Professional Documents
Culture Documents
EXHIBIT A
EXHIBIT A
Originator
Argent Mortgage Company, LLC
Seller/Master Servicer
Ameriquest Mortgage Company
Depositor
Sal
Argent Securities, Inc.
Trust
Argent Securities, Inc. Series 2004-PW1
Argent Securities Inc Asset-Backed Pass-Through Certificates/Series 2004-Pw1 · 8-K · For 6/22/04, On
6/22/04
Document 2 of 2 · EX-4.1 · Pooling and Servicing Agreement
This exhibit was filed as EDGAR "Text" and not EDGAR "HTML".
Depositor
Master Servicer
and
Trustee
-------------------------------------------
Series 2004-PW1
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SECTION PAGE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION PAGE
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ARTICLE I
DEFINITIONS
ARTICLE II
ARTICLE III
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SECTION PAGE
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ARTICLE IV
PAYMENTS TO CERTIFICATEHOLDERS
ARTICLE V
THE CERTIFICATES
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SECTION PAGE
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ARTICLE VI
ARTICLE VII
DEFAULT
ARTICLE VIII
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SECTION PAGE
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ARTICLE IX
TERMINATION
ARTICLE X
REMIC PROVISIONS
ARTICLE XI
MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
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ARTICLE II
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certify in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit C-1 (or cause the
Custodian to certify in the form of the Initial Certification attached to the
Custodial Agreement) that, as to each Mortgage Loan listed in the Mortgage Loan
Schedule (other than any Mortgage Loan paid in full or any Mortgage Loan
specifically identified in the exception report annexed thereto as not being
covered by such certification), (i) all documents constituting part of such
Mortgage File (other than such documents described in Section 2.01(v)) required
to be delivered to it pursuant to this Agreement are in its possession, (ii)
such documents have been reviewed by it or such Custodian and are not mutilated,
torn or defaced unless initialed by the related borrower and relate to such
Mortgage Loan, (iii) based on its or the Custodian's examination and only as to
the foregoing, the information set forth in the Mortgage Loan Schedule that
corresponds to items (1) through (3), (6), (9), (10), (13), (15) and (19) of the
definition of "Mortgage Loan Schedule" accurately reflects information set forth
in the Mortgage File. It is herein acknowledged that, in conducting such review,
the Trustee or such Custodian was under no duty or obligation (i) to inspect,
review or examine any such documents, instruments, certificates or other papers
to determine whether they are genuine, enforceable, or appropriate for the
represented purpose or whether they have actually been recorded or that they are
other than what they purport to be on their face or (ii) to determine whether
any Mortgage File should include any of the documents specified in clause (v) of
Section 2.01.
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then the amount required to be paid by the Master Servicer pursuant to Section
2.03(b)(ii)(B) above shall be limited to an amount, that when added to the
amount of Prepayment Charges actually collected by the Master Servicer in
respect of Prepayment Charges relating to Principal Prepayments on the related
Mortgage Loans that occurred during such Prepayment Period, will yield a sum
equal to 95% of the total dollar amount of Prepayment Charges (exclusive of (A)
Prepayment Charges not enforced or collected upon because (i) the enforceability
thereof shall have been limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium,
receivership and other similar laws relating to creditors' rights generally or
(ii) the collectability thereof shall have been limited due to acceleration in
connection with a foreclosure or other involuntary payment and (B) Prepayment
Charges waived by the Master Servicer when such waiver does not breach the
covenant set forth in Section 2.05(viii)) payable by Mortgagors in connection
with Principal Prepayments on the related Mortgage Loans that occurred during
such Prepayment Period.
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such documents as specified in Section 2.02 and deliver to the Depositor, the
NIMS Insurer, the Trustee and the Master Servicer, with respect to such
Qualified Substitute Mortgage Loan or Loans, a certification substantially in
the form attached hereto as Exhibit C-1, with any applicable exceptions noted
thereon. Within one year of the date of substitution, the Trustee shall deliver
to the Depositor, the NIMS Insurer and the Master Servicer a certification
substantially in the form of Exhibit C-2 hereto with respect to such Qualified
Substitute Mortgage Loan or Loans, with any applicable exceptions noted thereon.
