Opinion ID: 1646326
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Count IThe Ruffin Matter

Text: On July 2, 2004, respondent conducted a real estate closing involving Sheila Ruffin as the seller and Keith Carter as the buyer. At the closing, respondent presented Ms. Ruffin with a HUD-1 settlement statement that reported the buyer as Mr. Carter, a contract sales price of $118,100, and net sales proceeds to Ms. Ruffin of $6,542.11. Ms. Ruffin executed the settlement statement, which also was purportedly signed by Mr. Carter. The funds were to be disbursed on July 7, 2004, but Ms. Ruffin never received the $6,542.11. In September 2004, Ms. Ruffin filed a disciplinary complaint against respondent with the ODC. In response to the complaint, respondent produced a second HUD-1 settlement statement that reported Elite Solutions as the buyer, [1] a contract sales price of $101,697.89, and no net sales proceeds to Ms. Ruffin. This second settlement statement was purportedly signed by Olando Cormier, on behalf of Elite Solutions, and Ms. Ruffin. However, Ms. Ruffin claims that Mr. Cormier was not present at the closing and claims that her signature on the second settlement statement is a forgery. Furthermore, even though neither settlement statement reported any funds owed to Elite Solutions, on July 6, 2004, respondent issued a check from his Ellzey Title Agency, LLC escrow account payable to Elite Solutions in the amount of $5,928.10, which amount does not match any figures on either settlement statement. The ODC personally served respondent with a subpoena to take his sworn statement on September 8, 2005. However, the sworn statement was canceled due to Hurricane Katrina. In September 2006, the ODC sent respondent a certified letter requesting that he contact the ODC, which letter respondent signed for and received. Respondent failed to respond, and the ODC has had no communication with respondent since Katrina.