Anthony Dehaney,56, and Andrea Dehaney, 42, both of Coral Springs, Florida; Howard Gaines, 57, Delray Beach, Florida; Marcia Mestre, 51, Lauderhill, Florida; Beverly Ireland, 51, Plantation, Florida; Donna Patricia Grant, 49, Wilton Manors, Florida; and Angela Manalaysay, 37, Plantation, Florida, were charged in a 28-count mortgage fraud indictment, involving a $10,000,000 mortgage loan scheme to defraud mortgage lenders on properties located in Broward County, Florida.

Defendant Anthony Dehaney was arrested by police officers from the Coconut Creek Police Department in Coconut Creek, Florida. Dehaney is scheduled to appear for his initial appearance at the West Palm Beach Federal Courthouse today at 1:30 PM before Magistrate Judge Vitunac. Defendants Beverly Ireland and Donna Patricia Grant have also been arrested and are scheduled to appear in court. On Monday, July 7, 2008, defendant Howard Gaines appeared in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., and waived removal to the Southern District of Florida. The remaining defendants remain at large.

The Indictment charges Anthony Dehaney with orchestrating a conspiracy to commit and committing mail and wire fraud, and bankruptcy fraud. Defendants Andrea Dehaney and Howard Gaines, Marcia Mestre, Beverly Ireland and Dona Patricia Grant are all charged with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud. Defendant Angela Manalaysay is charged with one count of substantive mail fraud.

According to the Indictment, defendant Anthony Dehaney and his co-defendants engaged in a scheme to obtain mortgages from various mortgage lenders using straw purchasers. To execute the scheme, the defendants would submit and cause the submission of false documents, including false loan applications, false employment verification forms, false salary statements, and false bank account statements.

If convicted, the defendants face up to 5 years in prison on conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud; up to 20 years in prison on each substantive count of mail and wire fraud; and up to 5 years in prison on each substantive count of bankruptcy fraud.

Mr. Acosta commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, the State of Florida Office of Financial Regulation, and the United States Postal Inspection Service. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey H. Kay of the Fort Lauderdale Office.