Monthly Payments due with respect to Qualified Substitute Mortgage Loans in the
month of substitution are not part of REMIC I and shall be retained by the
Depositor or the Seller, as the case may be. For the month of substitution,
distributions to Certificateholders shall reflect the Monthly Payment due on
such Deleted Mortgage Loan on or before the Due Date in the month of
substitution, and the Depositor or the Seller, as the case may be, shall
thereafter be entitled to retain all amounts subsequently received in respect of
such Deleted Mortgage Loan. The Depositor shall give or cause to be given
written notice to the Certificateholders and the NIMS Insurer that such
substitution has taken place, shall amend the Mortgage Loan Schedule and, if
applicable, the Prepayment Charge Schedule, to reflect the removal of such
Deleted Mortgage Loan from the terms of this Agreement and the substitution of
the Qualified Substitute Mortgage Loan or Loans and shall deliver a copy of such
amended Mortgage Loan Schedule to the Trustee and the NIMS Insurer. Upon such
substitution, such Qualified Substitute Mortgage Loan or Loans shall constitute
part of the Mortgage Pool and shall be subject in all respects to the terms of
this Agreement and, in the case of a substitution effected by the Seller, the
Mortgage Loan Purchase Agreement, including all applicable representations and
warranties thereof.
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(ii) The Master Servicer has the full corporate power and
authority to service each Mortgage Loan, and to execute, deliver and
perform, and to enter into and consummate the transactions contemplated
by this Agreement and has duly authorized by all necessary corporate
action on the part of the Master Servicer the execution, delivery and
performance of this Agreement; and this Agreement, assuming the due
authorization, execution and delivery thereof by the Depositor and the
Trustee, constitutes a legal, valid and binding obligation of the
Master Servicer, enforceable against the Master Servicer in accordance
with its terms, except to the extent that (a) the enforceability
thereof may be limited by bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium,
receivership and other similar laws relating to creditors' rights
generally and (b) the remedy of specific performance and injunctive and
other forms of equitable relief may be subject to the equitable
defenses and to the discretion of the court before which any proceeding
therefor may be brought;
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(vii) [Reserved];
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benefit of the Holders of the REMIC II Regular Interests and the Class R
Certificates (in respect of the Class R-II Interest). The interests evidenced by
the Class R-II Interest, together with the REMIC II Regular Interests,
constitute the entire beneficial ownership interest in REMIC II.
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EXHIBIT C
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Argent Securities Inc · 424B5 · Argent Securities Inc Asset-Backed Pass-Through Certificates/Series
2004-Pw1 · On 6/1/04
Document 1 of 1 · 424B5 · Argent Securities Inc
This document was filed as EDGAR "Text" and not EDGAR "HTML".
Prospectus Supplement dated May 27, 2004 (To Prospectus dated February 27, 2004)
$340,725,000 (APPROXIMATE)
YOU SHOULD CONSIDER CAREFULLY THE RISK FACTORS BEGINNING ON PAGE S-9 IN THIS
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT AND PAGE 1 IN THE PROSPECTUS.
This prospectus supplement may be used to offer and sell the certificates
offered hereby only if accompanied by the prospectus.
________________
(1) Approximate.
(2) Before deducting expenses payable by the Depositor estimated to be
approximately $800,000.
(3) The Class IO-1 and Class IO-2 Certificates will each accrue interest for 30
months at a fixed pass-through rate on a declining notional amount as set forth
herein.
NEITHER THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION NOR ANY STATE SECURITIES
COMMISSION HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED OF THE OFFERED CERTIFICATES OR DETERMINED
THAT THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT OR THE PROSPECTUS IS TRUTHFUL OR COMPLETE. ANY
REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF
THE STATE OF NEW YORK HAS NOT PASSED ON OR ENDORSED THE MERITS OF THIS OFFERING.
ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE CONTRARY IS UNLAWFUL.
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YOU SHOULD RELY ONLY ON THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT. WE HAVE NOT
AUTHORIZED ANYONE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH DIFFERENT INFORMATION. YOU SHOULD NOT
ASSUME THAT THE INFORMATION IN THIS PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT OR THE PROSPECTUS IS
ACCURATE AS OF ANY DATE OTHER THAN THE DATE ON THE FRONT OF THIS DOCUMENT.
Argent Securities Inc. is located at 1100 Town & Country Road, Suite 1100,
Orange, California 92868 and its phone number is (714) 541-9960, Attention:
Capital Markets.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT
S-2
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S-3
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EXHIBIT D
Decided on June 5, 2008
Supreme Court, Kings County
Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., AS TRUSTEE C/O Litton Loan Servicing, LP, Plaintiff,
against
Hillary Farmer, Jr., et. al., Defendants.
27296/07
Appearances:
Plaintiff:
Steven J. Baum, PC
Buffalo NY
Defendant:
Arthur M. Schack, J.
In my February 4, 2008 decision and order in the instant matter I denied without prejudice the
application of plaintiff WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., AS TRUSTEE (WELLS FARGO) for an order of
reference for the premises located at 363 Madison Street, Brooklyn, New York (Block 1820, Lot
76, County of Kings), with leave to renew upon providing the Court with: a copy of a valid
assignment of the instant mortgage and note to plaintiff WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., AS TRUSTEE
(WELLS FARGO); a satisfactory explanation to questions with respect to the two December 8,
2004 assignments of the instant mortgage and note from ARGENT MORTGAGE COMPANY, LLC
(ARGENT) to AMERIQUEST MORTGAGE COMPANY (AMERIQUEST), and then from AMERIQUEST
to plaintiff WELLS FARGO; and satisfactorily answering certain questions regarding a May 5,
2005 limited power of attorney from WELLS FARGO, as Trustee, to LITTON LOAN SERVICING, LP
(LITTON), as Servicer. [*2]
Plaintiff has renewed its application for an order of reference for the subject premises, but the
papers submitted fail to cure the defects enumerated in my prior decision and order. The
purported plaintiff, WELLS FARGO, does not own the instant mortgage loan. Therefore, the
instant matter is dismissed with prejudice.
Background
Defendant HILLARY FARMER borrowed $460,000.00 from ARGENT on December 3, 2004. The
note and mortgage were recorded in the Office of the City Register, New York City Department
of Finance on December 21, 2004, at City Register File Number (CRFN) 2004000781656. Five
days subsequent, on December 8, 2004, two invalid assignments of the instant mortgage and
note took place, with ARGENT assigning the note and mortgage to AMERIQUEST, and then
AMERIQUEST assigning the note and mortgage to plaintiff WELLS FARGO. Both of these
assignments were not recorded for more than fourteen months, until February 21, 2006, when
they were both recorded at that same time and sequentially, at CRFN 2006000100653 and
CRFN 2006000100654.
While both assignments list the offices of ARGENT and AMERIQUEST at different locations in
Orange, California, both assignments were executed by "Jose Burgos ‐ Agent," before the same
notary public, in Westchester County, New York. Both of these assignments failed to have a
corporate resolution or a power of attorney attached, which authorized the "Agent" to act for
his principal. Thus, these assignments are invalid and plaintiff WELLS FARGO lacks standing to
bring the instant foreclosure action.
I allowed plaintiff an opportunity to cure the assignment defects, by explaining: by what
authority did Mr. Burgos act as "Agent" for both ARGENT and AMERIQUEST; why Mr. Burgos
acted on the same day as the assignor and the assignee of two mortgage behemoths; and, why
corporations located in Orange, California executed assignments on the other side of the
continent, in Westchester County, New York?
