Toms River woman sentenced for role in mortgage fraud scheme

A Toms River woman is among two New Jersey residents who are now heading to prison for their roles in an elaborate mortgage fraud scheme that ran for nearly two years.

Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig announced Tuesday that Shonda Coleman, 49, of Toms River, was sentenced to 36 months in prison and Robert Goodrich, 62, Sayreville, to 27-months in prison (which occurred in April).

Coleman and Goodrich were both charged with two counts of bank fraud through an indictment and both previously plead guilty.

Their scheming began in November of 2009 when Coleman, who was working at Westinghouse Redevelopment Act Inc., (until 2011) filed a fraudulent mortgage loan application to the lender, Attorney Honig said, with the intention of buying a home from her employer.

Attorney Honig said that Coleman claimed on the application to own $165,000 in cash and misrepresented information that made it look like she had a better credit rating that she did in reality.

When March 2011 came around, she doubled down and took an additional role in the scene by preparing and filing another mortgage application with false information but this time for a prospective buyer of a Westinghouse real estate property letting the phone information slide.

Goodrich, meanwhile, came into play by showing up at the closings for both real estate transactions and Attorney Honig said.

He also knowingly signed settlement statements that contained false information about the credit worthiness of the buyer.

The government in this case/trial is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Trombly of the Cybercrime Unit and Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin V. Di Gregory and Charlie L. Divine of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General.

Defense counsel:

Coleman: Alan Zegas Esq., Summit.

Goodrich: Anthony Iacullo Esq., Nutley.