Double-Dealing Duo Sentenced for Mortgage Fraud Scheme

Stephanie Abbott —  January 30, 2026 — Leave a comment

Roberta Leigh Dawson, aka Bird, 63, formerly of Alexandria and current resident of Norlina, North Carolina, and Edward Fitzgerald, 59, Fairfax, Virginia, two former financial services specialists were sentenced for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud affecting financial institutions relating to their unlawful use of client information to obtain loans.

According to court documents, Dawson, was a licensed loan officer with a local mortgage brokerage, and Fitzgerald purported to be a financial advisor with an expertise in real estate transactions and investments. Fitzgerald’s clients provided him with access to their money, financial information, and means of identification.

Fitzgerald passed his clients’ information to Dawson to obtain fraudulent real estate loans. In some instances, Fitzgerald and Dawson sold their victims’ homes without their knowledge, including to straw buyers. They would then strip out the equity and use it to pay their own expenses, among other things. They also used their victims’ personal information without their knowledge to obtain loans in their names and submitted to financial institutions loan applications that were replete with misstatements.

Dawson withdrew hundreds of thousands of dollars of victim cash from accounts she controlled after fraudulently diverting the funds into those accounts. Dawson routinely paid Fitzgerald’s credit card, which he used for extravagant travel, luxury items, and daily expenses, with more than $1 million in funds obtained from the fraud scheme.

Dawson pled guilty on September. 24, 2025, and was sentenced today to two years and six months in prison. Fitzgerald pled guilty on September. 16, 2025, and was sentenced on January 20, 2025, to five years in prison.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Russell L. Carlberg and Annie Zanobini and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Hood for the Eastern District of Virginia and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Pedersen, from Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General, prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 1:25-cr-145.

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Man Pleads Guilty to Mortgage Fraud

Stephanie Abbott —  January 30, 2026 — Leave a comment

Ken Yiu, 49, of New York City, New York, pleaded guilty today to submitting a false mortgage loan application and maintaining a marijuana-involved premises.

According to court records, Yiu, purchased a house in Saint Albans, New York, using an $80,000 residential mortgage loan he obtained from a Maine bank. To receive the funding, Yiu submitted a loan application in which he answered “Yes” to the question, “Do you intend to occupy the property as your primary residence?” Yiu never intended to occupy the property in Saint Albans as a residence. From September 2020 through January 2024, he instead used the property to grow and distribute marijuana.

In December 2024, federal law enforcement agents interviewed Yiu. During the interview, Yiu admitted selling marijuana he grew at his property in Saint Albans to buyers in Massachusetts. A federal search warrant for the property was executed in January 2025. The search confirmed that the property had been used and maintained by Yiu to grow and distribute marijuana.

Yiu faces up to 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million for the mortgage fraud count and 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $500,000 for the drug count. He will be sentenced after the completion of a presentence investigative report by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Neither Yiu nor his property was licensed through the Maine Office of Cannabis Policy.

The FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and IRS Criminal Investigation investigated the case.

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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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Former Mayor and Associate Convicted of Mortgage Fraud

Stephanie Abbott —  January 28, 2026 — Leave a comment

Nathaniel Anderson, 59, New Jersey, a town councilman and the former Mayor of Willingboro, New Jersey, and his business associate Chrisone D. Anderson, 58, Sicklerville, New Jersey, were found guilty yesterday of mortgage fraud in connection with a fraudulent short sale of real estate

According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:

From March 2015 through June 2017, Nathaniel Anderson and Chrisone D. Anderson conspired to orchestrate a fraudulent short sale of a property in Willingboro, New Jersey from Nathaniel Anderson to Chrisone D. Anderson.

As part of the conspiracy to defraud a government-sponsored enterprise to discharge a mortgage obligation on Nathaniel Anderson’s property in Willingboro and to induce a mortgage lending business to issue a new mortgage on the property, Chrisone D. Anderson executed mortgage documents containing materially false representations. These misrepresentations included that the short sale was an arm’s length transaction, that Chrisone D. Anderson did not have a prior business relationship with Nathaniel Anderson, that Nathaniel Anderson would not continue to occupy the property as his residence following the short sale, and that Chrisone D. Anderson would occupy the property as her primary residence.

As a result of the fraudulent short sale, the government-sponsored enterprise discharged Nathaniel Anderson’s mortgage obligation, causing a total loss of over $200,000, and the victim lender issued a new mortgage on the property.

