Lynn Szymoniak, Palm Beach Gardens Woman in Foreclosure, Wins $18 Million From Banks

By Stefan Kamph Thu., Mar. 15 2012 at 12:37 PM

Homeowners facing foreclosure turn to some creative measures to try to fight the banks. For example, there's the Luznar family of Pembroke Pines, whom we followed last year as they hung massive signs on their house saying, "We are fighting back."

Meanwhile, another homeowner -- Lynn Szymoniak of Palm Beach Gardens -- fought back in another way: by becoming a whistleblower against banks for the now-infamous practice of "robo-signing" documents.

Syzmoniak, a lawyer and fraud investigator in West Palm Beach, claimed that four major banks had defrauded the government. As CBS News reports, she just won a hefty payout.

South Florida is the world headquarters of robo-signing, ever since a man with a boat named David J. Stern set up shop in Plantation. He was eventually sued by former employees, and the firm shut down.

Szymoniak used her own foreclosure case to sue J.P. Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, and Bank of America, claiming they created fake documents to continue receiving government payments. The government joined her complaint.

Now the feds have won a $95 million payout, of which Szymoniak is entitled to $18 million. She's still in foreclosure, but now she should be able to do the only thing that can really prevent a foreclosure: buy a house outright.

The Palm Beach Post also has a story on the case.

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Tags:

Bank of America, Citigroup, David J Stern, foreclosure, JP Morgan Chase, Lynn Szymoniak, Mortgage Fraud, Wells Fargo

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Rvrae

my below statement has a typo I always could make my payments they said I had to stop to get the new loan 3 YEARS AGO I have been gone most of the time in medical facilities due to the house and came home to the vandalism that occur a few days after they knew I planned to return. I had to have the house boarded from my hospital bed thats a real fun thing.

Rvrae

congrats to you and I wish I was down there I am in St Pete living in a home destroyed/vandalized rather meticulously by the banks prop co and can prove they do it nationwide as well . Living with no water or a/c a senior disabled woman alone no back door you get the idea.. The banks new way of revenge. They have so many homes now they keep the ins check but some homes they do over and over or burn. Thats right out of there own contractors mouths. Lawyers here are too expensive or dont have the guts to do anything. This is a class action easy. It all started over a messed up rhab that made asbestos airborne never could make my payments. U s bank said to stop for a loan mod I have had that done over and over yet still no loan I heard they get money for every app. I am going to stay here till I die I just hope I dont get raped. My door is 1/2 in of plywood now.

Ckmackey

Date/Time: 9/15/2004 17:18:11Consideration: $270,269.69Party 1: SZYMONIAK LYNN EDate/Time: 1/3/2005 11:28:53Consideration: $415,000.00Party 1: SZYMONIAK LYNN EDate/Time: 2/15/2006 08:27:13Consideration: $780,000.00Party 1: SZYMONIAK LYNN EDate/Time: 11/17/2006 09:14:37Consideration: $376,000.00Party 1: SZYMONIAK LYNNNow Lynn (a lawyer) while searching for a foreclosure defence finds the heart of the matter (robo signing) mortgage securitization which was what had allowed her to borrow recklessly to the tune of, well to the tune of a lot (see above).

Jean Winters

CONGRATULATIONS to Lynn! Her tenacity, integrity and detemrination paid off. She well deserves this result.

rlknowlton

I would like to get her address, email or phone number so I could talk to her and get some pointers in directions I can pursue, or another fraud investigator to contact me and investigate a predatory loan I have that has forged documentations in it as well. I have a law suit going right now now against the mortgage companies and could use the help, the origenal mortage companie was not even licenced in California where I live.