Steven Hameed, 57, of Chester, Pennsylvania, is headed to federal prison for 97 months after being convicted in a brazen, years-long scheme to hijack government-owned homes and weaponize the tax system against law enforcement. The sentence, handed down today by U.S. District Judge Timothy J. Savage, marks the end of a fraud spree that targeted federal property and terrorized public officials through fraudulent filings.
Hameed, who pled guilty in June 2016, orchestrated a complex plot to seize control of vacant homes owned by the government or banks by filing forged land deeds with the Delaware County Recorder of Deeds Office. He didn’t just steal property—he lived in some, rented others, and even tried to sell them, all while lining his pockets with cash from unsuspecting renters and buyers. His goal wasn’t just profit—it was chaos.
Alongside co-conspirators Darnell Young, 49, and Damond Palmer, 42—both sentenced in October 2016 to 40 months and 1 day in prison, respectively—Hameed styled himself as a “sovereign citizen,” a fringe movement that rejects federal authority. Using that ideology as cover, the trio filed hundreds of false IRS tax forms falsely claiming police officers, judges, and other government employees owed massive sums to the government. The intent: harassment, intimidation, and obstruction of justice.
Charged in December 2016 with one count of conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, bank fraud, and corrupt interference with Internal Revenue laws, Hameed faced additional counts including three counts of conversion of government property and one count of creating fictitious obligations. Young was also charged with conversion of government property and a fictitious financial bond. Hameed and Young attempted to forge a fake financial bond to purchase property, further exposing the depth of their fraud.
The investigation was a massive federal and local effort, led by the FBI and joined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, the Federal Housing Finance Agency – OIG, the FDIC – OIG, the Social Security Administration – OIG, and multiple law enforcement agencies including the Philadelphia Police Department, Delaware County Detectives, Aston Police, and Upper Darby Police. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda R. Reinitz.
In addition to his prison term, Judge Savage ordered Hameed to pay full restitution to all victims—a financial reckoning that may follow him long after his release. The case stands as a stark warning: fraud dressed up as ideology still lands you behind bars.
Related Federal Cases
- Delco Podiatrist Stephen Monaco Gets 8 Years for $5M Fraud · Delaware
- Lessie Dickerson Pleads Guilty in $2M Home-Improvement Fraud Scheme · Pennsylvania
- CPA Barry Horrow Pleads Guilty to Bank Fraud Scheme · Delaware
- Delaware Man Khar Abdulah Gets 10 Years for Forged Oxycodone Scheme · Delaware
- Jury Convicts Leaford Cameron in Nationwide Law Fraud Scheme · Pennsylvania
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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