Grand jury indicts 4 in sweeping $7.3 million mortgage fraud scheme targeting FHA and VA programs
DALLAS /Monday, September 21, 2026 — United States Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould announced charges against four defendants for allegedly orchestrating a multi‑year mortgage fraud scheme that resulted in the funding of more than 20 fraudulent home loans totaling approximately $7,339,699.
On Sept. 16, a federal grand jury indicted Shawna Randall (aka Shawna Porter), Cleophus Turner, Julie Shoumbert and Maurice Gardner. All four are charged with conspiracy to provide false statements to a mortgage lending business, while Randall and Turner are additionally charged with three counts of fraud and false statements.
“These defendants allegedly conspired to corrupt the mortgage process by flooding lenders with fabricated finance and employment information to push through unqualified borrowers,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Raybould. “We will pursue anyone who deceives federal loan programs, threatens the integrity of our housing system and harms American taxpayers who ultimately bear the cost of fraudulent schemes such as this.”
“The defendants allegedly engaged in a sophisticated loan origination scheme, using their knowledge and experience in banking and real estate to circumvent federal lending requirements,” said Special Agent in Charge Grant Permenter, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General. “At every stage, any one of them could have stopped these fraudulent transactions, but instead, they allegedly chose to participate. Their actions undermined the integrity of the FHA program and resulted in more than $7.3 million in fraudulently obtained loans. HUD OIG will continue working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement and oversight partners to hold accountable those who seek to profit by abusing HUD funded programs.”
“Stopping fraud in the VA Home Loan Program is not just about protecting resources—it’s about safeguarding the benefits that our veterans have earned,” said Inspector General Cheryl L. Mason, Department of Veterans Affairs. “Through our strong law enforcement partnerships and vigilant oversight, we will continue to halt these schemes and hold fraudsters accountable.”
FHFA-OIG is committed to working with the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners to hold accountable those who engage in mortgage-related fraud, particularly when officers of financial institutions and lenders, who have a duty to conduct honest business, participate in that fraud” said Christopher Lane, Special Agent in Charge of FHFA-OIG’s Central Region. “We are grateful to HUD-OIG and VA-OIG for their partnership in the investigation of this case.
According to the indictment, from June 2020 through November 2022, Randall, Turner, Shoumbert and Gardner conspired to falsify income, employment, bank records and other financial documents in order to qualify unqualified borrowers for Federal Housing Administration, Veteran’s Affairs and conventional mortgage loans originated through Eustis Mortgage Corporation d/b/a Verity Mortgage.
Randall, who worked for a real estate broker, allegedly recruited unqualified borrowers and prepared or directed the preparation of fraudulent W‑2s, pay stubs, employment verifications and falsified bank statements. Her real‑estate license was inactive during the conspiracy.
Turner, a mortgage loan officer at Verity Mortgage, allegedly submitted the falsified documents as part of official loan applications, despite knowing the information was fabricated or altered.
Shoumbert and Gardner allegedly produced falsified bank statements for borrowers at Randall’s request, which were then submitted to Eustis/Verity Mortgage as part of loan qualification files.
The indictment outlines numerous overt acts showing the defendants created and transmitted fake employment documents and bank statements to support loan applications in Texas and Oklahoma.
As a result of the alleged fraud, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has already paid partial FHA‑insurance claims exceeding $493,499.
If convicted, Randall and Turner each face up to five years in federal prison for conspiracy and up to thirty years on each of the three false‑statement counts, fines and mandatory forfeiture. Shoumbert and Gardner, who are each charged with conspiracy, face up to five years in prison, fines, and forfeiture.
HUD, VA and Federal Housing Finance Agency Offices of the Inspectors General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad Meacham from the Fraud Section is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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Source: U.S. Attorney's Office, Northern District of Texas