Then, assuming that WELLS FARGO could explain and cure the assignment defects, WELLS
FARGO had to provide answers about LITTON, its alleged servicer. The instant application for an
order of reference contains an "affidavit of merit and amount due" by Debra Lyman, Vice
President of LITTON, attorney in fact for WELLS FARGO. The Limited Power of Attorney, dated
May 5, 2005, attached to the instant application for an order of reference, states that WELLS
FARGO: in its capacity as trustee under certain Servicing Agreements relating to Park Place
Securities Inc. Asset Backed Pass through Certificates, Series 2005‐WLL1 dated as of March 1,
2005 (the "Agreement") by and among Park Place Securities, Inc. as ("Depositor") and Litton
Loan Servicing LP as ("Servicer") and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. as Trustee hereby constitutes and
appoints: LITTON LOAN SERVICING LP its true and lawful attorney‐in‐fact . . . to execute and
deliver on behalf of [WELLS FARGO] any and all of the following instruments [documents with
respect to foreclosures] to the extent consistent with the terms and conditions of the
Agreement [sic].
Since the Court does not know for whom WELLS FARGO is the Trustee, the Court has no way
[*3]to know if the above‐named March 1, 2005 Agreement refers to the instant mortgage.
Since a "trustee" is "one who, having legal title to property, holds it in trust for the benefit of
another and owes a fiduciary duty to that beneficiary" (Black's Law Dictionary 1519 [7th ed
1999]), the Court needs to know for whom WELLS FARGO holds the mortgage loan in trust.
Further, to determine if Ms. Lyman had the authority to execute her affidavit on behalf of
plaintiff WELLS FARGO, the Court required an inspection of the March 1, 2005 Servicing
Agreement. (EMC Mortg. Corp. v Batista, 15 Misc 3d 1143 (A), [Sup Ct, Kings County 2007];
Deutsche Bank Nat. Trust Co. v Lewis, 14 Misc 3d 1201 (A) [Sup Ct, Suffolk County 2006]).
Discussion
In my previous decision and order I determined that plaintiff WELLS FARGO lacked "standing" to
bring the instant action. The Court of Appeals (Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, Inc. v
Pataki, 100 NY2d, 901, 812 [2003]), cert denied 540 US 1017 [2003]) held that "[s]tanding to
sue is critical to the proper functioning of the judicial system. It is a threshold issue. If standing
is denied, the pathway to the courthouse is blocked. The plaintiff who has standing, however,
may cross the threshold and seek judicial redress." In Carper v Nussbaum, 36 AD3d 176, 181 (2d
Dept 2006), the Court held that "[s]tanding to sue requires an interest in the claim at issue in
the lawsuit that the law will recognize as a sufficient predicate for determining the issue at the
litigant's request." If a plaintiff lacks standing to sue, the plaintiff may not proceed in the action.
(Stark v Goldberg, 297 AD2d 203 [1d Dept 2002]).
In the instant action, the two December 8, 2004 assignments ‐ ARGENT to AMERIQUEST and
AMERIQUEST to WELLS FARGO ‐ are defective. This denies WELLS FARGO's standing to bring
this action. The recorded assignments are both by "Jose Burgos ‐ Agent." An "agent" is "one
who is authorized to act for or in place of another; a representative" (Black's Law Dictionary 64
[7th ed 1999]). The assignments lack any power of attorney granted by either ARGENT or
AMERIQUEST to Jose Burgos to act as their agents. Real Property Law (RPL) § 254 (9) states:
Power of attorney to assignee. The word "assign" or other words of assignment, when
contained in an assignment of a mortgage and bond or mortgage and note, must be construed
as having included in their meaning that the assignor does thereby make, constitute and
appoint the assignee the true and lawful attorney, irrevocable, of the assignor in the name of
the assignor, or otherwise, but at the proper costs and charges of the assignee, to have, use and
take all lawful ways and means for the recovery of the money and interest secured by the said
mortgage and bond or mortgage and note, and in case of payment to discharge the same as
fully as the assignor might or could do if the assignment were not made. [Emphasis added] "An
attorney in fact is merely a special kind of agent." (Etterle v Excelsior Ins. Co. of New York, 74
AD2d 436, 441 [2d Dept 1980]). Further, the agent, who has a fiduciary relationship with the
principal, "is a party who acts on behalf of the principal with the latter's express, implied, or
apparent authority." (Maurillo v Park Slope U‐Haul, 194 AD2d 142, 146 [2d Dept 1992]).
