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Closings Gone Bad

10/25/18

By: Dana Maine
Nathan Hardwick IV was convicted by a Northern District of Georgia federal jury on October 12, 2018 of embezzling $26 million from the accounts of his former firm, Morris Hardwick Schneider.  $20 million of this amount was from the firm’s escrow accounts.  The good news for clients of the firm is that firm’s insurer, Fidelity National Finance, stepped in to cover most of the escrow shortfall.  All parties to real estate closings were watching this trial and trying to understand how this scheme could have gone on for as long as it did and involve this amount of money. There are lots of lessons to be learned, and policies to be implemented.  Doubtless, attorneys for escrow agents and their insurers are scurrying to draft these new policies and put them in place.  Hardwick’s sentencing is set for December 19.  He will remain in custody until sentencing.
If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Dana Maine at dmaine@fmglaw.com.