Complaint Review: Ray R. White & Bryan C. White - Mesa Arizona

  My name is Brandon Mena and I am in the Air Force Guard down in Tucson.  I also do Real Estate on the side to help pay for school.  On May 5th my broker stole my 25k commission check. His name is  Raymond (Ray) White.  He does business with his son, Bryan White, the owner of First USA Real Estate and Century 21 Premier.  Ray's Daughter, Kristin White also works there and is in charge of accounting.  It seems they're all in on the scam. This White family keeps stealing agents commission checks.  They refuse to pay back the full amount and if any money is paid back it is very little.  They have been doing this scam for years. They keep restructuring their companies; bankrupting subsidiary ones to avoid payment to agents and others.  I am assuming their is some serious tax fraud going on, because he is only claiming to have taken 600 dollars per my employment agreement with the company from my transaction.  Also an agent that I spoke to, said she was owed 6,000 dollars,  was never paid the money and then the company sent her a 1099 for taxes on money she never received! 

Statements from the title company, "Security Title," show that he has cashed my 24,900 check on May 6th. The company that debited my account upon joining was Century 21 Premier, but I thought I was a Ist USA agent.  I have called both my broker and the owner everyday since May 5th, and have had NO response, nor have I been paid.  I personally went into 1st USA on May 14th and confronted the broker, Ray, and the owner, Brayn.  They assured me that they would pay me the commission the upcoming Monday.  Monday I called first thing in the morning and Bryan disclosed to me he did not have my money and that he could give me a 2,000 dollar cashier's check.  He also divulged that they had spent the money on their own needs, rent, utilities and paying other agents.  I laughed and said "Bryan what have you gotten yourself into?".  He responded, "This is how we do it here." Nothing in my employment agreement with this company has any clauses about payment in this fashion.  I am a second generation realtor myself and have had 5 years of experience, my father is a retired broker with 35 years in the business.  

The company, "1st USA Realty", lures agents in with low monthly dues and then steals their commission checks to make ends meet.  I have called over 25 agents so far and they ALL report not getting money, some have settled out of court, others are taking payments.  There are so many loop holes in this system.  They filed bankruptcy on Friday the 21st.  Bryan text me to talk to his lawyer and gave me the case number.  

I have contacted several lawyers of which I can not afford, in order to put a lean on their houses or vehicles, start a class action, or stop this Fraud!  This family is putting many others in a place of hardship in order to keep living their lifestyles.  

I called a real estate lawyer that could not represent me because there was a conflict of interest.  He has represented the shady broker in the past.  He was very nice and sympathetic of my situation.  He told me they take commission checks betting the agent will feel defeated and walk away from the situation.  I was in shock.

I'm in the military and need this money to finish my last year of college at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.  I'm working on a pilot career, but need this money to finish my goals.  I just came off of orders in March of this year, I was gone for six months prior.  He basically stole all of my money for school.