The Real Estate Council of Alberta has brought a court-ordered injunction against a man who, despite several cease-and-desist orders and more than $60,000 in unpaid fines, continues to illegally trade in real estate and mortgages.
The Real Estate Council of Alberta has brought a court-ordered injunction against mortgage broker and Realtor, Derek Johnson, who is illegally trading in real estate.
The injunction orders Johnson, who also goes by the name John Davis, to cease and desist trading in real estate and dealing in mortgages. Johnson is not licensed in either industry. He was also ordered to pay $2,500 in fees and remove his websites and social media posts.
Earlier this year, RECA promised to take further action against Johnson, who has not yet complied with any of RECA’s own cease-and-desist orders, or paid any RECA fines, which now total $65,000.
Johnson has been involved with a variety of real estate and mortgage companies, including JoeRhealEstate.com, Free List Calgary, Partners in Success Mortgage and New Age Financing. None of these brands, however, are licensed to buy and sell real estate, or provide mortgages.
RECA fined Johnson a total of $50,000 on two separate charges of posing as an agent. He was also fined $15,000 for the same charge a year earlier.
Johnson hasn’t paid any of those fines, and based on his correspondence with other news organizations, he doesn’t intend to.
"The right to participate in contract and commerce is a fundamental human right," Johnson wrote in an email to the CBC in August.
However, Johnson appears to violate the rights of others, mainly targeting vulnerable people whose homes are in foreclosure.
"We find it's for nefarious purposes, and that is that they want to generate cash flow," Charles Stevenson of RECA told the CBC. "If at all possible they'll find a way to steal identity, perpetrate mortgage fraud and move the people on through without their knowledge."
The injunction orders Johnson, who also goes by the name John Davis, to cease and desist trading in real estate and dealing in mortgages. Johnson is not licensed in either industry. He was also ordered to pay $2,500 in fees and remove his websites and social media posts.
Earlier this year, RECA promised to take further action against Johnson, who has not yet complied with any of RECA’s own cease-and-desist orders, or paid any RECA fines, which now total $65,000.
Johnson has been involved with a variety of real estate and mortgage companies, including JoeRhealEstate.com, Free List Calgary, Partners in Success Mortgage and New Age Financing. None of these brands, however, are licensed to buy and sell real estate, or provide mortgages.
RECA fined Johnson a total of $50,000 on two separate charges of posing as an agent. He was also fined $15,000 for the same charge a year earlier.
Johnson hasn’t paid any of those fines, and based on his correspondence with other news organizations, he doesn’t intend to.
"The right to participate in contract and commerce is a fundamental human right," Johnson wrote in an email to the CBC in August.
However, Johnson appears to violate the rights of others, mainly targeting vulnerable people whose homes are in foreclosure.
"We find it's for nefarious purposes, and that is that they want to generate cash flow," Charles Stevenson of RECA told the CBC. "If at all possible they'll find a way to steal identity, perpetrate mortgage fraud and move the people on through without their knowledge."
