Justice Department Obtains $160,000 Settlement in Discrimination Lawsuit Against Atlanta Area Realtors

WASHINGTON — Atlanta real estate firms Coldwell Banker Joe T. Lane Realty Inc., Coldwell Banker Bullard Realty Company Inc. and Rodney Lee Foreman, one of their former real estate agents, have agreed to pay $160,000 to settle allegations that they illegally steered prospective homebuyers toward and away from certain neighborhoods based on race and color, the Justice Department announced today.

The agreement, subject to approval by a federal court in Atlanta, resolves the Justice Department’s Jan. 25, 2009, lawsuit which originated from a complaint filed by the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Testing conducted by NFHA of Coldwell Banker Joe T. Lane Realty Inc. in 2003 and 2004 revealed that Foreman had steered white testers towards areas that are predominately white and away from areas that are predominately African-American because of race or color, in violation of the Fair Housing Act.

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Self-Proclaimed “Honorable Lady of San Francisco” Defrauded Mortgage Lenders, Financial Institutions of $6.5 Million

SAN FRANCISCO—Judy “Miu Wan” Yeung was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, eight counts of wire fraud, and three counts of witness tampering by a federal jury yesterday afternoon, United States Attorney Joseph P. Russoniello announced.

The jury, after deliberating for one day, found that Yeung engaged in a mortgage fraud conspiracy between approximately December 2004 and January 2007. Yeung, together with two mortgage brokers, recruited five individuals to submit loan applications in their names in order to obtain loans totaling more than $6.5 million. Evidence at trial established that Yeung had bad credit and could not have obtained these loans in her own name. Yeung engaged in these transactions in order to purchase investment properties in Gilroy, Calif., when real estate prices were still rising. Yeung also fraudulently refinanced her San Francisco residence in Balboa Terrace, in order to obtain cash from mortgage lenders and to pay off existing loans. Testimony at trial established that Yeung obtained more than $624,000 in cash from these fraudulent transactions.

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Texas State Representative Terri Hodge Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge and Agrees to Resign from Public Office

DALLAS—Gladys E. Hodge, also known as “Terri Hodge,” who was to go on trial early next month on charges outlined in a 31-count indictment charging 14 public officials and their associates with various offenses related to a bribery and extortion scheme involving affordable housing developments in the Dallas area, has pleaded guilty, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. As a condition of her plea with the government, Hodge, who was elected to the Texas House of Representatives, District 100, in 1996, and re-elected to the same position in 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, and 2008, has agreed to resign her office and never seek or hold future public office.

Hodge entered her guilty plea this morning, before U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn, to fraud and false statements on an income tax return. She faces a maximum statutory sentence of three years in prison, a $100,000 fine, and restitution to the IRS. At this morning’s hearing, Judge Lynn indicated that she would be setting the sentencing date as expeditiously as possible.

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Columbia Sussex Settles EEOC Sex Discrimination and Retaliation Suit

HOUSTON — Columbia Sussex Corporation, which owns and operates hotel properties across the United States, has agreed to settle a sex discrimination and retaliation suit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today. The settlement resolves the charge of a former banquet manager, Richard Knight, who claimed that Columbia Sussex fired him from its Sheraton Hotel in Baton Rouge, La., because of his sex, male, and because he complained that a female co-worker was not disciplined for the same purported infraction.

According to the EEOC’s suit, Columbia Sussex terminated Knight because he complained about the general manager’s better treatment of Knight’s female co-worker during a meeting. In that meeting, the general manager ultimately demanded that Knight go into his office without the presence of a human resource representative, but did not force Knight’s female co-worker to proceed without a representative. When Knight asked the general manager whether he was granting privileges to the female manager that he would not grant to Knight, the general manager replied that he could do whatever he wanted and then he immediately terminated Knight. The female manager was not disciplined.

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Following US Labor Department investigation, administrative law judge finds Bank of America discriminated against African-American job applicants

WASHINGTON — A protracted case that started with a U.S. Department of Labor Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) investigation has resulted in an administrative law judge's (ALJ) recommended ruling that Bank of America discriminated against African-American job applicants for entry level positions in Charlotte, N.C., in 1993 and from 2002 to 2005.

"The Labor Department is committed to ensuring that all workers — including African-Americans — are treated fairly by federal contractors in decisions concerning hiring, promotion and compensation," said OFCCP Director Patricia A. Shiu. "Further, contractors cannot use litigation as a means to obstruct OFCCP's ability to conduct its authorized investigations and pursue relief for victims of discrimination."

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Cuomo Seeks Damages for Victims and Protection for Tenants in Over 9,500 Apartments

NEW YORK, NY (January 28, 2010) – Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced his intent to sue Vantage Properties (“Vantage”), a major New York City landlord, to stop it from harassing tenants in rent-regulated apartments and to obtain monetary damages for tenants who have been victimized. The Attorney General has sent Vantage a five day notice letter, as required by statute, notifying the company of his intent to commence litigation against them.

Since March 2006, Vantage has purchased more than 125 buildings containing over 9,500 apartments – almost all of which are rent-regulated – throughout Queens, Harlem, and Upper Manhattan. The Attorney General’s legal action alleges that Vantage is taking action to force long-term, rent-regulated tenants to move out of their homes, and imposing significant rent increases on new tenants in order to increase profits. Vantage aggressively pressures long-term tenants by serving baseless legal notices and commencing frivolous Housing Court eviction proceedings.

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Texas Attorney Convicted for Role in Pump-and-dump Stock Manipulation Schemes

A securities attorney was convicted today by a federal jury in Alexandria, Va., for participating in multi-million dollar pump-and-dump stock manipulation schemes, Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Neil H. MacBride of the Eastern District of Virginia announced.

Phillip Windom Offill Jr., 51, of Dallas, was indicted on March 12, 2009, and today was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit registration violations, securities fraud and nine counts of wire fraud.

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