A mortgage scammer is headed to prison for up to 40 years for preying on the religious to line his own pockets
A Michigan man has been sentenced to up to 40 years in prison for bilking nearly 100 victims in a faith-based mortgage scam.
Norman Carta, 57, is looking at double the sentence normally permitted for his offenses because he is a habitual offender, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
Between 2009 and 2013, Carta, the owner of Freedom by Faith Ministries, employed a “Ponzi-type” scheme that promised to help troubled homeowners through short sales, mortgage modifications and other methods, according to Nessel’s office. He charged his victims amounts ranging from $1,000 to $24,000 – then pocketed the money and did nothing to help the homeowners. All told, Carta scammed his victims out of nearly $660,000.
Carta preyed primarily on the religious community, according to a Detroit Free Press report. He used appearances on Christian television shows, online videos and word of mouth to promote his “faith-based” mortgage assistance company.
One of Carta’s victims, Shelly Pesta, was at risk of losing her home after her son’s catastrophic illness left her with crushing medical bills. She gave Carta a total of nearly $110,000 to save her home, according to the Free Press. Pesta said that when she became suspicious and tried to confront Carta, he would try to dodge her.
“I was begging him for some of the money back,” Pesta told the Free Press. “My son was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and I had to pay for medicine. I was in an extremely vulnerable place, very much leaning on my faith. My faith has been strong since I was a child. Absolutely, when he came forth and projected… ‘I am a faith-based person and I can do right by you, and through God, we help you,’ I listened. I let him pray over my child.”
Carta’s sentence includes:
- Nine to 40 years in prison for conducting a criminal enterprise
- Nine to 30 years in prison for false pretenses of $20,000 or more but less than $50,000
- Five to 10 years in prison for false pretenses of more than $1,000 but less than $20,000.
The sentences will run concurrently. Carta has also been ordered to pay restitution of $658,626.17.
“Protecting our residents from those who seek to perpetrate fraud against them is a top priority for me and for the department,” Nessel said. “This sentencing should send a clear message to those who engage in this conduct: Our office will hold you accountable.”
Carta had pleaded guilty to the same charges in 2015 and was sentenced to 30-99 years, but was allowed to withdraw the plea after an appeals court determined that he hadn’t been properly advised of the sentencing consequences, according to a report by The Oakland Press.
