Virginia Beach Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Wire Fraud in Connection with Mortgage Loan Scheme

NORFOLK, VA—Wayne Marlon Benedic Lezama, 44, of Virginia Beach, Va., was sentenced today in Norfolk federal court to five years in prison and ordered to pay $1.1 million in restitution for wire fraud in connection with a scheme to obtain over $4 million with 14 mortgage loans in the Tidewater area. Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after Lezama was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr. Lezama previously pled guilty on November 23, 2009.

According to court documents, Lezama participated in a scheme from August 2005 until January 2007 to obtain mortgage financing to purchase homes throughout southeastern Virginia, including real estate in the cities of Norfolk, Hampton, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, and Suffolk. The property would be purchased in the name of Lezama or a nominee buyer. During the course of the scheme over $4 million in financing was obtained through fraudulent means, including submitting false financial information regarding down payments, monthly income and liquid assets.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Robert J. Seidel, Jr. prosecuted the case on behalf of the United States.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.