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Christian Debt Law & Freedom Financial Law Review

Address:

PO Box 271961
Fort Collins, CO 80527

This is the official address they list on their website.

970-282-0037
888-386-7703 – Fax

There is no business named Freedom Financial Law or Christian Debt Law registered to do business in Colorado.

1621 Hotel Circle South.
#E320
San Diego, CA 92108
619-429-1244

This address is also associated with them. It’s a condo.

Freedom Financial Law
P.O. BOX 420907
San Diego, California 92142

There is no business named Freedom Financial Law or Christian Debt Law registered to do business in California.

Website:

ChristianDebtLaw.com

Description:

Christian debt consolidation, better known as debt negotiation or debt settlement, can save you from bankruptcy. Our Christian debt settlement services are designed to eliminate your debt (all fees included!) for about 65% of what you owe, sometimes even less. (eg. credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, etc.) Follow-up credit counseling will help quickly rebuild your credit profile, financial strength, and your future.

I think I want to puke after reading that.

Management

Dominic J DeSandro, Esq. – Owner – debtfreelaw@yahoo.com, Dominic@ChristianDebtLaw.com

The Colorado Bar Association does not show a registered lawyer with the last name of DeSandro.

The California Bar Association does not show a registered lawyer with the last name of DeSandro.

Kansas says he was licensed under the name Dominic DiSandro, a different spelling. His license in Kansas is suspended for failure to take CLE credit classes.

Contacts

Lisa Bell – Director of Operations / Client Counseling – Lisa@ChristianDebtLaw.com
Larry McGrew – Director of Enrollment – Larry@ChristianDebtLaw.com

On 12-16-2010 Larry asked me to remove his name. He says he is no longer affiliated with this company.

Relationships

Dominic DeSandro
Kangen Health Financing
11003 Camino Playa Carmel
San Diego, CA 92124
Source

Interesting Points

Here is a copy of what is labeled a 2006 debt settlement agreement from Freedom Financial Law.

According to the Christian Legal Sociaety Dominic DeSandro is a non-attorney in California. – Source

It certainly appears that Dominic DeSandro is holding himself out as an attorney for debt settlement. See ad below.

Dominic DeSandro Attorney

From all that I can see Freedom Financial Law and Christian Debt Law holds itself out as doing business in either California, Colorado, both or neither. Frankly, I don’t trust a thing they say and they can say they are as Christian as they want but if Jesus was running a debt settlement company I seriously doubt this is how he’d do it or how he would hide the truth in advertising it.

Marketing Material From Freedom Financial Law

YOU HAVE FOUR OPTIONS: Examples

1. DO NOTHING: Struggling to make minimum payments will cost over 300% of your principal of $20,000 over 10+ years ($60,000), or “sink slowly in the quicksand” with never-ending interest, late fees, over-limit fees, collection fees, lawsuits, judgments, executions and liens that must be paid before a home is bought or sold.

See also  Freedom Financial Law - Consumer Complaint - May 6, 2013

2. BANKRUPTCY (Chapter 7) Legal fees, forfeit property, depressing, court hearing, NO CREDIT, “Life sentence” of higher interest rates, affect on employment.
BANKRUPTCY (Chapter 13) Same as Chapter 7, plus you pay what the court orders over 5 years and your case may be dismissed if you miss a payment!

3. CCCS (Consumer Credit Counseling Service)
(or any of the thousands of non-profit “debt consolidators”)
Pay 100% of principal ($20,000), Interest (10% avg), fees $25 per/mo.
$ 460.00 monthly payment (usually 2.3%of total amount owed)
___ 60_ months to plan completion (5 yrs.)
$ 27,600 total paid (debt X 140%)
ALSO: credit score effected for 5 years; late fees can still occur; dropped from program (no emergency flexibility) for missing a payment with all interest added back

4. COUNSELING & NEGOTIATION (Dominic DeSandro d/b/a FFL)
$ 400 monthly “program deposit” (2% of total owed)
___ 33 months to plan completion (33 months)
$ 13,200 total paid (debt X 66%), possibly less!