Each were convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, one count of bank fraud, and two counts of making a false statement on a mortgage application.

The jury deliberated for approximately two-and-one-half hours before returning verdicts following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch in Trenton federal court.  A federal grand jury indicted both defendants on August 22, 2024.

The charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, bank fraud, and making false statements on a loan application are each punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $1 million. Sentencing is scheduled for June 1, 2026 before Judge Kirsch.

Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark; and special agents of the Northeast Region of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Robert Manchak, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph McFarlane of the Special Prosecutions Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Trombly, Chief of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.

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New York Men Plead Guilty to Mortgage Fraud

Stephanie Abbott —  January 21, 2026 — Leave a comment

Tony Liang, 37, Brooklyn, New York, and Yongliang Deng, 35, Queens, New York, pleaded guilty today in to conspiring to defraud Maine banks of mortgage funding to buy houses used to illegally cultivate marijuana.

According to court records, Liang orchestrated the conspiracy to fraudulently obtain over half a million dollars in residential mortgage loans from two Maine banks. Liang and co-conspirators used the funds to purchase properties in Bucksport, Eddington, and Canaan, Maine. Throughout the loan application process, Liang emailed and DocuSigned materially false information to the banks, including by creating and submitting fake documentation. Liang and his co-conspirators misrepresented to the banks that the three properties would be used as residences. Instead, each property was used to illegally cultivate and manufacture marijuana.

Liang also pleaded guilty to maintaining a marijuana-involved premises at the Bucksport property. Liang maintained that property from January 2021 through February 2022 for the purpose of manufacturing marijuana, until a severe house fire disrupted the operation. The State Fire Marshal’s Office investigated the fire, discovering the remains of the illegal marijuana grow. The surviving portion of the property was filled with grow materials, chemicals, and high-powered lighting. Charred marijuana plants, processed marijuana, and hydroponics equipment also were found.

Deng provided his personal information and government-issued identification documentation to Liang, who used Deng’s information from November through December 2020 to apply for and obtain a residential mortgage loan from a Maine bank to buy the Eddington property. Deng used his own bank accounts to make the down payment and pay the closing costs required for the purchase, with money received through Liang. Deng granted a mortgage to the Maine bank for the Eddington property. He obtained the mortgage by misrepresenting that he would occupy and use the property as his primary residence. Liang agreed to pay Deng money each month in exchange for Deng nominally holding the property as its owner. In May 2024, federal law enforcement agents interviewed Deng. During the interview, Deng admitted that the property in Eddington was an investment which had been rented out, and that he had never resided there.

Neither defendant nor any property associated with the conspiracy was licensed through the Maine Office of Cannabis Policy.

Liang and Deng each face up to 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of $1 million for the mortgage fraud conspiracy. Liang also faces 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $500,000 for maintaining the marijuana-involved premises. Each defendant will be sentenced after the completion of presentence investigative reports by the U.S. Probation Office. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and IRS-Criminal Investigations investigated the case, with assistance provided by the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office and the Maine Fire Marshal’s Office.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Maine HSTF comprises agents and officers from FBI; HSI; DEA; IRS-Criminal Investigations; U.S. Marshals Service; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Border Patrol; Coast Guard Investigative Service; and Transportation Security Administration, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine.

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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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Ringleader Sentenced in Sweeping Mortgage and Loan Fraud Scheme

Stephanie Abbott —  November 5, 2025 — Leave a comment

Steven Tetsuya Morizono aka Jeff Lucian, 62, Mission Viejo, California, has been ordered to federal prison for leading a sweeping mortgage and loan fraud scheme that defrauded businesses, banks, mortgage lenders and government programs out of millions of dollars,

At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Morizono recruited his brother-in-law, Albert Lim aka Ted Chen, 56, Mission Viejo, California, and longtime friend David Best, 62, Anaheim, California, to participate in the scheme. Together, they operated through a company called Jeff Funding, which carried out a nationwide fraud involving falsified loan applications, shell companies, straw buyers and fraudulent credit repair services connected to numerous homes in Spring.

The group had recruited individuals with poor credit scores, falsely reported identity theft to inflate their credit histories and submitted fraudulent pay stubs to secure personal loans. Once the loans were approved, Morizono and others skimmed the proceeds, leaving clients burdened by unmanageable debt.