Therefore, to have a proper assignment of a mortgage by an authorized agent, a power of
attorney is necessary to demonstrate how the agent is vested with authority to assign the
mortgage. "No special form or language is necessary to effect an assignment as long as the
[*4]language shows the intention of the owner of a right to transfer it [Emphasis added]."
(Tawil v Finkelstein Bruckman Wohl Most & Rothman, 223 AD2d 52, 55 [1d Dept 1996]; see
Suraleb, Inc. v International Trade Club, Inc., 13 AD3d
612<http://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2004/2004_09620.htm> [2d Dept 2004]).
In an attempt to explain why Mr. Burgos, the "agent," acted twice as an assignor and once as an
assignee, on December 8, 2004, plaintiff's counsel has provided the Court with an affidavit of
Diane E. Tiberend, dated March 28, 2008. Ms. Tiberend, as of the date of her affidavit is:
General Counsel, Senior Vice President and Secretary of ACC Capital Holdings Corporation
(ACH), the parent company of ARGENT and AMERIQUEST; Assistant Secretary of AMERIQUEST
from September 21, 1999; and, was Assistant Secretary of ARGENT from July 2, 2001 until
November 1, 2007, when she became the Secretary of ARGENT. Unmentioned by Ms. Tiberend
and plaintiff's counsel are the August 31, 2007 CITIGROUP purchases of ARGENT and
AMERIQUEST. Ms. Tiberend wears another hat, that of corporate functionary for CITIGROUP
subsidiaries.
Eric Dash in his September 1, 2007 New York Times article, "Citigroup Buys Parts of a Troubled
Mortgage Lender," wrote: Citigroup's investment banking arm scooped up the assets of the
troubled subprime mortgage lender ACC Capital Holdings yesterday, the same day that the
struggling company announced that it was closing. Citigroup bought the remnants of ACC's
Argent wholesale mortgage origination division as well as the servicing rights to collect on more
than $45 billion in home loans. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. ACC said that it was
shutting its only other holding, its Ameriquest retail mortgage unit, which once billed itself as
the sponsor of the American dream but was tarnished by scandal. "ACC Capital Holdings is
going to maintain operations as it prepares for the orderly wind‐down of our retail mortgage
business, which is no longer accepting applications," the company said. ACC Capital is the latest
of at least 15 subprime lenders to be closed as Wall Street stopped pouring capital into the
industry after rising homeowner delinquencies and defaults. The closing is the end of a long‐
challenged company, founded by the billionaire Roland E. Arnall, who last year was named
United States ambassador to the Netherlands. [*5]" The whole Ameriquest and Argent
businesses have been in limbo for at least a year," said Guy Cecala, publisher of Inside
Mortgage Finance. "They were one of the first subprime lenders to show problems: they had
regulatory concerns, volume going down and problems with loan quality."
In 2006, the company agreed to pay $325 million to settle federal and state regulators' claims
of deceptive lending practices. Citigroup said yesterday that it would pick up the remnants of
Argent, ACC Capital's wholesale mortgage origination business, whose nationwide broker
network was once under fire for abusive practices. Its operations have all but shut down.
Citigroup executives said that they planned to overhaul the unit's management team and
lending practices, change its name to Citi Residential Lending and broaden its product lines.
They plan to restart loan origination operations slowly.
