BOSTON – February 28, 2013 – (RealEstateRama) — A New York City woman was sentenced Monday afternoon for using a stolen identification to sign fraudulent mortgage loan documents.
Judy Bonas, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge George A. O’Toole to six months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release and ordered to pay $936,600 in restitution to the mortgage lenders. In April 2012, Bonas pleaded guilty to six counts of wire fraud and three counts of identity fraud.
Bonas was solicited by co-defendant Peterson Cherimond to pose as the buyer for the purchase of three residential properties in Brockton, Mattapan and Halifax. Bonas was paid approximately $4,500 to use a stolen identification to execute mortgage loan closing papers for each of the properties. The fraudulent loans resulted in losses exceeding $1 million.
In July 2012, Cherimond pleaded guilty to nine counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering. In October 2012, he pleaded guilty to four additional counts of wire fraud, seven counts of identity fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft. Sentencing is scheduled for April 11, 2013. In July 2012, co-defendant Allison Gates pleaded guilty to similar charges involving four additional properties. Gates is scheduled to be sentenced on March 14, 2013.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz, Kevin Niland, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and William P. Offord, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Victor A. Wild of Ortiz’s Economic Crimes Unit and Brian Perez-Daple of Ortiz’s Civil Division.
