| First-time homebuyers walk into financial trap
Two years ago, Luis Mapula was living in a converted garage with his wife and two daughters, earning $54,000 a year as a fence company construction worker. Then, almost like magic, he became the owner of a $543,000 home with no down payment. Situated on a quiet cul-de-sac off Quimby Road in East San Jose, the two-bedroom home was to have been his family's piece of the American dream. Instead, it became a financial trap that consumed most of Mapula's income. He got out only after his real estate broker took back the home and paid off the loan as part of a legal settlement. Renters once again, the family has no plans to buy another home. "Better a garage than live without enough to eat," Mapula's wife, Cristina Plata, said through a translator. The couple are among a growing number of Latinos in Santa Clara County who say they've been victimized by a dark side of the housing boom in which people who speak limited or no English bought homes they couldn't afford based on exaggerated statements of income they say they knew nothing about.
FBI snares serial schemer
In the 12 years since he left prison, in between skipping out on testimony in the Oklahoma City bombing case and twice filing for bankruptcy, Bolt has been chief operating officer for a golf course company-turned-TV station, compliance manager for a pharmaceutical firm and managing editor of the Arkansas Chronicle. .
America’s Shame
I have met many an American in America, who have completely transformed their view of their country after having lived for some time in S. America, Asia or Africa. Indeed, the contrast between the "inside" and "outside" views of America used to be far pronounced, and even looked like antipodes when I initially came to America a quarter century ago. But now with this new found love of xenophobia, the new penchant for a surveillance society to keep the Americans safe from "evil doers", and the imposition of the oppressive USA Patriot Act -1 (with Patriot Act-2 already circulated in Congress though not yet introduced as a Bill), the America of today appears distinctly unfriendly and inhospitable to immigrants. It is becoming a burgeoning police state not too dissimilar from other dictatorships and police states in the rest of the world – except just more high-tech and more sophisticated: give people as many choices for TV channels, underwear, and shopping malls, but none to speak their mind on any subject that conflicts with the state's view of it.
DA: Turlock woman used DeMartini's data for credit cards
A Turlock woman has been charged with using the identity of Stanislaus County Supervisor Jim DeMartini to obtain credit cards used to make approximately $10,000 in purchases. The Stanislaus County District Attorney's office has charged Serena Essapour, 21, of fraudulently using DeMartini's Social Security number from a loan document in several credit card applications submitted over the internet. She was arrested on July 11 and goes to trial on May 4. Essapour entered not guilty pleas in October on charges of false impersonation, misuse of personal identifying information and grand theft. The alleged crimes were committed between May 16 and June 16, 2006. Essapour made purchases of clothing and jewelry and ATM withdrawals during that time, confirmed DeMartini. “I think the case is so solid that it looks like an open and shut case to me," noted DeMartini.
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