State Attorney: Seven Charged in Mortgage Fraud

Six South Floridians and one Orlando resident have been charged as part of a mortgage fraud scheme that totaled nearly $5 million, the Attorney General and Miami-Dade Police Department reported.

By working with the Miami-Dade Police Department, we have stopped this mortgage fraud scheme, Attorney General Pam Bondi stated. We will continue our efforts to stop mortgage fraud and hold criminals accountable.

According to the release, the scheme operated with straw buyers who used their names and credit to purchase numerous properties. Once the loan had been secured and records reflected a price well over the actual price paid to the seller, a variety of financial exchanges would take place to make the purchase appear legitimate. The laundered money would then go back to the closing agents escrow account and be characterized in the records as the cash brought to the closing by the straw buyer.

The seven and their charges:

Lazaro Santiago Cajuso, 48; Hialeah Gardens; RICO, organized fraud, three counts of grand theft

Juan Pablo Maya, 48, Orlando; grand theft

Ivon Marrero,40, Hialeah; grand theft

Jose-Ricardo Jesus Armas, 35, Miami; RICO, organized fraud, three counts of grand theft

Jesus Alberto Gregorio, 52; Hialeah, grand theft

Roberto Ramos, Miami, 73; grand theft first degree, organized fraud

Remberto Lago, 41, Hialeah, 41; grand theft