The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated that Benjamin Osmanson of California, the former operator of the Highgate Manor, in Highgate, Vt., was sentenced to nine years in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay over $12 million in restitution during an appearance before the Hon. J. Garvan Murtha in federal court in Brattleboro, Vt.Read more

A federal grand jury sitting in Eugene, Ore., has returned indictments against 13 individuals on a variety of mortgage and loan fraud charges arising out of the collapse of Desert Sun Development (DSD), a company previously headquartered in Bend, Ore. From 2004 through 2008, DSD built commercial buildings and residential housing throughout Central Oregon. According to the indictments, DSD principals and other defendants caused financial institutions to lose more than $19 million. In total, five separate indictments were returned.Read more