The Problem With Titles
Do we think that fraud is only the multi-million dollar scams? Do we think that fraud is only
those elaborate plans that involve a ring of fraudsters?
If you commit fraud and get caught, you might expect to loose your license and/or get
fired. We believe that in the most unlikely of circumstances there could be “trouble with the
law”. We all know this, but it’s not a deterrent for everyone in this business.
Why don’t we all put the kibosh on every tenuous situation? Is it because we don't think we
will ever get caught? Do we think that what we are doing is actually, “fraud lite”?
Here are more things to think about.
By December of 1998 I had amassed many titles in my 32 years. To name the major
ones; son, brother, father and husband. On of the top of my professional list of titles was -
President of my own mortgage broker company. However, during that cold, wintry month
of 1998, my professional title changed.
On December 18, 1998, I was indicted for conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud,
and money laundering - a crime that took place four years earlier while I was a lowly little
loan officer in 1994. I lost my title as the President of Mayne Mortgage and I gained the
title of Felon. And over the next nine months – pre-trial, guilty plea, sentencing and
reporting to federal prison – my title changed again to – 08657-041.
Here are some things I learned about committing fraud.
If you cross the line and get caught, you'll still have a mother and a father. But if, God
forbid, something happens to them while you're in prison, you won't be able to go to their
aid. If you cross the line you'll still be someone's husband, but you won't be able to do
anything about it when she tells you she's met someone else. If you cross the line you'll still
be a father, but you'll miss the first day of kindergarten, the first loose tooth, and the first
bike ride.
Who knew?
The stigma and the extra hell associated with an indictment and conviction are never
delivered by the judge. They don’t appear in the federal sentencing guidelines. Sure, it
lists; 1) 21 – 24 month sentence, 2) restitution, 3) revocation of voting rights. But the judge
will never tell you that your entire family will have to pay the price too.
You wouldn’t know this by reading the newspaper, but the harshest part of the sentence
has very little to do with prison, and much more to do with life.
As a society we have become numb to the reports of crime and punishment. We hear in
the news that someone received three or ten years for their involvement in a fraud
scheme. Unless you know one of the parties involved in the scheme (or if it’s you), the
response is typically, “Oh” and it’s off to the next meeting. Aside from the fact that most of
us can't fathom losing our freedom for more than a day or two, we also don't think about
that unwritten sentence.
Everyone in this business, every day, has the opportunity to commit fraud, to omit facts, or
to turn the other way. Some of us might be unaware of what we are doing. Maybe we
were trained that way - as if certain acts or omissions are just, “business as usual.” But
fraud is fraud. And let me assure you, the consequences are much greater than a “title”
change from letters to numbers.
So, the next time you have that funny feeling in your stomach or the next time you say to
yourself, “everybody does it”, think twice. It isn’t worth losing the “titles” in life that we take
for granted every day. Do the right thing, and don’t risk having to hear your little boy refer
to someone else as Daddy.
Jerome Mayne is a keynote speaker and author. He has worked with dozens of companies and associations
around the country helping their people make the right decisions, when the right decisions aren’t easy. He is a
member of the National Speakers Association as well as the Real Estate Educators Association. He’s the author
of the book, Life Saving Lessons – The Diary of a White Collar Criminal and co-author of Mortgage Fraud and
Predatory Lending – what every agent should know (Kaplan Publishing).
© Copyright, Jerome Mayne 2008
Do we think that fraud is only the multi-million dollar scams? Do we think that fraud is only
those elaborate plans that involve a ring of fraudsters?
If you commit fraud and get caught, you might expect to loose your license and/or get
fired. We believe that in the most unlikely of circumstances there could be “trouble with the
law”. We all know this, but it’s not a deterrent for everyone in this business.
Why don’t we all put the kibosh on every tenuous situation? Is it because we don't think we
will ever get caught? Do we think that what we are doing is actually, “fraud lite”?
Here are more things to think about.
By December of 1998 I had amassed many titles in my 32 years. To name the major
ones; son, brother, father and husband. On of the top of my professional list of titles was -
President of my own mortgage broker company. However, during that cold, wintry month
of 1998, my professional title changed.
On December 18, 1998, I was indicted for conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud,
and money laundering - a crime that took place four years earlier while I was a lowly little
loan officer in 1994. I lost my title as the President of Mayne Mortgage and I gained the
title of Felon. And over the next nine months – pre-trial, guilty plea, sentencing and
reporting to federal prison – my title changed again to – 08657-041.
Here are some things I learned about committing fraud.
If you cross the line and get caught, you'll still have a mother and a father. But if, God
forbid, something happens to them while you're in prison, you won't be able to go to their
aid. If you cross the line you'll still be someone's husband, but you won't be able to do
anything about it when she tells you she's met someone else. If you cross the line you'll still
be a father, but you'll miss the first day of kindergarten, the first loose tooth, and the first
bike ride.
Who knew?