DURING PROGRAM

  • Immediate increase in available spending money
  • Collection calls handled by negotiation agent
  • Program designed to avoid litigation and/or judgments
  • Have “emergency flexibility” of payments during program
  • After settlement, negative entries on credit report (like lates, charge-offs, etc) are replaced with “Paid-Settled” entry on report

AFTER PROGRAM you will have established savings habits and …

  • Freed up income to save for emergencies and purchases,
  • Have “Credit-worthiness” (ability to repay) and prime rates too
  • Have a higher FICO (credit score) than you started with

“Trying to hang on is not possible, BANKRUPTCY is not desirable, and a “non-profit” program may not even be do-able or will cost over twice as much. The “pro-active” choice is to pay 2% per mo. for 33 mos. ($13,200), get debt free, and use our credit restoration services and budget advice to further build financial strength.

HOW DEBT NEGOTIATION & SETTLEMENT WORKS

This program uses NO “NEW” MONEY. We efficiently use the money you have been trying to pay debt with. We eliminate your debt for 66% (or less) of the amount you owe, in three years or less, & improve your credit in the process.

Due to hardship, you have had to choose to not make payments on time, and are not able, in the future, to pay the creditors as agreed. Neither you or the creditor want you to go bankrupt, but the creditor wants to recover something.

Alternatively, you choose to not pay anybody, but choose to negotiate a lump-sum settlement with everybody. All the income you had been using for “debt service” you choose to accumulate monthly in a “settlement account”.

We consult with you about your hardship, review your debt, establish a monthly budget, and determine what you can commit to your debt program. We establish a monthly “settlement deposit” (target of 2% of principal owed).

See also  Freedom Financial Law / Christian Debt Law - Consumer Complaint - 5-2-2012

Each month you put a “settlement deposit” into a separate trust account (“settlement account”). Your consultation and retainer fees (for starting representation) are paid from a portion of your “settlement deposits”.

“Freedom Financial Law” (FFL) is your new financial agent, and letters of representation are sent to each creditor when they start calling, to get them to call us. You must cease using all non-business credit cards. A low-limit business credit card, paid off monthly and carrying no balance, may be OK.

FFL plans a negotiation strategy of which creditors to call first, and when. FFL stays aware of your settlement deposits. When enough money has accumulated, negotiations begin. If you are able, additional monies can be deposited (at any time) into your settlement account to accelerate the program.

When a good written offer from the creditor is negotiated AND approved by you, FFL pays the creditor the lump-sum settlement from your trust account. You pay FFL a “negotiation fee”: 15% of the savings from negotiations. Example: A $1000 debt is settled for $400 = $600 savings(x15%)= $90 neg fee Total cost to settle account: $400+$90= $490 (Account settled for 49%).

As money accumulates, accounts are negotiated over 36 months (or less). The creditor is satisfied. Your credit report shows all your accounts as “ZERO BALANCE – PAID SETTLED”, and you have achieved financial liberty !

Source

Complaints

Picture of Web Site

Freedom Financial Law - Christian Debt Law
Click to enlarge graphic.

Is This Your Company?

If this is a review is about your company and you would like to respond to the information I’ve presented here to possibly put it into a broader context or make a correction, please feel free to post your response in the comments section below. I invite you to read my Debt Relief Company and Site Review Policy first.

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43 thoughts on “Christian Debt Law & Freedom Financial Law Review”

  1. California.virtualYP Gives this info:
    Dominic DeSandro
    4387 Vivaracho Ct
    San Diego , California 92124

    Associated address I posted before:
    5658 Antigua Blvd San Diego, CA 92124-1306

    Reply
  2. July 22, 2013. I spoke with the FCC and they told me they issued a Cease and Desist order against Freedom Financial and that this motion was finalized. They do not have criminal jurisdiction so they can’t file criminal charges.

    Reply
  3. It is July 18, 2013. DeSandro has not returned my phone calls or email, or even the certified mail. I do not have my money back. I have again contacted the California AG and they said they would follow up. At this stage I do not see how it cannot be considered theft. I will check with the CA AG if I can bring up theft charges. The FCC wanted further information on my case as they are also investigating Freedom Financial Law. I have read 7 complaints posted on the BBB website regarding Freedom Financial Law. DeSandro has not replied to them either. The excuse he gave on the response to the CA AG is that he has family medical crises. His replied was written back in February but nothing else has been done since then. I do not believe DeSandro is working hard on sending me my money as he claimed on the reply to the AG’s office.

    Nina DeSandro (Dominic DeSandro’s daughter) did sign for the certified letter I sent more than half a year ago to this address:
    5658 Antigua Blvd San Diego, CA 92124-1306

    No one has signed for the certified letter I sent about a month ago.

