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Title Company Owner Sentenced for Embezzlement

Stephanie Abbott —  January 29, 2026 — Leave a comment

Jonathan Yasko, 46, Winter Springs, was sentenced for embezzlement.

According to court documents, Yasko owned or controlled various title companies that conducted real estate settlement services and issued title insurance policies on behalf of title insurance underwriters. Each of Yasko’s title companies was required to deposit the funds it received from the lenders, buyers, and homeowners into an escrow account to segregate these monies from its own funds and were also legally required to disburse the lender’s funds in the manner specified in the instructions sent by the financial institutions. Yasko’s title companies also had a fiduciary duty to the financial institutions and were required to act in the best interests of the party providing the funds, rather than using these funds for its own self-interest.

From January 2021 through August 2023, Yasko engaged in a scheme to defraud financial institutions through the use of interstate wires. As part of his scheme, Yasko promised to keep the financial institution’s funds segregated in escrow accounts prior to closing in according with Florida law; promised to disburse the financial institution’s funds that were sent via interstate wire transfers affecting interstate commerce in accordance with the financial institution’s closing instructions; initiated fraudulent interstate wire transfers of the lender funds from the segregated escrow accounts to other escrow accounts that had insufficient funds to conduct separate closings; and initiated fraudulent interstate wire transfers of lender funds from the segregated escrow accounts to Yasko’s title company operating accounts for illicit purposes and embezzled mortgage lenders funds, which prevented the real estate settlements from taking place. As a result, the title insurance underwriter paid out settlements to the victim financial institutions. Numerous botched real estate closings involved mortgage loans purchased or owned by Freddie Mac.

In exchange for his role in the scheme to defraud, Yasko also received ill-gotten title insurance premiums. Yasko has agreed to forfeit $201,004.57, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.

Yasko has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge Julie S. Sneed to 27 months in federal prison for wire fraud. Yasko pleaded guilty on May 22, 2025. U.S. Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

 

This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.

 

 

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Woman Sentenced For Role In Mortgage Fraud Conspiracy

Stephanie Abbott —  November 14, 2025 — Leave a comment

Angel Jackson, 45, Astatula, Florida, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

According to court documents, Jackson and others conspired to create and execute a mortgage fraud scheme targeting financial institutions. To ensure that otherwise unqualified borrowers obtained mortgage loans from financial institutions, Jackson created fictitious and fraudulent paystubs that falsely indicated that the borrowers worked at particular companies for certain periods of time and earned income that they did not. Further, Jackson altered legitimate Social Security benefit letters to reflect exaggerated monthly disability income. She also altered bank statements to show falsely inflated account balances.

Jackson pleaded guilty on February 10, 2025.

This case was investigated by Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.

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Title Company Owner Pleads Guilty To Wire Fraud

Stephanie Abbott —  May 30, 2025 — Leave a comment

Jonathan Yasko, 46, Winter Springs, Florida has pleaded guilty to wire fraud.

According to the court documents, Yasko owned or controlled various title companies that conducted real estate settlement services and issued title insurance policies on behalf of title insurance underwriters. Each of Yasko’s title companies was required to deposit the funds it received from the lenders, buyers, and homeowners into an escrow account to segregate these monies from its own funds. The title companies were also legally required to disburse the lender’s funds in the manner specified in the instructions sent by the financial institutions. Yasko’s title companies also had a fiduciary duty to the financial institutions and were required to act in the best interests of the party providing the funds, rather than using these funds for its own self-interest.

