Mortgage relief scammer settles with FTC

The Federal Trade Commission has announced that Gabriel D. Stewart, the final defendant in an alleged mortgage relief scam that preyed upon distressed homeowners, will be banned from selling mortgage or debt relief services under the terms of a settlement. In addition to banning Stewart from those businesses, the stipulated order prohibits him from misrepresenting financial and other products and services. It imposes a judgment of more than $1.7 million that is partially suspended and requires Stewart to pay $105,487, representing the amount of money he received from the scam. The full judgment will become due immediately if Stewart is found to have misrepresented his financial condition.