Fourteen Charged in Mortgage Fraud Scheme in Fairfax County

ALEXANDRIA, VA—A federal grand jury has indicted 14 individuals on mortgage fraud charges involving approximately 35 homes in Fairfax County and causing more than $9 million in losses.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; David Rohrer, Fairfax County Chief of Police; and Joseph Persichini, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, made the announcement at a press conference today announcing both federal and state charges.

According to the federal indictment, the 14 individuals are charged in engaging in a conspiracy to defraud financial institutions into making fraudulent mortgage loans and profiting from the fees and proceeds.  The conspiracy involved real estate agents, a loan officer, and individuals who fraudulently purchased properties.  According to the indictment, the total amount of mortgage loans approved through the alleged conspiracy exceeds $24 million.

The indictment alleges that the conspirators would identify straw buyers—individuals with good credit but who had no intent to live in the home—and pay them to use their good credit to purchase homes in Fairfax County. Conspirators would also refer unqualified buyers—individuals who lacked the finances, credit rating, or legal status to obtain a certain loan amount—to a loan officer to qualify them for the mortgage. They would help prepare loan applications that contained false information that included the applicant’s employment, income, assets, immigration status and intent to live in the property as a primary residence. The fraudulent mortgage loan applications also failed to list other properties purchased by the straw buyers or unqualified buyers.

According to the indictment, the conspirators would also transfer money into the bank accounts of straw buyers and unqualified buyers to inflate their assets and then transfer the money back out shortly after settlement on the properties. The scheme also involved corroborating false employment and income information included on the loan applications.

The individuals charged in the indictment include:

• Ruben Rojas, age 30, of Vienna, Va., a real estate agent.

• Lourdes Rojas Almanza, age 28, of Falls Church, Va., a loan officer, the agent for Almanza Corporation, and sister to Ruben Rojas.

• Litcia Linares, age 32, of Falls Church, Va., a real estate agent and sister-in-law to Ruben Rojas.

• Jaime Nino Rojas, age 38, of Falls Church, Va., the brother of Ruben Rojas.

• Juan de la Cruz Aguayo, age 49, of Springfield, Va., who is accused of buying at least three properties, which resulted in mortgage loans of more than $1.6 million.

• Yesenia Banegas, age 36, of Springfield, Va., who is accused of buying at least three properties, which resulted in mortgage loans of more than $2.3 million.

• Oscar Barahona, age 32, of Springfield, Va., who is accused of buying at least four properties, which resulted in mortgage loans of more than $3 million.

• Fidelino Ferrufino, age 49, of Miami, Fl., who is accused of buying at least three properties, which resulted in mortgage loans of approximately $2.3 million.

• Santos Euceda Manzanares, age 29, of Springfield, Va., who is accused of buying at least five properties, which resulted in mortgage loans of approximately $2.5 million.

• Delmy Mendieta, age 36, of Springfield, Va., who is accused of buying at least three properties, which resulted in mortgage loans of approximately $1.7 million.

• Wilmer Mendieta, age 32, of Springfield, Va., who is accused of buying at least three properties, which resulted in mortgage loans of approximately $1.8 million.

• Maria del Carmen Rapalo, age 35, of Springfield, Va., who is accused of buying at least three properties, which resulted in mortgage loans of approximately $2.1 million.

• Jose A. Rodriguez, age 37, of Springfield, Va., who is accused of buying at least three properties, which resulted in mortgage loans of approximately $1.8 million.

• Jose Villatoros, age 41, of Springfield, Va., who is accused of buying at least three properties, which resulted in mortgage loans of more than $1.9 million.

The charges in the indictment include conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, wire fraud, and mail fraud. Each of these charges carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

This case was investigated by the Fairfax County Police Department and FBI’s Washington Field Office.  Assistant United States Attorney Charles F. Connolly and Special Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Friedman are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

The public is reminded that an indictment only contains charges and is not evidence of guilt.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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://pacer.login.uscourts.gov.