Mortgage Broker and Real Estate Developer Indicted in $19.6M Mortgage Fraud February 13, 2010
Posted by jefhenninger in News.Tags: Mortgage Fraud
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A federal grand jury in San Francisco indicted Michael Ohayon and David Papera with conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering.
According to the indictment, Ohayon and Papera are alleged to have recruited thirteen straw buyers who used their good credit scores to obtain more than $19.6 million in fraudulent residential mortgage loans from Washington Mutual Bank, with no intention of making either down payments or mortgage payments on the properties. The indictment further alleges that Ohayon, with Papera’s knowledge, told the straw buyers that an entity controlled by Ohayon and Papera would use the loan proceeds to make the down payments and mortgage payments. Ohayon and Papera created and submitted to Washington Mutual Bank loan applications with numerous misstatements as to the straw buyers’ income and assets.
Former Village Clerk Charged with Embezzlement February 13, 2010
Posted by jefhenninger in News.Tags: embezzlement
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Shea Howard of North Freedom, Wisconsin, has been charged with embezzlement via an Information filed in U.S. District Court in Madison. The Government alleges that Howard, while employed as the Village Clerk for the Village of Rock Springs, Wis., embezzled approximately $9,250 of funds. No other information was released.
Confusion over split verdict in Leona Beldini trial February 12, 2010
Posted by jefhenninger in News.Tags: Operation Bid Rig III
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Check out this article that is written by the AP. I don’t get it. Yes, the jury’s verdict is odd but that’s what juries do. I can’t see how any of this can be blamed on Dwek. While I didn’t watch the trial, I did not agree with Brian Neary’s tactic of trying to tear down Dwek and not showing his client as a real human being. The videos that Dwek recorded shifted the focus on Beldini and away from Dwek’s credibility.
Beldini should have taken the stand and explained to the jury what her interpretation of these video taped meetings were. Show her as a real person. Let her break down and cry. Let the Government try to beat her down. The jury would view her as a human being and be upset with the Government for being so harsh with her.
As I said yesterday, Dwek will be a much better witness the next go round. He stood up to brutal cross examination and I doubt the other attorneys left on the case could match it even with the transcripts in hand. Of course, they would be stupid to try to improve on a strategy that failed. If there are videos, the defendant has to explain them away.
Another article is here. I think this article is much better as it is more detailed unlike the other article from the AP. The best part about it is the quote from the juror. I read this after writing 90% of this post and yesterday’s post. I think it just goes to show that I was right. You can’t beat up on Dwek all day and hope that will carry you to victory. I had a fraud case where the State had an very strong case against my client. I put him on the stand and the jury loved him. He did great because I prepped him well and the jury came back not guilty in 90 minutes. The jury waived good bye to the two of us as they left. They loved him because I humanized him.
Operation Bid Rig III Update: Leona Beldini Found Guilty February 11, 2010
Posted by jefhenninger in News.Tags: Operation Bid Rig III
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The jury found former Jersey City Deputy Mayor Leona Beldini guilty on two of the six counts. Those two counts are for accepting bribes from a federal informant posing as a corrupt developer. She was acquitted of extortion conspiracy, two counts of attempted extortion and a third bribery count.
It’ll be very interesting to see what happens now. Brian Neary is a great attorney and the jury was out for less than two days. Brian had Dwek on the stand for several days and he stood up to some punishing cross examination. He’ll be a much better witness moving forward. Unless the other lawyers have a different tactic, they are going to have a tough time with another jury. I would be surprised if there is another OBR3 trial.
Story is here.
Office manager charged with stealing from law firm trust fund February 10, 2010
Posted by jefhenninger in News.Tags: misapplication of entrusted property
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Kimberly M. Dehl, of Flaam Street in Toms River, is charged with second-degree counts of theft and misapplication of entrusted property for allegedly stealing $274,000 from a trust fund account of the law firm that she worked at. Dehl was the office manager at the Howell-based law firm Bongiovanni & Pavliv, and allegedly used her position to write checks to pay mortgage payments, pay personal credit cards and also wrote checks to herself which she deposited in her personal bank account.
The thefts were discovered after Dehl quit in November 2007, after more than 10 years with the firm. The firm dissolved the following month. She was arrested in August 2008 after an investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, and is currently free on $150,000 bail.
Story is here.
President of Money Services Company Charged with $12 Million Bank Fraud February 10, 2010
Posted by jefhenninger in News.Tags: bank fraud
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Robert Egan, the President of Mt. Vernon Money Centers (“MVMC”), has been charged with defrauding Webster Bank out of $12 million in funds that had been entrusted to MVMC.
According to the Complaint filed today in Manhattan federal court:
Among other money services, MVMC performed the services of replenishing Automated Teller Machines (“ATMs”) for banks and other entities. One of MVMC’s clients was Webster Bank, which has 162 ATMs that MVMC was responsible for stocking. Webster Bank would transfer the funds needed to replenish their ATMs to a bank account to which MVMC had access. MVMC collected this cash, took it to its own cash vault where it filled ATM “canisters” with the cash. MVMC employees then removed the depleted or partially-depleted canisters from Webster ATMs and replaced them with newly filled canisters. The canisters removed from the ATMs by MVMC employees typically contained “residual cash” that was supposed to be returned to Webster Bank, or retained by MVMC for the benefit of Webster.
In January 2010, on eight separate occasions under EGAN’s direction, MVMC falsely represented to Webster Bank that it had returned the cash it had collected from Webster’s ATMs or was retaining the cash in its own vault for the benefit of Webster Bank. In fact, EGAN failed to return over $12 million of Webster Bank’s money to Webster Bank, and instead misappropriated the money for use in MVMC’s business operations.
