Attorney General's Office Charges Four More Individuals With Filing False Applications for Superstorm Sandy Relief Funds
TRENTON – Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal today announced that the Attorney General’s Office and its state and federal partners have charged four new defendants with filing fraudulent applications for federal relief funds related to Superstorm Sandy, bringing the total number of defendants charged by the office in these cases to 116 since March 2014.
“Any fraud against public assistance programs is deplorable, but these thefts were especially…
Press release
June 28, 2018
Real Estate Attorney Sentenced for Role in Sweeping Mortgage Fraud Conspiracy
BOSTON – A real estate attorney was sentenced today in connection with a sweeping conspiracy to defraud banks and mortgage companies by engaging in sham “short” sales of residential properties in Merrimack Valley.
Jasmin Polanco, 37, of Methuen, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to 15 months in prison, three year of supervised release and ordered to pay $1,224,489 in restitution. In March 2018, Polanco…
Press release
June 21, 2018
United States Customs and Border Protection Officer Convicted for Making False Statements for Personal Gain
LOS ANGELES – A federal jury in Los Angeles convicted a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer for abusing a program that provided discounted homes to law enforcement officers and misleading an investigator during a background investigation for security clearance.
Kanit Kunnaragthai, 49, of Palmdale, was found guilty Thursday afternoon following a three-day trial in United States District Court.
The jury found Kunnaragthai guilty of…
Press release
June 11, 2018
Former President of Hartford Nonprofit Arrested for Stealing from HUD Programs
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that STEVEN F. HARVIN, 53, of New Haven, was arrested today on a criminal complaint charging him with wire fraud and theft from programs receiving federal funds.
After his arrest, HARVIN appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah A. L. Merriam in New Haven and was released on a $50,000 bond.
According to the complaint, the Housing Opportunities for Persons with…
Press release
June 11, 2018
Former Charity Executive Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Embezzlement Scheme
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – A former executive of a Springfield, Missouri charity, who was also an Arkansas lobbyist, pleaded guilty in federal court today to bribing Arkansas elected officials in a multi-million-dollar scheme, and then along with other charity executives, embezzling millions of dollars from the Springfield health care organization.
Acting Assistant Attorney General John P. Cronan of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S.…
Press release
June 07, 2018
Mortgage Loan Officer Sentenced for Role in Sweeping Mortgage Fraud Conspiracy
BOSTON – A mortgage loan officer was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with a sweeping conspiracy to defraud banks and mortgage companies by engaging in sham “short” sales of residential properties in Merrimack Valley.
Vanessa Ricci, 41, of Methuen, a mortgage loan officer, was sentenced to six months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to pay restitution of $963,730. In March 2018, Ricci pleaded…
Press release
May 28, 2018
Former Loan Officer Sentenced To 18 Months In Prison For Role In $6 Million Mortgage Fraud Scheme
NEWARK, N.J. – A Jackson, New Jersey, man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for his role in a large-scale mortgage fraud scheme that used phony documents and straw buyers to acquire more than $6 million in loans, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Joseph DiValli previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to a superseding information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one…
Press release
May 21, 2018
Community Renewal Team Pays $362,000 to Settle False Claims Acts Allegations
United States Attorney John H. Durham and Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen today announced that COMMUNITY RENEWAL TEAM and its president, LENA RODRIGUEZ, have entered into a civil settlement agreement with the United States and the State of Connecticut and have paid $362,000 to resolve allegations that they violated the federal and state False Claims Acts.
Community Renewal Team (“CRT”) is a Hartford-based community action agency that…
Press release
May 16, 2018
3 charged with theft for bogus Superstorm Sandy aid claims
(Source:News 12 New Jersey) TRENTON, N.J. - Three more New Jersey residents have been charged with filing fraudulent applications for Superstorm Sandy relief.
The new cases were announced Friday by the state Attorney General's Office.
Officials say that Fair Lawn resident Diane DiCosmo falsely claimed a home in Lavallette as a primary residence. She fraudulently collected $177,000, according to the attorney general.
Matawan couple Barry…
Article
April 30, 2018
Newark Non-Profit Director And Political Fundraiser Sentenced To 38 Months In Prison For Wire Fraud And Tax Evasion
NEWARK, N.J. – The former executive director of a Newark-based childcare and community program and a partner in a political fundraising and consulting company was sentenced today to 38 months in prison for wire fraud and tax evasion, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Kiburi D. Tucker, 43, of Newark, previously pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares to an information charging him with one count of wire fraud and…
Article
April 17, 2018
Man Accused Of Defrauding Seniors Wants Out Of Jail
CHICAGO (CBS) — It’s back to jail, at least for now, for a man accused of defrauding more than 100 Chicago seniors.
