Darin John Henecke, 37, Pocatello, Idaho, and Karen DeWall Shaw, 59, Chubbuck, Idaho, pleaded guilty in United States District Court to making false statements to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a misdemeanor.
The charge is punishable by up to one year in prison or five years’ probation, a maximum fine of $100,000, and up to one year of supervised release.
According to plea agreements filed in the case, on March 13, 2009, Henecke obtained a residential loan to finance the purchase of a residence in Eagle, Idaho. The loan application submitted in support of the loan falsely represented that his co-borrower had employment income of $2,400 per month, when in fact she had no income. The lender relied upon this information in funding the loan, which was guaranteed by HUD. Shortly after the loan was funded, it went into default and foreclosure, causing HUD to sustain a loss. When interviewed by investigators, Henecke admitted that he knew false employment information was submitted to obtain the loan. He agreed to pay restitution of $42,905.
Shaw admitted during an interview with investigators in April 2011, that she assisted in the fraud by providing false employment information in order for the borrowers to qualify for the loan. According to the plea agreement, false documents included payroll checks, check stubs, a general employment contract, and employee confidentiality agreement. Shaw also agreed to pay $42,905 in restitution.
Henecke and Shaw are scheduled to be sentenced on September 25, 2013, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald E. Bush at the federal courthouse in Pocatello, Idaho.
U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced the guilty pleas.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG).