In paragraph 6 of her affidavit, Ms. Tiberend refers to the "dual assignment process," stating
that "[t]o secure funds to lend a complete chain of assignments had to be provided to the
related lender." Further, in paragraph 6, she refers to unnamed "related warehouse lenders." A
"warehouse lender" provides a line of credit to a loan originator to fund a mortgage until it is
sold into the secondary market, directly or through securitization. Defendant FARMER executed
the instant mortgage with ARGENT on December 3, 2004. The assignments took place five days
later on December 8, 2004. Thus, it appears that ARGENT borrowed the funds from a
"warehouse lender(s)" to originate the FARMER loan, anticipating paying the loan back to the
"warehouse lender(s)" after the mortgage loan was securitized into a collateralized debt
obligation (CDO) with WELLS FARGO as the Trustee. However, the Court still cannot understand
the necessity for the "dual assignment process." Why couldn't an officer of ARGENT have
assigned the FARMER mortgage to WELLS FARGO, as Trustee for a designated beneficiary, a
named CDO?
Ms. Tiberend also claims, in ¶ 6 of her affidavit, that since ARGENT and AMERIQUEST were
located in separate locations and to avoid the loss or destruction of original loan documents
while in transit, "the dual assignment process" was conceived and when approved by the
related warehouse lenders was implemented. I was instrumental in spearheading the dual
assignment process in my position as Senior Counsel of ACH." [*6] She claims, in ¶ 7, that both
ARGENT and AMERIQUEST authorized by corporate resolution the same personnel to execute
both assignments. "This insured that the warehouse lender receive the loan documents in a
timely fashion and eliminated the risk posed by transit of the loan documents to a location
other than the warehouse lender's office." She alleges that Mr. Burgos as an employee of
ARGENT was appointed as a limited signing officer of both ARGENT and AMERIQUEST by
corporate resolutions.
However, she states, in ¶ 10: A diligent search of corporate records for the specific corporate
resolutions cannot currently be found. In lieu thereof, and based on my actual knowledge and
officer's position at both argent and Ameriquest in December 2004 and continuously since that
date I have attached an Officer's Certificate memorializing Mr. Burgos' appointment on behalf
of each of the companies. (See Exhibit 6 and 7). [Emphasis added]
Exhibits 6 and 7 are her attempt at nunc pro tunc corporate appointments of Mr. Burgos, more
than three years after his execution of the assignments as "Agent." These Officer's Certificates
are unrecorded and lack merit. This is not acceptable to the Court. It is clear that Mr. Burgos in
acting as "Agent" needed authority for his actions, either by corporate resolution or by power
of attorney. Since none were recorded with the December 8, 2008 assignments, the Court's
approval of Ms. Tiberend's March 28, 2008 appointments of Mr. Burgos would be a legal
miscarriage, despite Ms. Tiberend's claim that the "dual assignment system" was "conceived
and when approved by the related warehouse lenders was implemented. "
Further, the second December 8, 2008 assignment, from AMERIQUEST to "Wells Fargo Bank,
N.A., as Trustee," fails to name a beneficiary for the Trustee. The failure to name a beneficiary
for the Trustee renders the assignment without merit. It is axiomatic that "[t]here are four
essential elements of a trust: (1) a designated beneficiary; (2) a designated trustee; (3) a fund or
other property sufficiently designated or identified to enable title thereto to pass to the
trustee; and (4) actual delivery or legal assignment of the property to the trustee, with the
intention of passing legal title to such property to the trustee (Brown v Spohr, 180 NY 201,
209)." (In re Mannara, 5 Misc 3d 556, 558 [Sur Ct, New York County 2004]). (See In re Marcus
Trusts, 2 AD3d 640, 641 [2d Dept 2003]; Orentreich v Prudential Ins. Co. of America, 275 AD2d
675 [1d Dept 2000]).
Plaintiff's counsel has provided the Court with an affidavit, dated March 28, 2008, by Kim M.
