An indictment has been brought against 13 South Florida individuals, including, according to sources, as many as six police officers -- three of which have been confirmed as Plantation officers Daryl Radziwon, Joseph DeRosa and Casey Mittaurer -- for their involvement in a $16,000,000 mortgage investment scheme in Broward.
In a statement made by the Plantation Police Department, the three officers were placed on adiministrative leave with pay in January pending the investigation and, as of Thursday, have been placed on leave without pay.
"Once again," said Florida Department of Law Enforcement Special Agent Amos Rojas, Jr., "a complex mortgage fraud scheme in South Florida has resulted in additional arrests on serious charges."
The indictment claims that the defendants "engaged in a scheme to enrich themselves by fraudulently causing real property in Broward and Palm Beach Counties to be bought and sold by submitting, and causing to be submitted, false and fraudulent documents to mortgage lenders in order to obtain the loans. The title attorneys falsely represented to the mortgage lenders the source of the deposits/down payments and/or the cash from borrowers needed to close the transactions. The total dollar amount of the loans secured under the scheme was in excess of $16,000,000."
The indictment claims that Joseph Guaracino of Plantation, along with co-defendants, would locate properties to be purchased and negotiate sale contracts. In order to qualify for mortgage loans, Guaracino and others caused false information to be submitted to lenders, including forged lease agreements, false bank account balances, and inflated income or salary levels.
Those who invested in the scheme and purchased Guaracino-controlled properties include Dennis Guaracino, Jr., Robert DePriest, Plantation police officers Joseph DeRosa, Daryl Radziwon and Casey Mittaurer; John Velez of Plantation; Jacqueline Trumbore of Margate; and Joseph Lagrasta of Tamarac.
Attorneys Steven Stoll of Fort Lauderdale and Stephen Orchard of Boca Raton, along with mortgage brokers Matthew Gulla of Davie and Rene Rodriguez, Jr. of Plantation participated in the scheme by handling the closings of the bogus loans.
Charges include one count of conspiracy, 11 counts of mail fraud, 13 counts of wire fraud, and 8 counts of making a false statement to a government agency.
Conspiracy, mail fraud, wire fraud and obstruction of justice counts each carry a maximum penalty of up to 20 years imprisonment. The false statement counts each carry a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment.
"This indictment charges a group of individuals who conspired to enrich themselves by committing mortgage fraud," U. S. Attorney Wifredo Ferrer said in a statement. "It includes a number of professionals who betrayed their profession for greed, and in the process, undermined the integrity of the mortgage marketplace on which we all rely."
