Avoid foreclosure! Go see the Archbishop

People fearful of losing their homes through foreclosure were told they should consult the Archbishop of Shon-Te-East-A, Walks with Spirit, a group claiming to be a spiritual organization dedicated to helping people dodge foreclosure. A federal grand jury in Sacramento indicted seven people on charges of conspiracy, bank fraud, false making of documents, and money laundering.

The indictment was unsealed Thursday (September 24). One of the seven was Ramus Kirkpatrick, formerly of Oceanside. Two San Diegans, Tisha Trites and Todd Smith, pleaded guilty earlier this month and agreed to help the prosecution. Oh, yes: the Archbishop, John Michael DiChiara, was from Nevada City.

The indictment charges that once homeowners were enrolled in the program, fictitious deeds of trust and reconveyance were created. The defendants allegedly obtained profits of $8 million through the program, attempting to extinguish more than $60 million in mortgage loans.