From January 2021 through August 2023, Yasko engaged in a scheme to defraud financial institutions using interstate wires. As part of his scheme, Yasko promised to keep the financial institution’s funds segregated in escrow accounts prior to closing in according with Florida law. He also promised to disburse the financial institution’s funds that were sent via interstate wire transfers in accordance with the financial institution’s closing instructions. Yasko initiated fraudulent interstate wire transfers of the lender funds from the segregated escrow accounts to other escrow accounts that had insufficient funds to conduct separate closings and initiated fraudulent interstate wire transfers of lender funds from the segregated escrow accounts to Yasko’s title company operating accounts for illicit purposes such as paying off personal credit cards, home renovation expenses, and payments to personal credit cards. Yasko embezzled the mortgage lenders funds, which prevented the real estate settlement from taking place. As a result, the title insurance underwriter paid out settlements to the victim financial institutions. Several of the botched real estate closings involved mortgage loans purchased or owned by Freddie Mac.

In exchange for his role in the scheme, Yasko also received ill-gotten title insurance premiums. Yasko has agreed to forfeit $201,004.57, the proceeds of the charged criminal conduct.

Yasko faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

United States Attorney Gregory W. Kehoe made the announcement.

This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.

 

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Man Sentenced In Quit Claim Deed Fraud Scheme

Stephanie Abbott —  May 13, 2025 — Leave a comment

John Alberto Stolard, 48, Wesley Chapel, Florida, has been sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud involving quit claim deeds.

According to court records, Stolard obtained fraudulent quit claim deeds in connection with five different properties—all owned by a victim Stolard had worked with and knew personally. Stolard obtained $827,000 in fraud proceeds by obtaining mortgages on five properties he did not actually own through fraudulent quit claim deeds he filed with the Hillsborough County Clerk of Court. Stolard and a co-conspirator forged the victim-owner’s name on quit claim deeds and then filed these fraudulent deeds with the court. Using the fraudulent deeds, Stolard applied online for mortgage loans, using the victims’ properties as collateral, and ultimately obtained $827,000 in mortgage loans.

The court also ordered Stolard to forfeit $747,388.30, which are traceable to Stolard’s proceeds from the offense. Stolard pleaded guilty on October 3, 2024.

U.S. Secret Service, Tampa Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Robert Engel stated, “Through our investigation, we uncovered how selfish greed nearly caused devastating financial losses for an innocent victim. Mr. Stolard epitomized the betrayal of trust, abusing his position to steal over $800,000 in property while fraudulently posing as the rightful owner. Thanks to the men and women of our Tampa Field Office, the United States Attorney’s Office, and our partners at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office for their swift and dedicated work. We are pleased that justice was served.”

This case was investigated by the United States Secret Service and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie.

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Real Estate Broker Sentenced For Mortgage Fraud

Stephanie Abbott —  April 30, 2025 — Leave a comment

Maria Del Carmen Montes, 48, Kissimmee, Florida has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for bank fraud.

According to court documents, Montes, co-conspirator Carlos Ferrer, and others created and executed a mortgage fraud scheme targeting financial institutions. Montes assisted clients with purchasing homes and, after signing the real estate contract, referred her buyers to a loan officer at a mortgage company. In order to qualify her clients for mortgage loans for which they were unqualified, Montes transferred the personal identifying and financial information of her clients to Ferrer and directed Ferrer to create fictitious paystubs and W-2s showing false earnings and length of employment for her clients, knowing that her clients never worked for the companies on the fictitious employment documents. After Ferrer created the documents, Montes submitted the fictitious paystubs and W-2s to the financial institutions who relied on them when making underwriting decisions.

On August 13, 2024, Ferrer was sentenced to four months’ imprisonment and ordered to serve three years of supervised release for his role in the case.

Montes pleaded guilty on January 4, 2024.

This case was investigated by the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Chris Poor.

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Nigerian National Extradited for Mortgage Fraud Scheme

Stephanie Abbott —  March 7, 2025 — Leave a comment

Okechukwu Josiah Odunna, 60, Abuja, Nigeria made his initial appearance in a federal court in Miami, where he is accused of playing a key role in a fraud scheme in which he fraudulently obtained loans in connection with the fraudulent purchases of approximately 20 residential properties in Florida. This plot resulted in the loss of about $8 million to U.S. financial institutions, the Justice Department announced today.