Miller, "Vice President of Bankruptcy, Litigation, Default Documents and Foreclosures of WELLS
FARGO BANK, N.A." She alleges that WELLS FARGO is Trustee for a CDO, "Park Place Securities
Inc. Asset‐Backed Pass‐Through Certificates,
Series 2005‐WLL1, pursuant to a Pooling and Servicing Agreement between Park Place
Securities, Wells Fargo, N.A. and Litton Loan Servicing LP as dated March 1, 2005." I conducted
an in‐camera review of the March 1, 2005 Pooling and Servicing Agreement and [*7]cannot find
any reference in it to the instant FARMER mortgage loan.
Therefore, since the AMERIQUEST to WELLS FARGO assignment is silent as to for whom WELLS
FARGO is the Trustee, plaintiff has failed to demonstrate how the May 5, 2005 limited power of
attorney from WELLS FARGO to LITTON authorizes an "affidavit of merit and amount due" by
Debra Lyman, Vice President of LITTON. All of the defendants in the instant action have
defaulted. CPLR § 3215 (f) requires that in an application for default judgment, "the applicant
shall file proof of service of the summons and the complaint, or a summons and notice served
pursuant to subdivision (b) of rule 305 or subdivision (a) of rule 316 of this chapter, and proof of
the facts constituting the claim, the default and the amount due by affidavit made by the
party.[Emphasis added]." Plaintiffs have failed to submit "proof of the facts" in "an affidavit
made by the party." The "affidavit of facts" was submitted by Debra Lyman, Vice President of
LITTON, the alleged servicing agent for WELLS FARGO and its unknown beneficiary. As discussed
above, the Court cannot determine if Ms. Lyman is the servicing agent for this loan.
Both December 8, 2004 defective assignments ‐ ARGENT to AMERIQUEST and AMERIQUEST to
WELLS FARGO ‐ are voided and cancelled. ARGENT is the owner of the FARMER mortgage loan.
Therefore, plaintiff WELLS FARGO's application for an order of reference is dismissed with
prejudice. WELLS FARGO does not have title to the instant mortgage and lacks standing to
proceed in the instant action. The Appellate Division, Second Department (Kluge v Fugazy, 145
AD2d 537, 538 [2d Dept 1988]), held that a "foreclosure of a mortgage may not be brought by
one who has no title to it and absent transfer of the debt, the assignment of the mortgage is a
nullity." Citing Kluge v Fugazy, the Court (Katz v East‐Ville Realty Co., 249 AD2d 243 [1st Dept
1998]), held that "[p]laintiff's attempt to foreclose upon a mortgage in which he had no legal or
equitable interest was without foundation in law or fact." The Court, in Campaign v Barba, 23
AD3d 327<http://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2005/2005_08266.htm> [2d Dept
2005], held that "[t]o establish a prima facie case in an action to foreclose a mortgage, the
plaintiff must establish the existence of the mortgage and the mortgage note, ownership of the
mortgage, and the defendant's default in payment [Emphasis added]." (See Household Finace
Realty Corp. of New York v Wynn, 19 AD3d 545 [2d Dept 2005]; Sears Mortgage Corp. v
Yahhobi, 19 AD3d 402 [2d Dept 2005]; Ocwen Federal Bank FSB v Miller, 18 AD3d
527<http://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2005/2005_03829.htm> [2d Dept 2005]; U.S.
Bank Trust Nat. Ass'n v Butti, 16 AD3d
408<http://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/3dseries/2005/2005_01707.htm> [2d Dept 2005];First
Union Mortgage Corp. v Fern, 298 AD2d 490 [2d Dept 2002]; Village Bank v Wild Oaks Holding,
Inc., 196 AD2d 812 [2d Dept 1993].