They also used straw buyers to acquire homes, collecting millions in rent and pandemic-era assistance while failing to pay the mortgages which resulted in foreclosures.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the group expanded their fraud to target federal relief programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loans, submitting hundreds of falsified applications.

The conspiracy, which dates back to 2017, has led to the convictions of 17 individuals, including mortgage brokers Heather Campos 46, and Kimberli Ann Tomman, Spring, Texas and multiple straw buyers.

Campos and Best fled after indictment, but authorities arrested them in Utah.

Campos acted as a recruiter and mortgage broker for the scheme and managed the Jeff Funding office in Spring, Texas.  She was sentenced to 94 months. Lim, who acted as the bookkeeper and created fake documents for the scheme, received a sentence of 84 months, while Best was ordered to serve a 60-month-term of imprisonment for setting up numerous shell companies and acting as a straw buyer on numerous properties.

Morizono, Campos, Lim and Best have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Morizono pleaded guilty March 5, 2024, to 34 counts to include conspiracy to commit bank fraud, wire fraud, mortgage fraud and conspiracy to make false statements to the Federal Trade Commission and obstruction of an official proceeding.

U.S. District Judge Keith P. Ellison has sentenced Morizono to a total of 121 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

In handing down the sentence, the court described Morizono’s conduct as “deeply troubling and absolutely corrupt.” Restitution will be determined at a later date.

The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

“This wasn’t just paperwork fraud, this was a calculated and opportunistic nationwide scheme designed to manipulate mortgage lenders, banks and people with poor credit histories, for personal gain,” said Ganjei. “These criminals exploited every opportunity — from banks to the housing market to the pandemic – to enrich themselves at the expense of taxpayers, banks, and honest Americans.”

“The sentencings in this case send a clear message that mortgage fraud will not be tolerated,” said Special Agent in Charge Korey Brinkman of the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General. “Those who defraud the government-sponsored enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, put our housing finance system at risk. FHFA-OIG is proud to work with the Southern District of Texas and our investigative partners to diligently pursue and bring to justice those commit these crimes.”

The FHFA-OIG conducted the investigation with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, IRS – Criminal Investigation, Small Business Administration – OIG, Department of Housing and Urban Development – OIG and Federal Trade Commission – OIG. U.S. Marshals Service and FBI assisted in apprehending fugitives along with police departments in South Jordan, Riverton and Herriman, Utah; Colorado City/Hilldale, Arizona; and Virginia State Police.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kate Suh and Jay Hileman prosecuted the case.

 

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Conviction for Mortgage Fraud Scheme for Former NASA Employee and Husband

Stephanie Abbott —  September 12, 2025 — Leave a comment

Noreen Khan aka Noreen Khan-Mayberry, 52, and Christopher Mayberry, her husband, 53, Missouri City, Texas have admitted to their roles in orchestrating a fraudulent financing and refinancing mortgage loan scheme.

Both pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy for making false statements to loan businesses in relation to several mortgage loans they financed. Khan had been a technical manager for NASA, while a NASA contractor had employed Mayberry.

Beginning in 2016, Mayberry and Khan, while employed at NASA, took out significant personal loans to fund the purchase of their luxury home before quickly defaulting on them.

The couple attempted to dispute the debts, claiming to be victims of identity theft. Khan filed a false police report, submitted a false report to the Federal Trade Commission and sent letters to credit bureaus seeking to have loans removed from her credit.

As part of the scheme, the couple signed three separate loan agreements with mortgage lenders related to the financing of their home from 2017 to 2021.

They also admitted to providing false employment information and fake documents, including pay stubs, tax forms and account statements, to lenders.

Khan and Mayberry face up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine in addition to the possible forfeiture of their luxury home. They must also pay restitution in the amount of $276,709 prior to sentencing, which is set for December 18,2025 before U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge.

Both were permitted to remain on bond pending that hearing.

The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

NASA’s Office of Inspector General-Office of Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Winter is prosecuting the case.

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Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Fraudulently Obtaining $1.2 Million in Mortgages

Stephanie Abbott —  September 8, 2025 — Leave a comment

Edward James Mitchell Jr., also known as Musa Muhammad, 37, St. Louis, Missiouri, was sentenced on Monday to five years in prison for fraudulently obtaining home mortgages totaling more than $1.2 million. He was also ordered to repay a total of $482,096 to lenders for their losses.