According to the indictment, between December 2005 to approximately May 2008, Odunna and his co-conspirators devised a scheme to defraud and to obtain money by making false representations and material omissions to U.S. banking institutions. As part of the scheme, Odunna and his co-conspirators would, among other things: submit false and fraudulent loan applications and documents to financial institutions relating to purchases of residential properties, resulting in lenders loaning out more money than they otherwise would. These false statements to the lenders included false names of the persons who would be borrowing the money to purchase the properties, falsely inflated sale prices that were much higher than the true prices and false details regarding the receipt and disbursement of funds in connection with the purchases of the properties.

Odunna, who was a licensed attorney at the time, was also one of the directors of Direct Title and Escrow Services, Inc. (DTES). Odunna was the settlement agent in approximately 20 fraudulent closings of property purchases. To disguise the fraud, Odunna and his co-conspirators provided sellers and lenders with two different settlement statements, which included false information and omitted information regarding the sale price, the identity of the purchaser, and the receipt and the disbursement of funds.

Odunna faces charges of wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution. Odunna was arrested on September 24, 2024, by Nigerian authorities pursuant to a U.S. extradition request. Nigerian authorities extradited Odunna to the Southern District of Florida on March 6, after he waived extradition. He has remained incarcerated since his arrest. Odunna is scheduled to appear at his pretrial detention and arraignment hearings on March 11 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman.

Odunna’s co-conspirators, charged in the same indictment, included Karl Oreste, Marie Lucie Tondreau and Kelly Augustin. Oreste pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 100 months in prison. Tondreau, who was the former Mayor of North Miami, was convicted at trial. She was sentenced to 65 months in prison. Augustin remains a fugitive.

If convicted, Odunna faces up to 30 years in prison on the conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution charge and up to 30 years in prison on the wire fraud affecting a financial institution charge. Each count also carries the possibility of a fine and supervised release upon completion of any prison sentence. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Hayden P. O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida, Acting Special Agent in Charge Brett Skiles of the FBI Miami Field Office, and Commissioner Russell C. Weigel, III, of the Florida Office of Financial Regulation (OFR), made the announcement.

The FBI Miami and OFR are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided significant assistance in securing the arrest and extradition of Odunna. The United States also thanks the FBI International Operations Division, Africa Unit Legal Attaché Office, Abuja, Nigeria, Ministry of Justice, Central Authority Unit, Nigeria, and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Nigeria for their valuable assistance.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ana Maria Martinez is prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daren Grove is handling asset forfeiture.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 14-cr-20349.

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Businessman Sentenced for Bilking Elderly Homeowners in Reverse Mortgage Scheme

Stephanie Abbott —  January 16, 2025 — Leave a comment

Mark Steven Diamond ,68, Chicago, Illinois, a businessman was sentenced today to more than 17 years in federal prison for bilking elderly homeowners in a reverse mortgage and home repair scheme.

Diamond schemed with others to induce homeowners to unwittingly obtain reverse mortgage loans to pay for purported home repairs that Diamond offered to perform.  Diamond and the co-schemers targeted elderly victims in the Chicago area based on the amount of equity in their homes and their relative lack of financial sophistication.  In some instances, Diamond concealed from the homeowners that they were applying for reverse mortgage loans by falsely representing that they needed to sign certain documents to start the repair work, when, in fact, the documents that Diamond caused them to sign were related to applying for the loan.  After the loans were approved and originated by co-schemers, Diamond fraudulently pocketed the loan proceeds and often failed to perform any repairs.

Diamond pleaded guilty last year to a federal charge of wire fraud affecting a financial institution.  In addition to the 205-month prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Franklin U. Valderrama ordered Diamond to pay $2.7 million in restitution.

All four co-schemers charged in the investigation – loan originators Gary Bohn, Hoffman Estates, Ill., and Matthew Fefferman, Munster, Indiana., Diamond’s employee Cynthia Wallace, Sauk Village, Illinois., and title agency owner Forrest C. Fawcett, Fort Lauderdale, Florida – previously pleaded guilty and admitted their roles in the fraud. They are awaiting sentencing.