    If anyone else has been able to get any other response or resolution please post it here or contact me at jedimasterkyp@hotmail.com. Thanks.

    Reply
  4. Emailed Kansas Bar Association and got this back:

    “Finally,
    I found him on our data base as Dominic J. DiSandro #10241. He is inactive and
    suspended due to non- pay of registration fees since 1994. You can file a
    complaint in this office against him. The complaint forms are on this web site.
    Please make sure you put as much information as you can in it for us, so we know
    what we are investigating.”

    http://www.kscourts.org under “Attorney Discipline”

    Reply
  5. I have been trying to get them to send my unused funds totalling $3548.98 back to me and Dominic DeSandro emailed me the week before Christmas stating he would be sending me the “termination form” to process the return of my money. I never received the form and he has not responded to my emails since then. The Agreement docs state that funds will be returned upon “written notification” which I did via email on October 16th and at least 10 times since then. It is a stall tactic. Dominic intimated that Lisa resigned the week after I made my request and getting the customer files was a slow process. Needless to say, they owe me money. I have filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission and am preparing to write a complaint to the Christian Legal Society that Dominic is a member of. I have found out that Dominic is involved in Advanced Tachyon Technology San Diego (www.usatachyon.com). I certainly hope he has not taken my funds and used them for his own personal venture. If anyone has had any success with getting your money back, please let me know. Also, if there is any particular department within the IRS to report this to, someone please advise. Thanks!

    Reply
  6. I filed a complaint with the Attorney General Office, Public Inquiry Unit, PO Box 9444255, Sacramento, CA 92444-2550. Maybe if enough of us contact the office they will do something. I also plan to contact the IRS and see if they are interested in all this unreported income.

    Reply
  7. Dominic DeSandro left this address online in 2008:
    11003 Camino Playa Carmel San Diego, CA 92124

    It also appears that Lisa Bell has married and changed her last name to Skinner. She still shows up in the website as Lisa Bell. She still appears to live in Fort Collins. Larry McGrew also still appears to reside in Colorado. I’m still trying to get a hold of them. The phone number listed in their website (970-282-0037) is now disconnected. The 888-386-770 number still rings but nobody ever answers.

    Reply
  8. Please remove me from your website. I am no longer affiliated with the company. Dominic was no longer able to retain my services as an independent contractor.

    Reply
    • Whats the real reason you left? Why won’t you answer any of these accusations about Dominic? Can you not explain why Dominic is doing this?
      Or is he just a crook?

      Reply
    • Lisa, do the right thing. Tell us where our money is/was. You were part of this and must know where the money was (trust account) was held and under what name.

      I don’t think think this is a civil matter any longer. The “company” was not registered to operate in Colorado and was not running as a sole proprietorship. I’m waiting for a reply from the Colorado AG as to if this is illegal. If it is illegal, then I will file criminal charges for all those involved, if possible. If not, I will make sure that these names stay around on the internet with what they have done.

      I will hire private investigators and confirm their locations. I will make sure that their communities are aware what kind of people they have among them. I will contact the PTAs, churches, HOAs, banks, business associations, etc.

      They took almost 10K, if I get 7K back, then 3K is well spent. I’m pretty motivated to get my money back or worst case scenario to let as many people know as possible.

      I can forgive but give back our money, even if not in a lump sum.

      I JUST WANT JUSTICE!

      Reply
  9. I am curious to know if anyone has had any success in reaching Lisa Bell or Dominic?  They currently hold close to $10,000 of my money in a trust account that accumulated after three years of credits.   Although I terminated my contract nearly four months ago, they remain unresponsive to my calls and emails. 

    Reply
  10. What a scam!  They have collected 5292.00 of my money! And have yet to pay any debtors.  My taxes have been with-held.  My salary has been garnished.  I have had to stop paying this company so I could hire a lawyer to handle my accounts one by one.  This is so sad to use God’s name and even His Word to lure people to sign up with them.  Maria

    Reply
    • Hey Maria,

      I was in this same situation.  I paid freedom legal to help me with a modification and $5000.00 later, nothing was done.  I was contacted by someone from Kaplan Legal about a month ago, and the lady that I spoke with actually wanted to help me with the attorney general in ca. She posted a complaint for me and I did receive $400.00 back so far.  I think that the number is 800-691-4840 Eunice was the one that helped me.