The stigma and the extra hell associated with an indictment and conviction are never
delivered by the judge. They don’t appear in the federal sentencing guidelines. Sure, it
lists; 1) 21 – 24 month sentence, 2) restitution, 3) revocation of voting rights. But the judge
will never tell you that your entire family will have to pay the price too.
You wouldn’t know this by reading the newspaper, but the harshest part of the sentence
has very little to do with prison, and much more to do with life.
As a society we have become numb to the reports of crime and punishment. We hear in
the news that someone received three or ten years for their involvement in a fraud
scheme. Unless you know one of the parties involved in the scheme (or if it’s you), the
response is typically, “Oh” and it’s off to the next meeting. Aside from the fact that most of
us can't fathom losing our freedom for more than a day or two, we also don't think about
that unwritten sentence.
Everyone in this business, every day, has the opportunity to commit fraud, to omit facts, or
to turn the other way. Some of us might be unaware of what we are doing. Maybe we
were trained that way - as if certain acts or omissions are just, “business as usual.” But
fraud is fraud. And let me assure you, the consequences are much greater than a “title”
change from letters to numbers.
So, the next time you have that funny feeling in your stomach or the next time you say to
yourself, “everybody does it”, think twice. It isn’t worth losing the “titles” in life that we take
for granted every day. Do the right thing, and don’t risk having to hear your little boy refer
to someone else as Daddy.
Jerome Mayne is a keynote speaker and author. He has worked with dozens of companies and associations
around the country helping their people make the right decisions, when the right decisions aren’t easy. He is a
member of the National Speakers Association as well as the Real Estate Educators Association. He’s the author
of the book, Life Saving Lessons – The Diary of a White Collar Criminal and co-author of Mortgage Fraud and
Predatory Lending – what every agent should know (Kaplan Publishing).
© Copyright, Jerome Mayne 2008
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Jerome Mayne |
Contact:
612-919-3007
E-mail
9185 Cedar Forest Rd.
Eden Prairie, MN 55347
612-919-3007
9185 Cedar Forest Rd.
Eden Prairie, MN 55347
All of Fraudcon and Jerome Mayne Services:
Jerome Mayne is a Public Speaker for Fraud Conferences and Fraud Conventions, including
Mortgage Fraud Conferences and Mortgage Fraud Conventions. In addition to being a Fraud,
Mortgage Fraud and White Collar Crime and White Collar Mortgage Fraud Public Speaking
Expert, he also consults for Public Speakers who speak in the areas of Fraud, Mortgage Fraud,
White Collar Crime and White Collar Mortgage Fraud Public Speaking.
A customized public speaking engagement can include fraud statistics, federal fraud statistics,
mortgage fraud statistics and the effects of fraud on a company.
Has been an Expert and a Keynote Fraud Public Speaker at Fraud, Mortgage Fraud, White Collar
Crime and White Collar Mortgage Fraud Public Speaking events, including conferences and
conventions. For specific engagements, see client list.
Primary Areas of Expertise:
Mortgage Fraud Public Speaker
White Collar Crime Public Speaker
Fraud Public Speaker Trainer
Fraud Public Speaker Consultant
Fraud Convention Public Speaker
Fraud Conference Public Speaker
Fraud Expert Public Speaker
Mortgage Fraud Expert Public Speaker
Mortgage Fraud Consultant Public Speaker
Jerome has developed a talk on ethics that evokes thought and discussion. He explores the
definition of ethics as described on www.dictionary.com, the differences between general business
ethics and the set of principals of right conduct, or ethics, as set forth by an employer or a trade
association. His talk on ethics was designed for presentation to the MBA program at Hamline
University in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Jerome Mayne is a Public Speaker for Fraud Conferences and Fraud Conventions, including
Mortgage Fraud Conferences and Mortgage Fraud Conventions. In addition to being a Fraud,
Mortgage Fraud and White Collar Crime and White Collar Mortgage Fraud Public Speaking
Expert, he also consults for Public Speakers who speak in the areas of Fraud, Mortgage Fraud,
White Collar Crime and White Collar Mortgage Fraud Public Speaking.
A customized public speaking engagement can include fraud statistics, federal fraud statistics,
mortgage fraud statistics and the effects of fraud on a company.
Has been an Expert and a Keynote Fraud Public Speaker at Fraud, Mortgage Fraud, White Collar
Crime and White Collar Mortgage Fraud Public Speaking events, including conferences and
conventions. For specific engagements, see client list.
Primary Areas of Expertise:
Mortgage Fraud Public Speaker
White Collar Crime Public Speaker
Fraud Public Speaker Trainer
Fraud Public Speaker Consultant
Fraud Convention Public Speaker
Fraud Conference Public Speaker
Fraud Expert Public Speaker
Mortgage Fraud Expert Public Speaker
Mortgage Fraud Consultant Public Speaker
Jerome has developed a talk on ethics that evokes thought and discussion. He explores the
definition of ethics as described on www.dictionary.com, the differences between general business
ethics and the set of principals of right conduct, or ethics, as set forth by an employer or a trade
association. His talk on ethics was designed for presentation to the MBA program at Hamline
University in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |