Orange County Husband and Wife Sentenced for Mortgage Fraud

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Michael B. Steinbach, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announce that defendants Gergawattie “Kamla” Seecharan, 49, and Bhardwaaj “Deo” Seecharan, 52, both of Orange County, were sentenced in federal court yesterday for their participation in an extensive mortgage fraud scheme.

Kamla Seecharan had previously pled guilty to conspiracy involving more than $50 million of mortgage loan funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1341, 1343 and 1349. Deo Seecharan had pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud involving $3.5 million in diverted real estate escrow funds, in violation of Title 18, Untied States Code, Sections 1349 and 1344. At yesterday’s hearing, U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez sentenced Kamla Seecharan to 121 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. Judge Martinez also sentenced Deo Seecharan to 60 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In addition, Deo Seecharan was ordered to pay $2,040,343.14 in restitution to the victim banks. The court scheduled a restitution hearing for December 18, 2012, in Fort Pierce, to determine the restitution to be paid to the victim mortgage lenders and banks by Kamla Seecharan.

According to statements made in court and publicly filed documents in the case, on December 9, 2010, the Seecharans and two others were indicted on bank fraud, conspiracy, money laundering, and related mortgage fraud charges. According to the charges, the Seecharans, along with their two co-defendants, conspired to solicit mainly Guyanese residents of Florida and other states to act as straw buyers on fraudulent applications for more than $50 million worth of mortgage loans in connection with the purchase of more than 150 homes in Indian River County, Miami-Dade County, and elsewhere. Approximately 80 individuals served as straw buyers of properties in Vero Lake Estates (VLE), in Indian River County, and other developments. This scheme resulted in the issuance of more than $50 million in fraudulent mortgage loans. The proceeds were then used to buy more properties, sustain the deception and service preexisting mortgage loans in the scheme, and pay kickbacks to the straw buyers.

In addition, Kamla Seecharan and codefendant Linda Rovetto unlawfully diverted more than $3.5 million in mortgage loans from real estate closing escrow accounts to Raviworld New Homes, Inc., a company managed by Kamla Seecharan’s husband and codefendant Deo Seecharan. Linda Rovetto was sentenced on August 21, 2012, by Judge Martinez to 42 months in prison for her part in the bank fraud.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI. Mr. Ferrer also thanked the State of Florida Office of Financial Regulation, Bureau of Finance, West Palm Beach Regional Office for their work on this investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore Cooperstein.

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Canadian Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Federal Prison for Receiving Child Pornography Over the Internet

JACKSONVILLE, FL—United States District Judge Marcia Morales Howard sentenced Christian Yvon Lapierre (47, a Canadian citizen residing in Jacksonville) to 77 months in federal prison for receiving child pornography over the Internet. The court also ordered Lapierre to serve seven years of supervised release following his release from prison and to register as a sex offender.

According to court documents, an investigator with the Florida Attorney General’s Office conducted an undercover operation to identify individuals using the Internet to share child pornography. The investigator was able to identify an Internet protocol (IP) address located in Jacksonville that was sharing files depicting child pornography. Further investigation revealed that the Internet service account for this IP address resolved to Lapierre’s Jacksonville residence.

A federal search warrant was executed at Lapierre’s residence, and law enforcement officers seized two computers and other digital media. Lapierre was inside the residence when the search warrant was executed. During an interview, Lapierre advised that he had two computers: one desktop and one laptop. He admitted that he was the one who downloaded files using the particular software program and that he had some videos showing kids on there, as well as some “teen stuff.” Subsequent forensic analysis revealed that Lapierre’s computer media contained five videos and one image depicting child pornography.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the former Child Predator Cybercrime Unit of the Florida Attorney General’s Office, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney D. Rodney Brown.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.”

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