Conclusion
Accordingly, it is ORDERED that the renewed application of plaintiff WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A.,
AS TRUSTEE, for an order of reference for the premises located at 363 Madison Street,
Brooklyn, New York (Block 1820, Lot 76, County of Kings) is denied with prejudice; and it is
further
ORDERED that the following real estate transactions for 363 Madison Street, Brooklyn, New
York (Block 1820, Lot 76, County of Kings) are voided and cancelled: the Assignment of
Mortgage dated December 8, 2004 and recorded on February 21, 2006, at City Register File
Number 2006000100653; and, the Assignment of Mortgage dated December 8, 2004 and
recorded on February 21, 2006, at City Register File Number 2006000100654; and it is further
ORDERED that the Office of the City Register of the New York City Department of [*8]Finance is
directed to amend its records in accordance with this Decision and Order.
This constitutes the Decision and Order of the Court.
HON. ARTHUR M. SCHACK
J. S. C.
Some Judges Stiffen Foreclosure Standards - WSJ.com 7/26/08 7:23 AM
The rulings show the critical role that judges are beginning to
play as foreclosures mount in the most severe housing crisis
since the Great Depression. The recent decisions build upon
widely circulated opinions issued last fall by federal judges in
Ohio who found trusts that hold the mortgages regularly begin
foreclosure proceedings before they obtain the legal right to do
so.
The extent to which the judicial process can make a difference is limited and uneven. Only a handful of
judges have taken on this cause. And in about half of U.S. states, the foreclosure process doesn't require
judicial approval. Nonetheless, in states where the process must wind its way through the courts, the
efforts of a few judges are giving hope to borrowers.
"More and more judges are focused on these basic issues of making sure the party that's trying to get the
property back is entitled to get it," says April Charney, a foreclosure defense lawyer in Jacksonville,
Fla., who trains lawyers and pro se, or non-lawyer, litigants.
FORECLOSURE DENIERS About six judges from the supreme court in Brooklyn, the state's
Foreclosure-dismissal opinions by judges in
lowest court, which handles most of the New York City
borough's foreclosure actions, have been digging into the
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Some Judges Stiffen Foreclosure Standards - WSJ.com 7/26/08 7:23 AM
Another dismissal involved a foreclosure filed by a U.S. unit of HSBC Holdings PLC. Included in
Justice Schack's concerns was that the filed documents list the address for HSBC and a loan payment
collector as being the same suite in a West Palm Beach, Fla., building, and that in prior foreclosure
filings, other financial entities also claimed to be located in the same suite.
SUBPRIME LEGAL "The Court ponders if Suite 100 is the size of Madison Square
14 Garden to house all of these financial behemoths or if there is a
• Law Blog: Judges Scrutinize more nefarious reason for this corporate togetherness," he wrote,
Mortgage Docs, Deny adding that HSBC would have to write an affidavit explaining
Foreclosures 15
the popularity of suite 100.
Spokespeople for HSBC and Wells Fargo said the banks were acting as a trustee, or caretaker, for loan
securitization trusts that hold mortgages. As the trustee, the banks have a minimal role and other
companies known as servicers, which collect loan payments for the trusts, intitiate foreclosure
proceedings on the trustees' behalf, the banks said.
Elsewhere, in Suffolk County on Long Island, several judges have taken up scrutiny of mortgage
documents. Justice Jeffrey Arlen Spinner wrote recently in a ruling that he found "glaring discrepancies
and unexplained issues of substance" in a foreclosure lawsuit filed last year by GMAC Mortgage LLC.
Judge Spinner wrote that the lender included a document that "purports to" but doesn't legally transfer
the promissory note, the borrower's promise to pay back the loan, to GMAC from the original lender.
He also questioned why the note was purportedly executed at Fairfax, Va., and signed by the borrower
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Some Judges Stiffen Foreclosure Standards - WSJ.com 7/26/08 7:23 AM
He also questioned why the note was purportedly executed at Fairfax, Va., and signed by the borrower
on the same day that the borrower allegedly signed the mortgage in New York. A spokeswoman for
GMAC declined to comment.
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