The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, Rae Oliver Davis, Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of the Inspector General, Douglas S. DePodesta, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI, and Kwame Raoul, Illinois Attorney General. The government was represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Netols and Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Kelly.

“Mark Diamond repeatedly preyed on the elderly for years,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Pasqual.  “He damaged the most vulnerable in our community, both financially and personally. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold accountable anyone who seeks to deceive elderly homeowners through fraud.”

“Diamond’s scheme defrauded more than 100 elderly and vulnerable homeowners, preying upon their trust and devastating them financially,” said HUD-OIG Inspector General Davis.  “His sentencing today is a sobering reminder of the unique harm caused by predatory reverse mortgage schemes.  These egregious criminal acts will not be tolerated, and my agency will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to hold other individuals like Diamond accountable for their actions.”

“The reverse mortgage fraud scheme perpetrated by the defendant preyed on some of the most vulnerable Chicagoans,” said FBI Chicago SAC DePodesta.  “Combatting white-collar crime stands as a foremost priority for the FBI.  With the assistance of our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate and dismantle financial fraud schemes aimed at harming members of our community.”

“Many of these victims were older homeowners who worked and saved their entire their lives, and their only mistake was trusting an individual who specifically targeted them to be victims of his scam,” said Attorney General Raoul.  “My office is proud to partner with the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General in Chicago, and the Chicago Field Office of the FBI to obtain a degree of justice for the victims who were defrauded.  This sentence underscores the importance of the state-federal law enforcement collaborations that support my office’s work to hold accountable individuals who prey upon our most vulnerable residents.”

 

 

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Brooklyn Business Owner Convicted of Fraud Scheme

Stephanie Abbott —  November 22, 2024 — Leave a comment

Avraham Tarshish (also known as “Avi Tarshish”), 45, Queens Village, New York was found guilty yesterday for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, and related wire fraud counts, in connection with a scheme to defraud mortgage loan holders, including the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) and other mortgage lending businesses.

The defendant was an employee of My Ideal Property Inc. and an owner of Exclusive Homes Realty Group, Inc., Exclusive Homes NY, LLC and Homeowners Solutions Group LTD, Queens- and Brooklyn, New York based companies formed to buy and sell real property.  As proven at trial, between March 2013 and November 2018, the defendant and others conspired to defraud mortgage lenders, misleading them into approving short sale transactions at fraudulently depressed prices.  In a short sale, with the approval of the mortgage lender or servicer, a mortgage loan borrower sells his or her property for less than the outstanding balance of the mortgage loan.  The proceeds from the short sale, less approved closing costs, are applied to the outstanding mortgage loan balance owed to the lender, who typically agrees to forgive the borrower’s remaining mortgage loan balance.  Here, the defendant fraudulently manipulated the short sale process and immediately flipped properties for prices well above the short sale prices.

Among other things, the defendant and his co-conspirators paid homeowners in foreclosure to lock them in to conducting short sales with them; took steps to preclude other prospective purchasers from making higher offers for properties by failing to market properties as required by the lenders; placed fraudulent liens on properties; and further depressed the properties’ values by removing toilets and plumbing, and causing other forms of property damage—a process that the defendant and his co-conspirators referred to as making the homes “pretty.”  In furtherance of the scheme, the defendant and his co-conspirators also provided the mortgage lenders and servicers with false and misleading information in transaction documents and failed to disclose either payments made to the borrower and others related to short sale or contemporaneous agreements to transfer the properties at inflated prices.  Many of the affected mortgage loans were insured by the Federal Housing Administration or owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

At trial, the government introduced evidence that the defendant participated in a conspiracy spanning years that involved dozens of fraudulent short sale transactions.  From among those dozens of transactions, the government introduced specific evidence relating to eleven examples of Brooklyn short sales through which the defendant and his co-conspirators defrauded lenders and servicers of more than $2.4 million.