Mitchell, participated in four fraudulent home mortgages from October 2021 through November 2023. Mitchell’s company, Home Team Solutions LLC, purchased three homes in St. Louis, Missiouri and one in Florissant, Missiouri. Mitchell then pretended to be one of his relatives to “buy” two of the homes, submitting fraudulent mortgage loan applications and false employment and financial information and using his relative’s Social Security number and birthdate. He bought another home himself and sold another to his paramour, again submitting false or fraudulent documents.

The total value of the loans was $1,226,550. All the lenders suffered losses due to Mitchell’s fraud. One home was sold at a discount. Another was sold in a foreclosure sale. A third was sold in a short sale.

“The Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG)  carefully investigates allegations of mortgage fraud involving the government-sponsored enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac,” said Korey Brinkman, Special Agent in Charge of FHFA-OIG’s Central Region. “We are proud to work with our partners in this investigation.”

Mitchell pleaded guilty in April in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one felony count of bank fraud.

In October 2023, Mitchell legally changed his name to Musa Muhammad.

The FBI and the Federal Housing Finance Agency Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman prosecuted the case.

 

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A.G. Sues Operators of Foreclosure Scam Targeting Elderly Arizonans

Stephanie Abbott —  August 25, 2025 — Leave a comment

Edward Trenton Albarracin (aka Trenton Edwards) and Gretchen Marie Zamjahn (aka Gretchen Edwards), along with more than 50 entities they controlled, have a had a lawsuit filed against them for allegedly running a predatory real estate scheme that stripped vulnerable homeowners of their property.

The defendants operated under several misleading names such as “Hands with Hope,” advertising themselves as professionals who could “rescue” homeowners from foreclosure.

According to the complaint, their promises were a lie. Instead of helping homeowners in need, Albarracin and Zamjahn tricked them into signing over the deeds to their homes.

Details of scheme:

  • The defendants contacted homeowners facing foreclosure and offered to bring their mortgages current so they could remain in their homes.
  • Victims were told they needed to “temporarily” transfer the deed into a trust.
  • In reality, those deeds were transferred to deceptively named shell LLCs such as “Lupo Family Trust, LLC,” which were entirely controlled by Albarracin.
  • Albarracin signed the deeds on behalf of the companies, while Zamjahn illegally notarized the transactions, despite having a direct financial interest as his spouse.
  • Victims were further misled and pressured to file false bankruptcy or probate cases to prolong the scam.

Attorney General Kris Mayes made the announcement today.

“These scammers pretended to offer a lifeline to homeowners in crisis — but in reality, they were stealing people’s homes out from under them,” said Attorney General Mayes. “This scheme specifically targeted elderly Arizonans who were already struggling, and it used lies, shell companies, and even illegal notarizations to pull it off. Let me be clear: anyone who tries to profit by exploiting vulnerable Arizonans will be held accountable by my office.”

Attorney General Mayes’ lawsuit alleges unfair practices under the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act and exploitation of vulnerable adults under the Adult Protective Services Act. The complaint also seeks to void any transactions improperly notarized by Zamjahn.

Given the scope of the fraud and concerns over the defendant’s’ financial situation, Attorney General Mayes also sought an emergency receivership over all of Albarracin and Zamjahn’s assets. On August 20,2025 Judge Scott Minder granted the request and appointed Peter Davis as receiver to secure the defendants’ real estate, vehicles, and cash accounts.

Evidence presented to the court also showed that Albarracin, who recently suffered a series of strokes following a cancer diagnosis, may himself now be vulnerable to financial exploitation by others, furthering the need of a receivership.

Attorney General Mayes is seeking restitution for victim, civil penalties against the real estate operators, and a permanent injunction preventing Albarracin and Zamjahn from buying or selling real estate in Arizona ever again.

Attorney General Mayes also urges Arizonans to come forward if they believe they have been approached by strangers offering to buy their home or pressured to sign over their deed.

“I will go after any scam artists targeting homeowners, especially those targeting vulnerable adults and senior citizens” said Attorney General Mayes. “I urge anyone who believes they’ve been victimized to contact my office immediately.”

The case, State of Arizona v. Edward Trenton Albarracin, Gretchen Zamjahn, et al., No. CV2025-029139, is being handled by Senior Litigation Counsel Shane Ham and Assistant Attorneys General Liza Lawson and Suzanne Pendergast of the Consumer Protection and Advocacy Section.

 

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