By Lenny Bradshaw March 28, 2025
Maryna Bochkarova, founder and CEO of MBrate LLC, is widely recognized as a forward-thinking leader in the mortgage industry. Named Best Mortgage Broker of 2024 by the National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB) and an active NAMB member, Bochkarova is committed to advancing ethical lending and innovation. Her contributions, including the development of FraudCheckers.com and a groundbreaking financing model for a Houston housing project, are setting new benchmarks in the field.
TimesLA: You’re a member of NAMB and were awarded Best Mortgage Broker of 2024. How has that influenced your career?
Maryna Bochkarova: NAMB is the most respected professional association for mortgage brokers in the U.S., and being part of it has been instrumental in building trust with lenders and clients. Membership means following strict ethical and compliance guidelines, staying ahead of regulatory changes, and exchanging insights with the best professionals in the industry. Winning the Best Mortgage Broker of 2024 award validated our results at MBrate LLC — from helping families secure affordable loans to introducing innovative solutions that are now used as case studies.
TimesLA: Software system you developed – FraudCheckers.com – has become an industry talking point. What sets it apart?
Maryna Bochkarova: FraudCheckers.com is the first tool specifically designed to detect document fraud in mortgage lending with this level of precision. It automatically scans for hidden metadata, mismatched timestamps, and unauthorized edits that manual checks often miss. Denis Bardabush of Champions Funding LLC said the system prevented multiple fraudulent files from reaching underwriting, and Ray McGhee, CPA at McGhee Accounting, called it “an original contribution of major significance.” Because it reduces risk, it helps lenders cut operational costs, and those savings can be passed on to borrowers through lower rates and faster approvals.
TimesLA: Your financing model for the Houston project led by Susanty Roberts is often described as a “blueprint” for construction lending. What made it so successful?
Maryna Bochkarova: The original loan structure for the project was inefficient — only four homes could be financed at a time, causing repeated mobilization of contractors and increasing labor costs. I designed a new approach: a $5.06 million loan package that consolidated the financing and paid off the previous $1.93 million debt. This allowed all 11 homes to be built simultaneously, cutting construction time by more than half. It also stabilized costs during a volatile housing market and increased the project’s after-repair value to $9.35 million, raising the developer’s expected profit to $2.91 million. Several developers have since reached out to explore how to apply this model to their projects.
TimesLA: You were awarded the Ukrainian Cross of Ivan Mazepa. What does that recognition mean to you personally?
Maryna Bochkarova: The Mazepa Award is one of Ukraine’s most significant national honors, awarded to only one professional per field each year. For me, it’s a reminder that financial work can change lives. I was recognized for helping Ukrainian families in the U.S. buy homes and for bringing investment into rebuilding Ukraine’s housing sector after the Russian invasion. It proves that innovation in mortgage lending can have both economic and humanitarian impact.
TimesLA: What’s next for MBrate LLC?
Maryna Bochkarova: We’re financing a $2 billion housing project in Texas that will create thousands of jobs. Beyond that, my focus is on expanding FraudCheckers.com to other institutions, because the more widespread its use, the more we can lower risks and reduce costs for borrowers. I also plan to continue developing financing models that help developers complete projects faster and bring affordable housing to market more efficiently.