FTC seizes law firm assets, alleges $35 million fees bilked from distressed homeowners

The FTC has alleged that Danielson Law Group, Utah-based defendants, touted a success rate that exceeded 90 percent and enticed consumers to pay hefty advance fees ranging from $500 to $3,900 – falsely promising that attorneys would negotiate loan modifications with substantially reduced mortgage payments using their special relationships with lenders or mortgage analysis reports produced by a proprietary software program. The defendants also urged homeowners to stop paying their lenders, and falsely promised full refunds if they did not obtain a loan modification, according to the FTC.

At the request of the FTC, a U.S. district court temporarily halted the operation, which allegedly took more than $35 million from distressed homeowners, and some of the defendants have stipulated to preliminary injunction with an asset freeze.

The Danielson Law Group complaint names as defendants Philip Danielson, LLC, doing business as Danielson Law Group and DLG Legal; Foundation Business Solutions, LLC, , doing business as emerchant, LLC, and Full Biz Solutions; Linden Financial Group, LLC; Acutus Law, P.C., formerly known as Danielson Silva Attorneys at Law, P.C.; Direct Results Solutions, LLC; Strata G Solutions, LLC; Philip J. Danielson; Tony D. Norton; Sean J. Coberly; Tanya Hawkins, also known as Tonya L. Hawkins; and Chad E. VanSickle. The complaint also names April D. Norton as a relief defendant. 

ORDER ENTERING STIPULATED PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION WITH ASSET FREEZE AND OTHER EQUITABLE RELIEF ORDER ENTERING STIPULATED PRELIMINARY INJUNTION