The Bonnie and Clyde of Mortgage Fraud

Posted 12 Jan 2009 Matt Cox and Rebecca Hauck are a modern day version of Bonnie and Clyde. The dishonest Tampa mortgage broker and single mom team up to make millions in the real estate market.

Source: Alison Arnold Matt often has a pretty woman at his side. Before he teamed with Rebecca, his success helped win the affection of single mom Alison Arnold. She was intrigued by Matt Cox, who provided her with an apartment.

Source: Alison Arnold Alison Arnold first worked with Matt Cox, then worked for him when he started his own company. She would soon be involved in his scams.

Source: Margaret Cox When Matt was young, he had a learning disability and was told to go into something where he could use his hands. His development as an artist went a long way towards his ability to create fraudulent documents used to scam millions of dollars.

Source: U.S. Secret Service Cox painted large murals in his properties. While many were impressive, they also often turned out to be frauds themselves, copied from another artist.

Source: U.S. Secret Service These are just a handful of the dozens of fake ID cards and Driver’s Licenses Matt Cox created.

Source: U.S. Secret Service Rebecca Hauck assumed fake identities as well. Here is the photo Cox used to put on an ID purported to belong to a woman named Donna Martin.

Source: Alison Arnold These scams also took work. Cox made elaborate folders with pertinent data and histories of the identities he stole.

Source: Kurtis Productions Matt Cox’s Tampa crime spree came to an end when St. Petersburg Times reporter Jeff Testerman printed a story about his scams. Cox took Rebecca Hauck and left Tampa, beginning almost three years on the run.

Source: U.S. Secret Service Cox would occasionally be caught on bank surveillance, but the authorities always seemed to be a step behind, never knowing where he’d show up next, or what name he’d be using.

Source: U.S. Secret Service The U.S. Secret Service started turning up the heat by getting Cox’s image out to the public. It was a woman looking up wanted fugitives on the internet that eventually led to Cox’s arrest.

Source: Kurtis Productions Within days of responding to a burglary call at Matt Cox’s house, Nashville Police Officer Cassandra Del Bosco gets a page informing her that the feds are setting up an arrest. She responds and helps set up the ruse to finally catch Matt Cox.

Source: Kurtis Productions U.S. Secret Service Special Agent Andrea Peacock first got word about Matthew Cox during his dealings in Georgia. Her investigation ultimately led to his arrest in Nashville.

Source: Kurtis Productions Assistant U.S. Attorney Gale McKenzie prosecuted Matt Cox, who pleaded guilty to charges including bank fraud, mortgage fraud and identity theft. He was sentenced to 26 years in prison.Find out more...Replay slideshowReview "The Bonnie and Clyde of Mortgage Fraud" case fileVisit the "American Greed" website