Former County Probation Officer, Takara Madkins, and Two Others Indicted in Mortgage Fraud Enterprise Involving $486,500 in Fraudulent Loans

CLEVELAND, OH – April 15, 2011 – (RealEstateRama) — County Prosecutor Bill Mason and the Cuyahoga County Mortgage Fraud Task Force operating under authorization of Ohio Attorney General and Ohio’s Organized Crime Investigations Commission announced indictments against Takara Madkins, and her company, D. & T. Investments, Inc. Others indicted were Jerrall Collier and Darrick Ceasor, and his company, Dee Cee Supply.  All the homes fell into either tax or mortgage foreclosure, leaving a current tax delinquency amount of $30,349.15 owed to the county.

The investigation continues by the Sheriff’s Office in connection with their participation in the Mortgage Fraud Task Force.

Takara Madkins, 34, of North Ridgeville, was a Probation Officer for Cuyahoga County in 2004. She was also participating as a key leader in a criminal enterprise that arranged for $486,500 in fraudulent loans. The enterprise involved buyers, sellers, and money launderers to obtain these fraudulent loans for six Cleveland houses. Four schemes were utilized to deceive the lenders: loan application fraud; down-payment scheme; bogus promissory note and second mortgages; and kickbacks to Madkins, the buyers, and others when these deals closed.

Takara Madkins and her company D & T Investments, formerly located in Cleveland Heights, were each indicted on charges of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, conspiracy, money laundering, theft by deception, and tampering with records. Madkins was also indicted on telecommunications fraud.

Jerrall Collier, 37, of Walton Hills, a friend of Madkins, sold two of the houses listed in the indictment. To receive the net amount that he sought, Collier participated in the down payment schemes, bogus promissory note and second mortgages, and the kickback schemes. He pocketed approximately $93,000 from these fraudulent deals. Jerrall Collier was indicted on charges of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, conspiracy, and forfeiture of $100,000 that was seized during a search warrant in 2008.

Darrick Ceasor, 39, of Shaker Heights, and his company, Dee Cee Supply, formerly located in Cleveland, participated in fraudulent activity concerning one of the houses that included laundering $41,000. Ceasor was indicted on charges of money laundering, theft by deception, and tampering with records.

The six Cleveland houses listed in the indictment are the following: 3697 Independence; 1108 E. 112; 4159 E. 146; 8118 Platt; 12609 Angelus, and 411 Dundee.

With funding from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and the Organized Crime Investigations Commission, the Task Force was formed in December 2007. The Task Force is comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The director of the Task Force is a Sergeant of the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office.

The defendants will be arraigned April 28, 2011.

Ryan Miday
Public Information Officer
Cuyahoga County Prosecutors Office
Office 216.698.2819
Cell 216.299.9326
Fax 216.443.7601