The president of the U.S.’s eighth-largest wholesale mortgage lender and largest Non-QM lender (by volume), OCMBC, Inc., has been arrested for the murder of an 88-year-old man she struck while driving under the influence of alcohol, police assess, just south of Laguna Beach around 6:15 p.m. on Friday evening.
Serene Rosenberg, better known in the mortgage industry as Serene Vernon, of Dana Point, Calif., was booked into the Orange County Jail for driving under the influence (DUI) with three prior convictions and “DUI causing injury,” according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department.
The crash occurred at the intersection of Golden Lantern Street and Stonehill Drive early Friday evening. Emergency responders arrived to find that a Land Rover SUV had crashed head-on into a Ford Transit van.
An 88-year-old male passenger of the van, Melvin Joseph Weibel, of Dana Point, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Transit van was transported to an area hospital where he was treated for serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
OCMBC, Inc., is a U.S. wholesale mortgage and Non-QM lender that does business as LoanStream Mortgage, Lending Pros, Forward Mortgage, and Jet Alliance Mortgage. In late August 2024, OCMBC acquired struggling HomeStar Financial Corporation in a move that markedly expanded OCMBC's reach across the country.
OCMBC produced roughly $5.1 billion in total loan volume in 2024 across approximately 12,000 units, according to Modex, including roughly $3.5 billion in conventional volumes.
OCMBC President Serene Vernon (Rosenberg) shared her enthusiasm about the HomeStar acquisition at the time. Rosenberg's LinkedIn describes her role as "President and Shareholder" of LoanStream Mortgage, as of this article's publication.
A press release published by OCMBC around 6:15 on Sunday evening said that Vernon had been put on administrative leave and John Hamel, OCMBC's chief capital markets executive, would be assuming the permanent role of president.
"OCMBC, Inc. expresses its deepest sympathies following the tragic traffic accident that occurred in Dana Point on January 31, 2025," the press release reads. "Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this heartbreaking event and we intend to monitor the situation closely, responding with care and responsibility in accordance with our company's core values."