CBS 2’s Jim Williams reports a federal judge hasn’t yet decided if Mark Diamond should be released on bond.
Barbara Bailey’s mother was a victim.
She says she wants the man responsible to stay in jail.
“If Mr. Diamond is out, he can still go into the neighborhood or contact people to still scheme and defraud people,” says Bailey.…
Article
April 11, 2018
Bond hearing for man accused of scamming elderly out of homes
CHICAGO -- A man accused of scamming elderly Chicagoans out of their homes was in federal court Thursday for a bond hearing.
Prosecutors want the judge to deny bond for Mark Diamond.
He and an alleged accomplice, Cynthia Wallace, are charged with fraud.
Prosecutors say they conned people into fake reverse mortgages, swindling $10 million.
There are 120 victims, mostly black women on the South and West sides.
Some have died.
Article
April 11, 2018
Five Individuals Charged In Phony Debt Elimination Scheme
NEWARK, N.J. - Five individuals were arrested this morning and charged with using phony money orders, cashier’s checks, receipts and other fabricated documents to fraudulently discharge mortgages, student loans, and other financial obligations, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Melissa Reynolds, 42, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, is charged by complaint with three counts of conspiracy to commit bank and mail fraud, two counts of bank fraud,…
Press release
March 19, 2018
Deloitte & Touche Agrees to Pay $149.5 Million to Settle Claims Arising From Its Audits of Failed Mortgage Lender Taylor, Bean & Whitaker
The Justice Department announced today that Deloitte & Touche LLP has agreed to pay the United States $149.5 million to resolve potential False Claims Act liability arising from Deloitte’s role as the independent outside auditor of Taylor, Bean & Whitaker Mortgage Corp. (TBW), a failed originator of mortgage loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) in the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
“With taxpayer…
Press release
February 28, 2018
Convicted ex-lender who defrauded taxpayers is skimping on victim payments while living large, feds say
Lonnie Brantley Jr. avoided prison by striking a plea deal for lying to federal housing regulators during an investigation into his troubled mortgage lending business.
But almost three years after his 2015 conviction, Brantley is facing the prospect of being locked up. That’s because he has repeatedly dodged his $3.3 million restitution obligation, prosecutors say, while living in a 5,300-square-foot Southlake home, driving luxury vehicles and…
Article
February 28, 2018
Attorney General's Office Charges Five More Individuals with Filing False Applications for Superstorm Sandy Relief Funds
TRENTON – Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal today announced that the Attorney General’s Office and its state and federal partners have charged five new defendants with filing fraudulent applications for federal relief funds related to Superstorm Sandy, bringing the total number of defendants charged by the office in these cases to 109 since March 2014.
“Any fraud against public assistance programs is deplorable, but these thefts were especially…
Press release
February 25, 2018
Former Enfield Community Development Director Charged With Stealing More Than $95,000 From Agency
(Source: courant.com) The former executive director of the Enfield Community Development Corporation, a former quasi-public organization that controlled funding for economic development projects, has been charged with stealing $95,000 in public money from the corporation.
Darrin LaMore, 47, was released on $25,000 bail Friday after his appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge in New Haven. The charge carries a maximum prison term of 10…
Article
February 21, 2018
Former Head on Enfield Community Development Corporation Charged with Stealing Government Funds
John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Patricia M. Ferrick, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Enfield Police Chief Carl Sferrazza today announced that DARRIN LAMORE, 47, of Enfield, has been charged by a federal criminal complaint with stealing government funds from the Enfield Community Development Corporation.
On February 16, 2018, LAMORE appeared…
Press release
February 20, 2018
Essex County Loan Officer Charged With Mortgage Fraud
NEWARK N.J. – A Nutley, New Jersey, man was charged today with using fraudulent documents to deceive his employer into approving a loan, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Richard Patino, 42, is charged by complaint with one count of wire fraud. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Cathy L. Waldor in Newark federal court and was released on bail.
According to the complaint:
Patino was a loan officer with a mortgage…
Press release
February 04, 2018
Defendant Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Defrauding Mortgage Lending Institutions
Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Dirk Hall was sentenced by United States District Judge Eric N. Vitaliano to 41 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud in connection with a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme.
Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the sentencing…
Press release
January 28, 2018