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Md. high court: Commingled-funds defense fails with escrow
Defendants sued for allegedly converting money held in escrow to unauthorized uses cannot defend themselves simply by claiming the escrow funds had been validly commingled with other accounts, Maryland’s top court unanimously ruled Friday. The commingled-funds defense is not available for money held in escrow because such funds are intended to be “specific, segregated or […]
Harbor Bank, 3 employees accused of fraud over unpaid $2.5M loan
The Harbor Bank of Maryland and three of its employees have been named in a federal lawsuit on allegations of fraud and negligence over an unpaid $2.5 million loan to make a sports movie starring Martin Lawrence. According to the lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, Harbor Bank and three employees lied […]
Accountant pleads guilty in mortgage fraud scheme
Federal prosecutors say an escrow accountant for a title company has pleaded guilty to charges related to a $1.7 million mortgage fraud scheme. Brenda Lukenich, of Hughesville, pleaded guilty Wednesday to mail fraud. Prosecutors say two co-defendants are scheduled to go to trial next month. According to her plea agreement, Lukenich was the escrow accountant […]
SECO sues Flanigan IV for $395K
The late Pierce J. Flanigan III was in the business of making things smooth, from the Baltimore Beltway to the tarmac at what is now Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Now, his survivors and one of his former companies are involved in litigation that could prove rocky. Parkton-based Standard Equipment Co. is seeking at least […]
Attorney misconduct claims rise in Maryland
The relationship between Maryland lawyers and their clients apparently has soured in the past 18 months. Lawyers allegedly have been communicating less with their clients, dipping into client escrow funds more and engaging in more dishonesty, according to a report the state’s Attorney Grievance Commission released last week. The AGC said it received 2,003 complaints […]
Court of Special Appeals reverses judgment against homebuilder
Maryland’s intermediate appellate court has reversed a lower court’s ruling that would have sent a homebuilder to jail for 12 years, because a statute requiring buyers’ money to be held in escrow accounts did not apply to his case. In reversing the Prince George’s County Circuit Court’s decision, the Court of Special Appeals said Tuesday […]
