Alexandria, Va. – In a shocking turn of events, Jose Manuel Santiago, 43, from Sarasota, Florida, has been sentenced to three years in prison for masterminding a sophisticated identity theft and home fraud scheme during the pandemic lockdown.
According to court documents, Santiago identified unoccupied homes across Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, and beyond. He then stole the identities of homeowners, selling their properties without their knowledge to unsuspecting buyers. Santiago and his cohort, Rosson Dwayne Hamilton, 40, opened and controlled bank accounts under property owners’ names.
Santiago’s modus operandi involved recruiting individuals like Vernon Lavoie, 59, who were directed to impersonate homeowners with false IDs and forge signatures on closing documents. Proceeds from the home sales were funneled into Santiago and Hamilton’s accounts, which they used to wire money to retailers.
While some transactions were reversed, one homeowner lost irreplaceable military memorabilia due to the fraudulent sale of his property. Santiago and Hamilton attempted to sell at least 10 homes and steal 10 identities, successfully obtaining $581,808 and attempting an additional $768,175.
Santiago pleaded guilty on February 20, while Hamilton was sentenced to a single day in prison. Lavoie received two years seven months in prison for his role in the conspiracy. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia and the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division led the investigation.
Jessica D. Aber, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and David J. Scott, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office, announced the sentencing by U.S. District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Russell L. Carlberg and Christopher Hood prosecuted the case.
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Key Facts
- State: Virginia
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Cybercrime|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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