On January 29, 2010, EGAN admitted that he had taken over $12 million of Webster Bank’s money without its knowledge or authorization. He stated that he used the money to fund other aspects of MVMC’s business, and to fund “shortfalls” with respect to other MVMC clients.
He is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Man Indicted for Falsely Claiming He Earned Military Medals February 10, 2010
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Timothy James Watkins, of Richmond was indicted by a federal grand jury for falsely claiming that he was awarded a Purple Heart and a Silver Star for his military service in Grenada. He allegedly purchased a Purple Heart medal and a Silver Star medal from a pawn shop in the Kansas City, Mo., metropolitan area and falsely claimed that both medals were awarded to him for his military service.
According to the indictment, Watkins served in active duty in the U.S. Army for approximately one month, from July 18 to Aug. 23, 1983, when he was medically discharged. After his discharge, Watkins allegedly began to lie to others regarding his military experiences and background. Watkins falsely claimed that his military service included attending Army Airborne and Ranger training, the indictment says, and falsely claimed that he had served in military operations in Grenada where he was shot by enemy fire and fell off a cliff, injuring his leg. Watkins allegedly claimed that he was medically discharged from the Army as a result of the wounds he sustained in Grenada, but that he was awarded a Purple Heart and a Silver Star for his service. Watkins often wore pins on his civilian clothes that signified a Purple Heart and a Silver Star, the indictment says.
Watkins did not participate in the invasion of Grenada, a Caribbean island nation, in October 1983 nor was he a member of the Armed Forces at that time. In March 2005, Watkins allegedly made similar false claims to Adam Kyle, a young boy who was preparing a short paper entitled “The Hero Next Door” for one of his classes at school. Watkins allegedly claimed he was a member of Echo Company of the Second Ranger Battalion and that he parachuted into Grenada with the unit during a nighttime Airborne operation. Watkins allegedly claimed that he scaled a 135-foot rock face with nearly 100 pounds of gear while under enemy fire, and that during his ascent he was shot in the leg and fell approximately 70 feet, breaking his leg. Watkins allegedly told Kyle that he was awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star medals as a result of his courage under fire and for the injuries he sustained during the engagement. All of these claims, the indictment says, were completely false.
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed as a result of enemy action while serving as a member of any branch of the Armed Forces. The Silver Star is the third-highest military decoration that can be awarded to a member of any branch of the Armed Forces. It is also the third highest award given for valor in the face of the enemy.
This is the type of case where you want to take you client in for a psych eval as soon as possible to help explain away his conduct. His previous service and medical issues may have caused or added to his mental health problems. A good report from a doctor can go along way of helping him out here.
NJ Credit Card Theft & Fraud Lawyers February 10, 2010
Posted by jefhenninger in Misc..Tags: credit card fraud
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New Jersey Credit Card Theft & Fraud Lawyers
Even though more people are protecting themselves against identity theft, credit card theft and fraud is still a common problem in New Jersey. As a result, our lawyers have seen that it can be treated as a very serious offense. If you have been arrested for credit card fraud, it is important to call a NJ credit card fraud lawyer right away. This is because our team of tough, smart fraud attorneys have found that early intervention can lead to great results.
Credit Card Fraud Lawyers prevent man’s arrest
To demonstrate why it is so important to call a New Jersey lawyer right away, consider this example from our firm. Jef Henninger’s client was accused of about $150,000 in credit card fraud. Before the defendant was arrested, Jef worked the case for two weeks which ended in the charged being torn up. While every case is different and results may be different in your case, it would be almost impossible to get this result if the client would have not called the credit card fraud attorney Jef Henninger, Esq. months after his arrest.
Our credit card theft and fraud attorneys are easy to reach from anywhere in New Jersey. Call our lawyers at any time to discuss your case or set up an appointment. You can meet with one of our tough, smart attorneys at any one of our ten New Jersey offices including Newark, Jersey City, Toms River, Eatontown, Red Bank, Freehold, New Brunswick, East Brunswick, Woodbridge and Princeton.
NJ Insurance Fraud Lawyers February 10, 2010
Posted by jefhenninger in Misc..Tags: Insurance Fraud
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New Jersey Insurance Fraud Attorney
Our attorneys have found that insurance fraud in New Jersey is an increasingly common, yet serious offense. A large number of insurance fraud cases in New Jersey are started by insurance companies and their lawyers who investigate the case before turning it over to law enforcement authorities. Thus, it is important to the defense of your case to call a New Jersey insurance fraud attorney at the first sign that you are suspected of insurance fraud.
Insurance Fraud Lawyers that are easy to reach
Our insurance fraud lawyers are easy to reach. Call our lawyers at any time to discuss your case or set up an appointment. You can meet with one of our tough, smart attorneys at any one of our ten New Jersey offices including Newark, Jersey City, Toms River, Eatontown, Red Bank, Freehold, New Brunswick, East Brunswick, Woodbridge and Princeton.
NJ Forgery Attorney February 10, 2010
Posted by jefhenninger in Misc..Tags: forgery
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New Jersey Forgery Attorneys
In New Jersey, our lawyers have seen that forgery can either be a stand alone offense or part of a group of offenses. Forgery is often a white collar crime involving checks or other financial issues. However, our attorneys have seen that forgery can also be related to prescription drug fraud when the defendant is accused of forging a doctor’s name on a prescription blank.
If you are charged with forgery in any court in New Jersey, call the tough team of forgery defense lawyers. With 10 offices in New Jersey, our forgery defense attorneys are easy to reach from anywhere in New Jersey. Call our lawyers today to meet with us in Newark, Freehold, Jersey City, Red Bank, Toms River, Woodbridge, New Brunswick, East Brunswick, Eatontown or Princeton.
