City kept $23 million+ from homeowners: report
State trying to find thousands of ex-property owners John Green failed to pay
A state audit has found another $12 million owed to Philadelphia homeowners whose properties were foreclosed and sold at sheriff's sale, that was kept in bank accounts under former Sheriff John Green since 1999-2005, Pennsylvania Treasurer Rob McCord and new city Sheriff Jewell Williams said today.
That's on top of $11.4 million found in sheriff's office accounts and made available to homeowners for reclamation last year. The audit was performed by Treasury's Bureau of Unclaimed Property, headed by Frederick "Jack" Stollsteimer. The agencies are looking for more.
Treasury has already returned $409,000 to 167 "rightful" former homeowners and is looking for thousands more, according to McCord's statement. "That's a good start," he said, "but we have much more to do." He said he's "working hard" to find ex-homeowners who are entitled to payments after banks, utilities, and other claimants were paid from the seizure and sale of delinquent homes.
The audit "found inadequate records related to court-ordered Sheriff sales of delinquent real property" under Green's administration, according to McCord's statement. "Millions of dollars remained in the coffers of the Sheriff's Office that should have been transferred to Treasury as unclaimed property."
Treasury manages nearly $2 billion in unclaimed Pennsylvania property.
That's on top of $11.4 million found in sheriff's office accounts and made available to homeowners for reclamation last year. The audit was performed by Treasury's Bureau of Unclaimed Property, headed by Frederick "Jack" Stollsteimer. The agencies are looking for more.
Treasury has already returned $409,000 to 167 "rightful" former homeowners and is looking for thousands more, according to McCord's statement. "That's a good start," he said, "but we have much more to do." He said he's "working hard" to find ex-homeowners who are entitled to payments after banks, utilities, and other claimants were paid from the seizure and sale of delinquent homes.
The audit "found inadequate records related to court-ordered Sheriff sales of delinquent real property" under Green's administration, according to McCord's statement. "Millions of dollars remained in the coffers of the Sheriff's Office that should have been transferred to Treasury as unclaimed property."
Treasury manages nearly $2 billion in unclaimed Pennsylvania property.
Joseph N. DiStefano | Columnist
Joseph N. DiStefano | Columnist
Joseph N. DiStefano | Columnist
Joseph N. DiStefano | Columnist
Joseph N. DiStefano | Columnist
Joseph N. DiStefano | Columnist
Joseph N. DiStefano | Columnist
Hannah Chang
Mike Livingston
David McHugh and Emma Burrow, Associated Press
























