division; Terry Goddard, Arizona Attorney General; Dennis Burke, U.S. Attorney District of Arizona; Michael Stephens, Deputy Inspector General HUD Office of the Inspector General.

The Attorney General takes questions from reporters.

The Attorney General participating in a press conference that was part of the Mortgage Fraud summit held in Phoenix AZ. "Today'‚’s summit marks another important step in our nation'‚’s most aggressive, comprehensive, and collaborative effort to combat mortgage fraud and protect American homeowners. Here in Phoenix, and in cities across the country, mortgage fraud crimes have reached crisis proportions. But we are fighting back,‚… we'‚’re tackling the challenges and consequences of mortgage fraud in bold, innovative and coordinated ways. We have one message to those who would engage in mortgage fraud schemes: you will be found, you will be prosecuted, and you will be punished."