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Posted July 5, 2010
 
PRESS RELEASE
 
Eleven, Including Haiti Natives, Indicted In Mortgage Fraud Ring
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 16, 2008 WWW.USDOJ.GOV/USAO/MA

CONTACT: CHRISTINA DiIORIO-STERLING
PHONE: (617)748-3356
E-MAIL: USAMA.MEDIA@USDOJ.GOV

ELEVEN INDICTED IN MORTGAGE FRAUD RING

BOSTON, MA - Eleven individuals from Massachusetts and elsewhere were indicted by the federal grand jury yesterday on conspiracy and other charges relating to a large-scale mortgage fraud scheme.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan, Warren T. Bamford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New England Field Division, Randy S. Miskanic, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Tyrone G. Barney, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service – Boston Field Office, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and Boston Police Commissioner Edward Davis jointly announced today that the following individuals have been charged in an Indictment alleging Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, 41 counts of Wire Fraud, 19 counts of Money Laundering, and 5 counts of Aggravated Identity Theft:

ERIC L. LEVINE, age 55, a suspended attorney living at 20 Ogden Street, Brookline, MA; 1 Count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty: 5 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, 3 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)
41 Counts of Wire Fraud (Maximum penalty for each count: 20 years imprisonment, $1 million fine, 5 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)
19 Counts of Money Laundering
(Maximum penalty for each count: 10 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, 3 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)

J. DANIEL LINDLEY, age 59, a practicing attorney living at 120 Bynner Street, Jamaica Plain, MA;
1 Count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty: 5 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, 3 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)
41 Counts of Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty for each count: 20 years imprisonment, $1 million fine, 5 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)
19 Counts of Money Laundering
(Maximum penalty for each count: 10 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, 3 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)

ERNST APPOLON, age 28, a real estate and mortgage broker living at 800 West Street, Braintree, MA;
1 Count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty: 5 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, 3 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)
34 Counts of Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty for each count: 20 years imprisonment, $1 million fine, 5 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)
1 Count of Money Laundering
(Maximum penalty for each count: 10 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, 3 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)

ANDRE JUNIOR LAMERIQUE, age 25, a mortgage broker formerly living at 288 North Main St., Sharon, MA;
1 Count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty: 5 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, 3 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)
33 Counts of Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty for each count: 20 years imprisonment, $1 million fine, 5 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)

WIDNER LAMARRE, age 34, a mortgage broker living at 37 Claremount Avenue, Brockton, MA;
1 Count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty: 5 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, 3 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)
18 Counts of Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty for each count: 20 years imprisonment, $1 million fine, 5 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)

RALPH APPOLON, age 27, a mortgage broker living at 20 Watertown Street, Watertown, MA;
1 Count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty: 5 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, 3 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)
4 Counts of Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty for each count: 20 years imprisonment, $1 million fine, 5 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)

DANIEL APPOLON, age 21, a mortgage company employee living in Massachusetts;
1 Count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty: 5 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, 3 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)
6 Counts of Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty for each count: 20 years imprisonment, $1 million fine, 5 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)

JERMAINE BLAKE, age 21, a mortgage broker living at 636 River Street, Mattapan, MA;
1 Count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty: 5 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, 3 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)
13 Counts of Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty for each count: 20 years imprisonment, $1 million fine, 5 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)

JEAN NORISCAT, age 33, living at 570 Willard Street, Quincy, MA;
1 Count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty: 5 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, 3 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)
10 Counts of Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty for each count: 20 years imprisonment, $1 million fine, 5 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)
5 Counts of Aggravated Identity Theft
(Carries a mandatory sentence of 2 years imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence imposed)

SAMUEL JEAN-LOUIS, age 23, a mortgage broker living at 15604 E. 4th Avenue, N. Miami, FL;
1 Count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty: 5 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, 3 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)
9 Counts of Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty for each count: 20 years imprisonment, $1 million fine, 5 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)

