Chapter 10 - THE HOUSE
The biggest financial threat was the house.
Dean had tried to pledge additional home equity to secure another $220,000 line.
The lender required Claire’s direct notarized consent.
He did not have it.
So the loan stalled.
Then Frank suggested a workaround.
Create a home-improvement contract between Bennett Family Services and a related company.
Use receivables as collateral.
The related company?
FB Development LLC.
Owner:
Frank Bennett.
No real renovations.
Fake receivable.
That moved the case from marital dishonesty into more serious fraud territory.
Claire asked:
“Did the bank catch it?”
Rachel nodded.
“Before funding.”
Why?
Because one junior credit analyst called Claire directly.
She never answered.
The analyst marked verification incomplete.
Loan denied.
A routine phone call had saved $220,000.
Claire thought about that.
One person following procedure had done what marriage had not.
Asked her directly.
Then investigators found a draft lien document.
Not filed.
Prepared.
It described “renovation obligations” against the Bennett home.
Amount:
$186,000.
Claire had never hired FB Development.
No renovation.
No contractor.
If filed and accepted, the document could have complicated title.
Would it have succeeded?
Unclear.
But the intent was obvious enough:
create paper where no underlying transaction existed.
Claire stared.
May you like
Dean had not merely hidden money.
He was building documents capable of making false things look ordinary.
