Attorney Kevin DiGregory of the FHFA-OIG.ĭirk Hall, 42, Queens, New York was sentenced today to 41 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release, after having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud in connection with a multi-million dollar mortgage fraud scheme.Īccording to court filings and facts presented at the sentencing hearing, between September 2008 and May 2011, Hall, together with others, caused mortgage loan applications with false information to be submitted to lending institutions in connection with the purchase of residential properties located within the Eastern District of New York. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark and Special Assistant U.S. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Steven Perez in Newark and special agents of the FBI, under the direction Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark, with the investigation. Attorney Craig Carpenito made the announcement. The charge and allegations against Rihan are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.Ĭuranaj previously pleaded guilty to his role in the scheme and awaits sentencing. He is scheduled to appear this afternoon before U.S. Rihan was arrested Januand charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud.

The conspiracy to commit bank fraud charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. In 2014, Individual 2 defaulted on all the HELOC loans. After the victim banks funded the HELOCs and deposited money into Individual 2’s bank accounts, Individual 2 disbursed almost all of the funds to Rihan, Curanaj, and others.

The victim banks eventually issued loans to Individual 2 in excess of $370,000. In addition, at the time the applications were made, the value of the Bronx, New York property, which was encumbered by a mortgage, was far less than the amount of the HELOC loans that Rihan and the real estate broker applied for. The applications also fraudulently inflated Individual 2’s income. Rihan and Curanaj hid the fact that the same Bronx, New York property was pledged as collateral in all three applications. Rihan and Curanaj then applied for three HELOCs from multiple banks in the name of Individual 2. From 2012 through January 2014, Rihan, Curanaj, and others conspired to fraudulently obtain multiple home equity lines of credit (HELOC) from banks on residential properties in New Jersey and New York.įor example, Rihan and Curanaj executed a deed to transfer ownership of a Bronx, New York property to people identified in the complaint as “Individual 1” and “Individual 2,” neither of whom lived at the property. Rihan was a business partner of Simon Curanaj, 63, Yonkers, New York. Saoud “Sam” Rihan, 57, Bronx, New York was charged today with carrying out a scheme to use bogus information and simultaneous loan applications at multiple banks to fraudulently obtain home equity lines of credit, a practice known as “shotgunning”. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. The case was investigated by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laurie Magid.Īn Indictment, Information or Criminal Complaint is an accusation.

Seckel pled guilty on Februand was sentenced to one year of probation and a fine of $20,000. Seckel also, four times, filed certifications falsely claiming that he had met the net worth and other requirements to be approved as an FHA lender. In particular, on four occasions from 2013 to 2016, Seckel filed audited financial statements for Seckel Capital that Seckel had forged. John Seckel maintained the status of Seckel Capital as an FHA-approved lender during this time period by making false statements to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Seckel had been the CEO of Seckel Capital, LLC, an FHA-approved mortgage lender in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.įor the years 2012 to 2015, Seckel Capital, LLC, was a mortgage lender in Bucks County, Pennsylvania that was approved by the Federal Housing Administration to originate mortgage loans that would be insured by the FHA. John Seckel, Newtown, Pennsylvania, was charged by information with four counts of making false statements to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

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