LATOYA HALTIWANGER, age 26, a mortgage broker living at 2619 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA
1 Count of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty: 5 years imprisonment, $250,000 fine, 3 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment)
7 Counts of Wire Fraud
(Maximum penalty for each count: 20 years imprisonment, $1 million fine, 5 years supervised release, and $100 special assessment). The Indictment also contains allegations for the forfeiture of illegal proceeds and property related to the fraudulent scheme. All defendants except for

DANIEL APPOLON and SAMUEL JEAN-LOUIS were arrested by federal agents beginning at 6:00 am today. The Indictment alleges that from May of 2005 through June of 2006, the defendants fraudulently obtained more than $10.6 million from real estate mortgage lenders, using nominal or “straw” borrowers and stolen identifications.

The Indictment further alleges that the defendants used fraudulent loan applications which grossly inflated the purchase prices of properties, misrepresented the identification of the borrowers and their income or employment, as well as other information. According to the Indictment, the scheme defrauded 10 mortgage lenders in connection with 21 properties in the Boston area. The mortgages on all of the properties have gone into default and many of the properties have been foreclosed.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan said, “Today’s Indictment charges professionals in the mortgage industry, including attorneys and mortgage brokers, who are alleged to have conducted a large-scale fraudulent scheme. It is schemes like the one charged today that have contributed to the current credit crisis in the real estate market.” Sullivan concluded, “The victims of these types of crimes are not only the lenders who have lost millions of dollars, but the homeowners and neighborhoods whose property values were fraudulently inflated, resulting in homes being abandoned by borrowers who never intended to occupy the residences. Mortgage fraud schemes of this nature make it more difficult for honest home owners to purchase or finance their homes. This investigation and today’s arrests today are the result of an excellent cooperative effort among federal and state law enforcement agencies.”

Warren T. Bamford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - New England Field Division stated, “Mortgage fraud is an escalating problem in the United States with no segment of the real estate market protected. Combating mortgage fraud is a priority for the FBI because mortgage lending and the housing market have a significant overall effect on the nation’s economy. The FBI will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to combat this growing epidemic.”

Tyrone G. Barney, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation stated that, “These types of crimes create a significant loss of tax revenue, drive buyers into foreclosure, leave lenders burdened with bad loans and neighborhoods with abandoned and deteriorating properties. IRS-CI is committed to pursuing these important investigations with our law enforcement partners.”

Randy S. Miskanic, Inspector in Charge, US Postal Inspection Service said, “The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is committed to protecting American consumers from misuse of the mails. Combating these frauds is a significant priority for our agency. The unscrupulous acts of these individuals have a devastating impact on consumers, lenders and the nation’s economy. We are pleased to join our law enforcement partners in pursuit of those individuals or groups who commit mortgage fraud.”

“If the individuals accused of this crime knowingly preyed on our neighborhoods they should be punished to the full extent of the law. The impacts of these treacherous acts are going to be with us for a long time. Many of these buildings are now abandoned and vacant and the citizens of Boston are stuck cleaning up this mess. In Boston, we have worked too hard to make our neighborhoods thriving places to live. I appreciate the hard work done in this investigation by the Boston Police and our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigations and everyone else involved. I hope there are more indictments on the way,” Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino.

Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis said, “This scheme came to light during the course of a homicide investigation. In a very real way, this activity leads to the deterioration of our neighborhoods. Public safety is adversely affected and illegal activity will take hold. I would like to commend the remarkable work done by all of our law enforcement partners. The impressive and comprehensive way investigators uncovered this illegal activity should be applauded.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Postal Inspection Service, and Internal Revenue Service, with assistance from the Boston Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Victor A. Wild and Ryan M. DiSantis of Sullivan’s Economic Crimes Unit and Kristina Barclay of Sullivan’s Asset Forfeiture Unit. The details contained in the indictments are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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RELATED TEXT: Federal Jury Convicts Five, Including Haiti Natives, Involved in Mortgage Fraud Ring
                                                             
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