Chalk one up for the good guys. In case you haven't heard, federal authorities in Texas just arrested Rebecca Hauck, the alleged co-conspirator of real estate and mortgage fraud poster-child, Matthew Cox. In the world of real estate and mortgage fraud forensics, Cox and Hauck are akin to Bonnie & Clyde. Their dirty deeds are rumored to stretch from coast to coast, and now that one of them is in custody, we're perhaps only moments away from seeing the other one behind bars as well.

According to various news sources and unsealed federal documents, Matthew Cox and Rebecca Hauck are alleged to have committed their first mortgage fraud schemes in the Tampa, Florida, area in 2003. According to the St. Petersburg Times and MortgageFraudBlog.com, Cox started a Tampa-based mortgage company, was charged with fraud in Tampa, then masterminded a scheme to use phony identities and falsified records to make a fortune with fraudulent loans on broken-down properties.

Later, according to MortgageFraudBlog.com, Cox and Hauck showed up in Atlanta, Georgia, where they are alleged to have again engaged in a real estate fraud scheme but disappeared before being caught. In 2005, Matthew Cox -- whose known aliases include Maxwell Price, David R. Freeman, Gerald Scott Cugno, Michael S. Shanahan, Michael J. Eckert, Gary L. Sullivan, and David White -- was nearly caught in South Carolina, but once again managed to evade authorities and disappear, but not before securing over $1,000,000.00 in mortgage-related loans from fraudulent activities.

Now here's where the Matthew Cox story gets really interesting, and in part is what makes this guy so legendary when it comes to real estate forensics. Apparently, according to numerous sources including the St. Petersburg Times, prior to embarking on his mortgage fraud spree, Cox is rumored to have penned a 300-page crime novel entitled, "The Associates," which details the same fraudulent activities for which he is now alleged to have committed.

According to the St. Petersburg Times, the fictional central character in Cox's novel is a former University of South Florida student who quits a low-paying job in insurance sales to strike it rich in the mortgage business, but finds himself in trouble with the FBI and puts into place an elaborate scheme to defraud lenders of millions of dollars before making his getaway. As it turns out, Cox himself is a former University of South Florida student who did indeed start his own mortgage company, and as we now know, was charged with fraud in Tampa, then, according to court records, masterminded a scheme to evade federal authorities.

Cox's accomplice in all of this is Rebecca Hauck, who federal authorities arrested in Texas. Hopefully, Hauck will reveal enough information about Cox and his nefarious ways that he too will be tracked down and put out of business for good.

For details on charges against Matthew Cox, click here.

Published: March 30, 2006

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Once dubbed by TIME Magazine "the best-selling REALTOR® in America," Ralph R. Roberts, CRS, GRI is an award-winning and internationally recognized real estate agent, author, coach, and speaker. Throughout his career, Ralph has proven his commitment to helping other real estate and sales professionals build upon their past and present success, grow and expand their businesses, and provide a rich and rewarding future for themselves, their customers, their employees, and their families. As president and CEO of Ralph Roberts Realty, Ralph has personally helped thousands of consumers realize their dream of homeownership. While selling over 10,000 homes (and buying and selling over 3,000 investment properties) throughout his 30-year career, Ralph has made the time to mentor and coach hundreds of professionals in real estate, sales, and a host of other fields. Ralph is a recognized authority on Real Estate and Mortgage Fraud; Residential Real Estate; Personal Salesmanship; and, Sales Force and Office Management, Motivation, and Design. Ralph's numerous websites, blogs, seminars, and speaking engagements engage, entertain, and educate both consumers and professionals. Ralph is also an accomplished author with several successful titles to his credit, including: Power Teams: The Complete Guide to Building and Managing a Winning Real Estate Agent Team Mortgage Myths: 77 Secrets That Will Save You Thousands on Home Financing (John Wiley & Sons) Foreclosure Self-Defense For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons) Protect Yourself from Real Estate and Mortgage Fraud: Preserving the American Dream of Homeownership (Kaplan) Foreclosure Investing For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons) Advanced Selling For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons) Flipping Houses For Dummies (John Wiley & Sons) Walk Like a Giant, Sell Like a Madman (HarperCollins) Real Wealth by Investing in Real Estate (Prentice Hall/Penguin Group) Sell it Yourself (Adams Media) 52 Weeks of Sales Success (HarperCollins) To learn more about Ralph, visit AboutRalph.com or check out his daily insights on real estate and mortgage fraud prevention at FlippingFrenzy.com. You can reach Ralph at RalphRoberts@RalphRoberts.com or by calling (586) 751-0000.