Seven California Residents Charged with Operating Boiler Room Mortgage Loan Modification Scheme

New Haven, Conn – January 28, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — A federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging seven California residents with conspiracy and fraud offenses stemming from an alleged scheme to defraud homeowners across the United States who were seeking mortgage loan modifications. The 14-count indictment was returned under seal on January 21 and all seven defendants were arrested this morning.

Charged in the indictment are:

ARIA MALEKI, 33, of Santa Ana, Calif.
MEHDI MOAREFIAN, a.k.a. “Michael Miller,” 36, of Irvine, Calif.
KOWIT YUKTANON, a.k.a. “Eric Cannon,” 31, of Huntington Beach, Calif.
CUONG HUY KING, a.k.a. “James Nolan” and “Jimmy, 32, of Westminster, Calif.
DANIEL SHIAU, a.k.a. “Scott Decker,” 30, of Irvine, Calif.
SERJ GEUTTSOYAN, a.k.a. “Anthony Kirk,” 33, of Santa Ana, Calif.
MICHELLE LEFAOSEU, a.k.a. “Michelle Bennett,” 41, of Huntington Beach, Calif.

The defendants will make initial appearances at 2:00 p.m. (PST) in federal court in Santa Ana, California, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Douglas F. McCormick. They are scheduled to be arraigned on February 17 before U.S. Magistrate Judge William I. Garfinkel in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

In association with today’s arrests, law enforcement seized approximately $350,000 from various bank accounts, approximately $362,000 from a Bitcoin account, a $100,000 cashier’s check, and a 2013 Ferrari 458 Italia…

Source: USAO, CT

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