December 18, 2014

Ocean County Man Indicted in Multi-Million-Dollar Mortgage Fraud Scheme

NEWARK, NJ—An Ocean County, New Jersey, man was indicted today for his role in a large-scale mortgage fraud scheme that caused millions of dollars in losses, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Joseph DiValli, 45, of Jackson, New Jersey, was charged in a seven-count indictment with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and six counts of wire fraud, all of which caused losses of at least $2 million. DiValli was originally charged by complaint on Jan. 24, 2013, with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From as early as March 2011, DiValli, a loan officer at a mortgage bank, allegedly engaged in a large-scale mortgage fraud conspiracy. He provided fraudulent documents to financial institutions in connection with mortgage loan applications on behalf of “straw buyers” to induce those financial institutions to fund mortgage loans. Relying upon those false documents, financial institutions funded mortgage loans. DiValli then profited illegally by receiving money from a conspirator. DiValli is also charged with wire fraud involving a modification of a loan on his personal residence. From as early as March 2011, DiValli caused a loan officer at a mortgage brokerage company to send payroll ledgers and earnings statements from DiValli’s employer that falsely understated his earnings in order to fraudulently secure the modification.

The counts of wire fraud conspiracy and bank fraud are each punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a fine of $1 million.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited law enforcement agents of the FBI Newark Mortgage Fraud Task Force, including special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Aaron T. Ford; special agents of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Steven Perez; special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Larsen; inspectors of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Maria Kelokates; special agents of the U.S. Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Region of Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christina Scaringi; special agents of the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP), under the direction of Special Inspector General Christy Romero; and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Gaetano Gregory, for the investigation leading to today’s charges.

This case was brought in coordination with President Barack Obama’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. Attorneys’ offices and state and local partners, it’s the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Over the past three fiscal years, the Justice Department has filed nearly 10,000 financial fraud cases against nearly 15,000 defendants including more than 2,900 mortgage fraud defendants. For more information on the task force, please visit www.stopfraud.gov.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lakshmi Srinivasan Herman of the Economic Crimes Unit of the Criminal Division in Newark.

The charges and allegations contained in the indictment and complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Defense counsel: Michael Calabro Esq., Newark