CPM Receives Award from the California State Bar for Historic Settlement in Elder Abuse Case
The California State Bar announced that Cotchett, Pitre, & McCarthy, LLP is the recipient of one of the 2011 President’s Pro Bono Services Awards. The Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy, LLP Team, lead by Niki Okcu, is being recognized for providing pro bono representation to an 89 year old elderly widow, Pauline Reade, who was bilked out of nearly $600,000. Ms. Reade faced foreclosure on the Pacifica home she has lived in since 1951 after Fetuu Tupoufutuna, a scam contractor, tricked her into signing loan documents in the sum of hundreds of thousands of dollars with various banks and mortgage entities.
The Reade lawsuit was filed in San Mateo County Superior Court by Hope Nakamura of The Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County and Niki Okcu who handled the case pro bono, after Ms. Reade suddenly received a Notice of Trustee’s Sale stating her home would be sold at a public sale. The lawsuit was filed to stop the sale against various individuals and entities involved in the loan transaction, including, RBS Financial, Products, Inc., Deutsche Bank National Trust Co., GMAC Mortgage, LLC, Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., Executive Trustee Services, Paul Financial, Fetuu Tupoufutuna and Mohammed Ali George. The case resulted with an unprecedented settlement. Although the exact terms of the settlement are confidential, it can be disclosed that the lien on Ms. Reade’s property was completely removed as a result of the settlement and she has no obligation under the loan which exceeded $420,000. Ms. Reade also received additional compensation in the settlement from various defendants.