JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Two former Florida residents, Paul Andrew Gulbronson, 58, and Kelly Jurado Bonilla, 35, have been hit with a federal grand jury indictment for their alleged scheme to defraud rental property investors through Citrona Homes LLC.
The duo, now living in Panama, are accused of orchestrating a multi-million-dollar fraud from May 2017 to June 2019. They reportedly told investors that Citrona would purchase and renovate properties, manage them, and provide guaranteed returns. However, the Indictment claims they deceived investors into buying unrenovated properties at inflated prices.
Among their alleged tactics were false promises of ‘fully renovated’ properties, fictitious invoices for renovations, and using fake names to hide Gulbronson’s identity. They also paid investors with money from selling other properties under the guise of rental income.
Citrona reportedly contracted with at least 70 investors on purchases totaling $5.3 million in the Johnstown area, while the defendants originally acquired these properties for just $1.2 million. Both Gulbronson and Bonilla face up to 60 years in prison, a fine of $2 million, or both.
Assistant United States Attorneys Brendan T. Conway and Maureen Sheehan-Balchon are handling the prosecution. The investigation was led by the United States Postal Inspection Service. As always, an indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: Official Source ↗
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