Stamford Woman Admits Laundering Drug Money, Defrauding Lenders

Nora R. Dannehy, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DIANA GJURAJ, 37, of Stamford, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, and one count of fraud in loan and credit applications.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2003 and 2008, a leader of a narcotics trafficking operation provided GJURAJ with more than $70,000 in cash derived from narcotics trafficking activity, which GJURAJ deposited into several bank accounts in her own name. GJURAJ then wrote checks drawn from funds in her bank accounts to make payments for the expenses of the leader of the drug ring, including automobile payments, rent payments, medical bills, and legal expenses.

In addition, GJURAJ defrauded several lenders. Specifically, in approximately June 2006, GJURAJ knowingly submitted to Fremont Investment & Loan a false document purported to be a rental agreement, false statements regarding rental income and a false document purported to be a 2005 W-2 form in connection with her application for a $551,000 mortgage loan for a residence located at 236 Seaside Avenue in Stamford. In approximately December 2006, GJURAJ submitted to Corporate America Family Credit Union (“CAFCU”) a false document purported to be a rental agreement in connection with her application for a loan in the amount of approximately $2,500. In April and May 2007, GJURAJ submitted to Chase Bank USA, N.A., false rental agreements, false statements regarding rental income, a false document concerning the purported business plans of her employer, and false statements concerning her purported intent to reside at 251-255 Pearl Harbor Street in Bridgeport, in connection with applications for two mortgage loans in the amounts of approximately $156,800 and $39,200. Finally, in approximately July 2007, GJURAJ submitted to CAFCU, false documents purporting to be rental agreements in connection with her application for an automobile loan in the amount of $26,795 for a BMW Model 745.

Judge Arterton has scheduled sentencing for March 11, 2010, at which time GJURAJ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 50 years and a fine of up to $1.5 million.

GJURAJ has been detained since her arrest on August 5, 2009.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force and the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The Safe Streets Task Force is composed of members of federal and local law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and the Norwalk, Bridgeport, Trumbull, Fairfield, and Stamford Police Departments. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tracy Lee Dayton and James Smart.