New Jersey Attorney Pleads Guilty To Fraud And Aggravated Identity Theft Charges

SCRANTON- The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that on October 30, 2023, Scott Marinelli, age 52, of Mountainside, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to six counts of wire fraud and six counts of aggravated identity theft. 

According to United States Attorney Gerard M. Karam, Marinelli admitted that between November 2017 and April 9, 2018, he participated in a scheme to defraud victims of proceeds from the sales of six properties.  Marinelli, a suspended attorney from New Jersey, acted as a real estate broker and title agent and directed a mortgage company to wire loan funds to him for the sale of the properties.  Marinelli further admitted that instead of properly dispersing the funds from the mortgage company, he used the money that he received for his own personal benefit. Marinelli further admitted that as part of his scheme, he stole the identities of the property sellers, a notary public, a title agent, and an accountant.  Marinelli currently faces additional, unrelated charges in federal court in Washington, D.C., and in state court in New Jersey.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jenny P. Roberts and Sean Camoni prosecuted the case.

Marinelli faces a maximum total period of incarceration of 120 years for the wire fraud charges and must serve at least an additional two and up to twelve years for the aggravated identity theft charges.  A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the

Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.

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