Bradford Barneys, Mail and Wire Fraud, Connecticut 2017

A scheme to defraud distressed homeowners in Connecticut has led to the guilty plea of Bradford Barneys, a licensed attorney from Maryland. Barneys, 51, pleaded guilty to conspiring with Timothy W. Burke in a long-running fraud scheme that targeted homeowners throughout Connecticut.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between approximately 2010 and November 2015, Timothy W. Burke, formerly of Easton, engaged in a scheme to defraud individuals, mortgage lenders and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) by falsely representing to homeowners who were in, or facing, foreclosure on their homes that he would purchase their homes and pay off their mortgages.

BARNEYS is an attorney licensed to practice in Connecticut and has an office in Bridgeport. He participated in dozens of meetings with Burke and with homeowners at BARNEYS’ law offices in Bridgeport, where Burke represented to homeowners that he would purchase their properties and presented to the homeowners quitclaim deeds, management agreements, indemnification agreements, and third party authorizations.

BARNEYS knew that Burke had no intention of buying the properties and paying the outstanding mortgages on the properties, but continued to participate in these meetings and represented that these transactions were legitimate. When questioned by homeowners about the status of their sales, BARNEYS would assure them that their sales to Burke or one of his companies were progressing as Burke promised.

BARNEYS also represented Burke and his companies in eviction proceedings against tenants. He pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

Judge Michael P. Shea scheduled sentencing for June 13, 2017. On January 24, 2017, Burke pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of tax evasion. He also awaits sentencing.

This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, with the critical assistance of the Middletown, Plainville, Easton and Coventry Police Departments, the Connecticut State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

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