      Reply
  11. I have been in touch with this company also will not return phone calls have money tied up they well not pay one of my cards off and feel this is a scam. Jeanine

    Reply
      • Steve, I am in a similar situation.  This “Christian Company” has over 6000.00 of my money.  No returned emails no returned calls.  They use to deduct from my bank the fees of 441.00 per month, however, that has been stopped.  I have tons of emails.  I have had to hire a lawyer to settle two of the big accounts they were suppose to handle.  Now I have wages garnished because of their business practices.  I have had my income taxes withheld as well by another account.  What can I do.  I am so upset but as a school teacher and my salary, I am not able to file bankruptcy with the other 6 accounts left.  However, I do not have the funds to settle because this company has it all.  Please…any feedback is greatly appreciated.  God bless, Maria

        Reply
  12. Ok, I have been trying to get a hold of this company (Freedom Financial Law) for weeks and have left e-mails and phone calls and nothing. They have a large amount of my money. I am concerned that they are not returning any of my calls. I have left message for Lisa Bell and Dominic J. DeSandro, and still nothing. I will keep you all posted.

    If I do not hear back from them soon I will file a complaint with BBB and bar association and post on web my experience…… so no one else will use them or anything associated with there names.

    I sure hope they are not a scam and using the Christian name as a cover to get trusting Christians…. but take there money.

    Eric

    Reply
  13. I was surprised at the integrity of the “company.” I received a check for the amount they were holding in full! The office manager made sure all of it was processed in a timely manner and was sent to me priority mail. In this case, I was happy to be wrong! 🙂

    Reply
  14. Here is some more info I got of the website. Any chance you can check and validate these as well? Can an attorney practice anywhere in the US?

    OWNER / EXEC. DIRECTOR: Dominic J. DeSandro, Esq.
    Admitted to Kansas Bar – September, 1979
    .
    Assistant District Attorney – Sedgwick County Consumer Fraud Division
    .
    Private Practice 1982 – 1992
    .
    Exclusively Debt Settlement Counseling & Services since 2000
    .
    Christian Legal Society – Member of National Organization since 2001
    (Contact: David Nammo – Membership Director 703–642-1070 ext. 3300)
    Christian Legal Society – Member of Board of Directors for San Diego Chapter
    (Contact: John Yphantides – President – 760-738-1328)
    Kingdom Advisors – Member (Contact: 404-497-7680)
    (Formerly called Christian Financial Professionals Network – CFPN)
    .
    Crown Financial Ministries – Road to Financial Freedom Seminar Instructor – Field Staff Volunteer – San Diego area
    (Contact: Dick Edic – Local Team Leader – 619-631-0275)

    Reply
  15. There seems to be no end of charlatans and hucksters who call themselves followers of Jesus Christ. Some of them are sincere but flawed people. Others are out and out frauds.

    I have an extremely low opinion of debt settlement programs, where the charlatans outnumber the misguided by 1000 to 1. (To my shock, I actually saw a debt settlement program that worked as advertised once. It was something akin to throwing a pack of playing cards on the the floor and having all 52 cards land face up and in order.)

    All the rest I’ve seen in the course of my bankruptcy practice have been miserable failures that left the suckers … I mean “victims” … worse off than before they started.

    There’s a special place in Hell for people who would cheat other people in Jesus’ name. They better hope He’s as merciful as we believe He is.
    .-= Ben Callicoat´s last blog ..The Seven Habits of Highly Unsuccessful People* (a "How To" for Going Broke) =-.

    Reply
  16. So let me see if I get this straight. You have an attorney in California who is not admitted practice in California running a law firm that does debt negotiations. On top of that, the website contains misleading and possibly even fraudulent information about bankruptcy. I’m sure the California State Bar will be interested in this when I report it to them.
    .-= Carl H. Starrett II´s last blog ..Should Christians File for Bankruptcy? =-.

    Reply
    • AFter reading this I want to puke! I am so embarassed and they still have $1000.00 dollars that they are holding in an “account” for me. Now I have to see if I can get that money back. There is nothing worse than feeling stupid!

      Reply
      • Wanda,

        Just found out that in Kansas they list him as a former attorney with a different spelling of his name. I’m going to update the Christian Debt Law article now with that information. I’m sure there is more to that story.

        Steve

        Reply

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