LAS VEGAS -- The 8 News NOW I-Team now has an inside look at the alleged robo-signing conspiracy reported last month. A whistelblower has spoken out, and hundreds of pages of grand jury testimony describe in detail the Nevada Attorney General's case against two title officers.
The AG's Office says tens of thousands of Nevada homes are affected, and their case may all come down to one series of emails that could prove to be a "smoking gun."
Grand jury transcripts reveal loan title officers Gary Trafford and Gerri Shepperd knew they were ordering notaries to forge signatures on foreclosure documents. The AG says the two former managers of Lender Processing Services had their employees illegally race through the default notice process.
Notary Traci Lawrence revealed emails written by Shepperd describing exactly how she wanted other people to sign her signature on foreclosure documents. Lawrence was found dead two weeks ago, the same day she was to appear in court.
Another whistleblower at the center of the case tells what is was like inside: "I was just a cog in this stupid gigantic wheel, but if people would have just stood up and I would have just said 'no,' and if everybody would have said 'no,' the documents would never have been done illegally," she said.
The grand jury transcripts also reveal the shock one homeowner experienced when she was locked out her home this summer. The homeowner testified she was in the middle of a short sale when the lockout happened. That homeowner says Lender Processing Services incorrectly filed the default on her home. Her belongings were locked inside and much of her belongings were stolen before she could retrieve them.
Lender Processing Services admits to some "flawed documents," but defends its process.
According to the grand jury transcripts, several trustee companies were customers of the alleged robo-signers, including Cal Western Conveyance, Recon Trust, National Default Services, American Homekey, Land America, and Trustee Corp. However, it is unknown how much of each company's business was handled by Sheppard and Trafford.