The verdict followed a 12-day trial before Chief United States District Judge Margo K. Brodie.  When sentenced, the defendant faces up to 30 years in prison.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Robert Manchak, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region (FHFA-OIG), Vicky Vazquez, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region (HUD-OIG) and Thomas M. Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI) announced the verdict.

“The defendant defrauded taxpayer-funded mortgage loan holders out of millions of dollars and took advantage of programs designed to help distressed property owners in need,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “Short sale mortgage fraud not only harms lending intuitions, it also depresses real estate values throughout our neighborhoods and prevents community members from gaining fair access to housing.  Today’s guilty verdict should serve as a reminder that my Office, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to vigorously prosecute those who corruptly line their pockets at the expense of mortgage lenders and borrowers.”

Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, New York Field Office (HSI), and the HSI El Dorado Financial Crimes Task Force for their work on the case.

“The defendant and his co-conspirators corrupted a process meant to assist homeowners facing foreclosure. By undermining the integrity of this process, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and other lenders were deprived of millions of dollars,” said Robert Manchak, Special Agent-in-Charge of FHFA-OIG’s Northeast Region. “Today’s verdict demonstrates the resolve of the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General and its law enforcement partners to pursue those who defraud the government-sponsored enterprises.”

“Tarshish and other co-conspirators engaged in a $2.4 million scheme to cause FHA-insured mortgage lenders to approve short sale transactions at fraudulently depressed prices by misrepresenting material information for his own enrichment,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Vicky Vazquez with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG). “No one is above the law. HUD OIG will continue to work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners to investigate individuals who jeopardize the integrity of FHA mortgage programs.”

“In this elaborate scheme to prey on people facing foreclosure and manipulating the mortgage loan system, Tarshish’s fraud resulted in a multi-million dollar loss to his victims.  With this conviction, Tarshish now faces time behind bars where he can longer line his pockets at the expense of his community and their lenders,” said Thomas M. Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of IRS-CI New York.

Co-Defendants Who Previously Pleaded Guilty:

  • Iskyo Aronov (also known as “Isaac Aronov”), 37, Miami, Florida
  • Michael Konstantinovskiy (also known as “Michael Kay”), 38, Rego Park, Queens
  • Tomer Dafna, 53, Great Neck, New York
  • Michael Herskowitz, 45, Brooklyn, New York

When sentenced, Aronov, Konstantinovskiy and Dafna face up to a 30-year max sentence. Herskowitz faces up to a 5-year sentence.

Anyone with information concerning similar mortgage-related fraud can report it by contacting the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General Hotline at 800-793-7724 or via the web at: https://www.fhfaoig.gov/ReportFraud#hotlineform.

In July 2022, Mr. Peace was selected as the Chairperson of the White Collar Fraud subcommittee for the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC).  As the leader of the subcommittee, Mr. Peace plays a key role in making recommendations to the AGAC to facilitate the prevention, investigation and prosecution of various financially motivated, non-violent crimes including bank fraud and wire fraud.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Shannon C. Jones, John Vagelatos, Joshua B. Dugan and Russell Noble are in charge of the prosecution, with the assistance of Paralegal Specialist Liam McNett.  Assistant United States Attorney Tanisha Payne of the Office’s Asset Recovery Section is handling forfeiture matters.

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 19-CR-408 (MKB)

 

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Scheme to Defraud Distressed Homeowners Gets Man Sentenced

Stephanie Abbott —  October 3, 2024 — Leave a comment

Terrylle Blackstone, 37, Woodbridge, Virginia, was sentenced today for participating in a conspiracy that fraudulently promised thousands of homeowners across the U.S. legal help in avoiding foreclosure. The scheme generated at least $15 million for the conspirators but never provided any legal services to the client-victims.

