MORTGAGE BROKER SENTENCED 10 MORE YEARS FOR HIS MORTGAGE FRAUD SCHEME

Attorney General J. Joseph Curran, Jr. announced today the conviction and sentencing of Michael Dudley Leppert, 42, a former resident of Baltimore County and Baltimore City, for felony theft. Leppert’s theft involved a mortgage refinancing scheme that defrauded 11 property owners of $97,775. Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge John Grason Turnbull, II, sentenced Leppert to serve 10 years in the Division of Corrections. The 10-year sentence is consecutive to another 10-year sentence Leppert is already serving for violations of probation. In addition to incarceration, Judge Turnbull ordered that a civil judgment against Michael Dudley Leppert be entered on behalf of the each property owner.

According to a statement of facts presented by the State, before the theft scheme began Leppert was a mortgage broker for his brother’s mortgage business in Owings Mills. He met the 11 property owners when he successfully arranged to refinance their homes. Soon after, he contacted them to offer a new refinancing at an even more attractive mortgage rate, but told them that in order to lock in the deal they had to give him an upfront payment for settlement costs. Leppert cashed their checks for his personal use or deposited the money into his personal bank account in Baltimore County. None of the victims received the refinancing that he offered or received their money back. The victims lived throughout Maryland, including Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, St. Mary’s County, and Frederick County.

The case was investigated and prosecuted by the Office of the Attorney General, Criminal Investigations Division, with assistance by the Maryland State Police.

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