Marat Lerner, Wire Fraud, Conspiracy, Money Laundering, New York 2023

Brooklyn resident Marat Lerner, 40, has been arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering in connection with a scheme to steal from clients of his mortgage loan modification business. The indictment alleges that Lerner, president of the Lerner Group, operated the business between August 2016 and January 2021.

According to the indictment, Lerner promised clients he could help them modify their mortgages by reducing their monthly mortgage payments and their outstanding mortgage balances. However, Lerner secretly controlled a purported escrow agent called Testoni & Villa, and instead of holding the money in escrow or transferring it to the mortgage banks, he deposited the checks in an account he controlled, using the funds for personal expenses, including luxury goods and expensive meals, and buying a BMW automobile.

United States Attorney Breon Peace stated, ‘The defendant preyed on immigrants burdened by mortgage debt in the Russian community in Brooklyn, stealing their American dream through a scheme built on false promises to help them keep their homes, but in truth, he took advantage of their trust to enrich himself.’

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael J. Driscoll added, ‘The defendant funded his own lavish lifestyle by operating a lengthy scam exploiting his victims’ trust and fears in order to steal their money rather than fulfill his promise to modify their mortgages.’

Lerner faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Business and Securities Fraud Section, with Assistant United States Attorney Nick M. Axelrod in charge of the prosecution.

Anyone who was a client of the Lerner Group and would like to file a complaint can visit www.iC3.gov and reference ‘Lerner Group’ or ‘Marat Lerner’ in their complaint.

The charges in the indictment are allegations, and Lerner is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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