According to court documents, from January 2018 until February 2021, Blackstone worked with attorneys David Maresca of Virginia, Scott Marinelli of New Jersey, and Sam Babbs of Florida. The co-conspirators told homeowners that they operated a “national law firm” based in Washington, D.C.; that attorneys would review the homeowner’s file and provide legal representation to the homeowners; that an attorney in the homeowner’s local area would be assigned to assist them; that the homeowner could meet and consult with those attorneys about the case; and that attorneys in their law firm could help the homeowner, if necessary, file for bankruptcy.

From 2016 until 2019, the conspirators marketed Synergy Law with telephone, television, and internet advertising which told homeowners that attorneys at Maresca and Marinelli’s Synergy Law (Synergy) in Manassas could help them avoid foreclosure. During 2018 and 2019, bankruptcy judges, Synergy clients, and the U.S. Trustee’s Program raised concerns about Synergy’s practices in bankruptcy matters. Blackstone attended court hearings on behalf of Synergy where he made false statements to the court about the firm’s operations. In early 2019, Marinelli was incarcerated in Pennsylvania. Yet Blackstone, Maresca, Marinelli, and others continued to operate Synergy and collect monthly payments purportedly for legal services. During this time, there was no attorney who was a member of Synergy who could practice law. Synergy never had attorneys review all homeowner files and Synergy never had attorneys contact a client’s lender to discuss a mortgage resolution. They also continued to use the interstate wires to operate their “law firm” in ways that were essential to the scheme, such as soliciting clients by telephone.

From 2019 until at least 2022, the conspirators marketed another firm, Themis Law, with television and website advertising which told homeowners that attorneys with Themis could help them avoid foreclosure. Themis operated a call center at an office in Manassas, Virginia. Call center workers used scripts during their phone calls with homeowners in which Themis falsely promised that an attorney would review the homeowner’s case file; that this attorney knew their lender’s “internal guidelines” for a “mortgage resolution”; and that an assigned “legal team” would contact the homeowner’s lender to negotiate a resolution. Themis required homeowner-clients to pay an initial retainer amount followed by a monthly recurring amount for as long as the firm represented the homeowner. When Themis clients faced imminent foreclosure, Themis advised those clients to consider filing for bankruptcy to save their home and referred the clients to Babbs at the Babbs Law Firm. Those clients then signed a new retainer agreement and paid additional fees to Babbs.

During his dates of employment at Synergy Law and Themis Law, Blackstone received no less than $159,145.35 in direct payments from the companies. Judge Moss ordered that Blackstone pay a forfeiture money judgment in that amount.

The sentence was announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Special Agent in Charge Kareem Carter of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C. Field Office.

Blackstone pleaded guilty on June 6, 2024, to a count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and wire fraud before U.S District Court Judge Randolph D. Moss. In addition to the prison term, Judge Moss ordered Blackstone to serve three years of supervised release and pay $159,145.35 in restitution.

This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Washington, D.C. Field Office of IRS-CI.

It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Borchert.

 

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Man Arrested For Defrauding Federal Criminal Forfeiture

Stephanie Abbott —  August 21, 2024 — Leave a comment

Levelle Joseph Harris, 38, Kissimmee, Florida, was arrested on an indictment charging him with four counts of wire fraud.

According to court documents, between February 7, 2022, and January 31, 2023, Harris devised a scheme to defraud by obtaining a mortgage through false representations. Harris then used the proceeds from the fraudulently obtained mortgage to purchase a residence that was subject to federal criminal forfeiture. Harris fraudulently obtained more than $650,000 as part of the scheme.

If convicted, Harris faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each count. Harris is also facing a forfeiture order of $651,432, a sum which represents the total amount of proceeds obtained by Harris from the wire fraud scheme. A federal grand jury had indicted Harris on August 6, 2024.

United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg made the announcement.

An indictment is merely an allegation that a defendant has committed a federal criminal offense. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Hannah Nowalk. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Harrington is handling the forfeiture.

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