Sewickley Woman Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Mortgage Fraud Scheme

PITTSBURGH—A resident of Sewickley, Pennsylvania has been sentenced in federal court to 10 years’ imprisonment on her conviction of wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy in connection with a mortgage fraud scheme, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Denise Bonfilio, 56.

According to information presented to the court, Bonfilio participated in a mortgage fraud scheme that included presenting to lending institutions fraudulent loan applications that overstated the borrowers’ financial condition in connection with loans collateralized by properties located in the Sewickley and Fox Chapel sections of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Conti stated that it was a serious offense. She said that Bonfilio harmed friends for greed, and yet she showed no remorse for what she had done. The sentence was imposed to promote respect for the law.

Assistant United States Attorney James Y. Garrett prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Mortgage Fraud Task Force for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Bonfilio. The Mortgage Fraud Task Force is composed of investigators from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and others involved in the mortgage industry. Federal law enforcement agencies participating in the Mortgage Fraud Task Force include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development-Office of Inspector General, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the United States Secret Service. Other Mortgage Fraud Task Force members include the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, the Bureau of Consumer Protection, the Pennsylvania Department of Banking, the Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Enforcement and Investigations, and the United States Trustee’s Office.