Dale Cedars, KMGH Denver
It sounds like it’s from a movie, but a Parker family and a title company both say the Russian mafia is stealing money from wire transfers.
As a result, a Parker family may lose their home to foreclosure and they did nothing wrong.
“I don’t get why this can’t be cleared up today,” said Kim Canning, of Parker.
Canning and her husband, Tim, refinanced their home in September 2009. Canning thought it was a simple process — a few signatures and the deal was done.
But a few months later she started receiving letters from Bank of America stating she had not paid her mortgage and they were going to begin foreclosing on her home.
That’s when she learned the refinancing never went through and she might actually lose her home. Canning has now spent the last 11 months working the phones, doing everything she can to save her home.
“We are not the ones that did anything (wrong),” said Canning. “We are just trying to refinance our home.”
Canning refinanced her home with Classic Title Agency. At some point when Classic Title was transferring the funds online to Chase Bank, $900,000 disappeared.
President Ryan Rodenbeck of Classic Title said nine $100,000 transfers were stolen — $277,000 of that was part of the Cannings’ refinancing.
According to Rodenbeck, the Russian mafia intercepted it and stole the money. Bank of America, which held the Cannings’ first mortgage and was supposed to get the money, never did. Bank of America assumed the Cannings had just stopped paying their mortgage so they started the foreclosure process on the family’s Parker home.
“It has been absolutely humiliating,” said Canning. “All of these companies know we haven’t done anything.”
Rodenbeck said there is “no clear cut trail as to who is responsible.”
“You’ve got two people going like this,” Canning said, pointing her fingers, “and we are the only ones suffering — losing our home, losing our credit.”
Rodenbeck said Classic Title is no longer wiring money online, which used to be routine practice.
But right now, the Cannings are still left in the middle, not knowing if or when they will lose their home.
“Honestly, we might be in the streets,” said Canning.
Chase Bank declined to comment officially, but said its internal investigation proved they did nothing wrong.
Chase Bank and Classic Title have agreed to meet on Tuesday to discuss if this can be worked out.
Reporters with 7NEWS have confirmed the Division of Insurance, with DORA, is involved. They are determining if any regulations or laws were broken during this process. They are also the ones who have encouraged the parties involved to find a solution and settle this so the Cannings are not negatively affected.
Reporters with 7NEWS contacted the FBI, which would not confirm or deny an investigation had been opened into this matter, although both Canning and Rodenbeck confirm they are investigating.
As a result, a Parker family may lose their home to foreclosure and they did nothing wrong.
“I don’t get why this can’t be cleared up today,” said Kim Canning, of Parker.
