Florida Conman Gulbronson Gets 6.5 Years for $5M Rental Scam

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Paul Andrew Gulbronson, 59, formerly of Hudson, Florida, is headed to federal prison for 78 months after being convicted of orchestrating a $5 million wire fraud conspiracy targeting investors with promises of lucrative, renovated rental properties in Western Pennsylvania. U.S. District Judge Stephanie L. Haines handed down the sentence on September 9, 2025, followed by three years of supervised release, Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Gulbronson and his fugitive wife, Kelly Bonilla, operated Citrona Homes, a predatory scheme between 2017 and June 2019. They relentlessly pitched investors – primarily from out of state – through aggressive telemarketing and online ads, dangling the prospect of “fully renovated” Johnstown properties consistently leased to Section 8 tenants. The reality? Citrona snapped up distressed homes, massively inflated their prices, and sold them to unsuspecting investors with blatant lies about their condition and occupancy.

Records from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) paint a damning picture. Between June 2017 and June 2019, Citrona purchased over 100 properties for around $2 million, then flipped them for a staggering $6 million. But the promise of move-in ready rentals was a sham. Many of the properties were uninhabitable, and some were nothing more than vacant lots. Citrona raked in over $5.3 million from investors, but approximately $5 million of that ended up lining the pockets of Gulbronson and Bonilla.

“Over the course of several years, Paul Gulbronson misled investors regarding the condition and status of their Citrona Homes properties in order to swindle millions of dollars from those victims,” Rivetti stated bluntly. “And upon learning he was under investigation, he fled the United States, leaving a trail of dilapidated properties and broken promises in his wake.” The investigation revealed Gulbronson, despite holding no official title, was the driving force behind Citrona’s operations, directly involved in sales and overseeing – or rather, neglecting – the promised renovations.

The scam wasn’t just about inflated prices and nonexistent repairs. Investigators uncovered that the stolen funds were brazenly used for personal expenses: lavish restaurant meals, airline tickets, luxury home furnishings, and lease payments for Gulbronson and Bonilla’s Florida residences. Lesley Allison, Inspector in Charge of the Pittsburgh Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service, emphasized that Gulbronson “used a series of lies and misrepresentations” to deceive investors into believing they were purchasing viable income properties. Shawn Rice, Special Agent in Charge with HUD OIG, added that Gulbronson “willfully engaged in a $5 million fraud scheme” that falsely claimed federal funds would cover payments.

While Gulbronson is now facing the consequences, his wife, Kelly Bonilla, remains at large, believed to be residing in Panama. Law enforcement continues to pursue her apprehension. This case underscores the vulnerability of investors and the ruthless tactics employed by fraudsters seeking to exploit the housing market. The U.S. Attorney’s Office vows to continue working with its partners to bring all perpetrators of such schemes to justice, and to recover as much of the stolen funds as possible.