Defendant Testifies In Mortgage Fraud Trial

Victoria Sprouse got to tell her side of the story in a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme on Monday.

Sprouse took the stand in federal court. Her sister, Debbie Hightower, told Eyewitness News the real estate attorney is the scapegoat in the case.

“In this economic environment, people want to assign blame. I understand that. But people need to reserve judgment until they know all the facts. She was not aware of the fraud. She was a victim," Hightower said.

Monday was the sixth day of the trial. While on the stand, Sprouse explained the details of being a real estate attorney. She told the jury she relied heavily on her staff of paralegals, receptionists and a partner attorney.

Sprouse described how she facilitated 17,000 clsoings, worked 10- to 12-hour days and the documents were put together by her staff. She said there were some mistakes and errors, but she did not intentionally falsify documents.

For Sprouse's family, hearing allegations spelled out in a 53-page indictment has been rough.

"It's been difficult, emotionally and financially, for my sister,” Hightower said. “She thought her reputation, her name, was the world."

•RELATED STORY: Prosecutors Say Falsified Documents Connect Woman To Mortgage Scheme •RELATED STORY: Trial Begins For Woman Accused In Multimillion-Dollar Mortgage Fraud Case