Everett call center operator convicted in foreclosure scam targeting more than 1,000 homeowners
The operator of a group of boiler room-style call centers in Everett faces up to 20 years in prison for defrauding more than 1,000 homeowners who faced foreclosures, the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced on Thursday.
Mohammed Zafaranchi, 43, was convicted of 12 federal charges, including wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and obstruction of justice, after a seven-day trial and a four-hour jury deliberation.
Everett call center scam targets struggling homeowners
Zafaranchi was involved in purchasing data that identified homeowners who were behind on their mortgage payments and at risk of losing their homes. Each week, Zafaranchi would send thousands of solicitation letters falsely claiming that the distressed homeowner was eligible for government programs that would reduce their mortgage debt by 30% and their interest rate by 2%.
“The defendant preyed on vulnerable homeowners who were desperate to avoid losing their homes in a difficult economy,” Acting U.S. Attorney Miller said. “He manipulated these people into paying him thousands of dollars they could not afford to lose. Mr. Zafaranchi demonstrated he knew his activities were illegal when he destroyed evidence just after learning the FBI had served search warrants at one of his call centers.”
https://www.yahoo.com/news/everett-call-center-operator-convicted-222000880.html