Marat Lerner, Defrauding Clients, New York 2024

A Brooklyn-based credit counseling business owner has been sentenced to over 11 years in prison for defrauding clients out of millions of dollars. Marat Lerner, the former president of the Lerner Group, was sentenced to 135 months in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.

Lerner was also convicted of continuing his criminal scheme while on pre-trial release. He was ordered to forfeit approximately $2,340,154 to the government.

The victims, many from the Eastern European community in Brooklyn, were promised reduced mortgage payments by Lerner, but instead, he stole approximately $2.5 million from their bank accounts. Lerner used his access to the victims' bank accounts to transmit funds to companies and/or bank accounts that he controlled.

Lerner's victims were hard-working people who were already experiencing financial hardship. They sought his assistance to help reduce their monthly mortgage payments, but instead, they lost their homes and some were forced into bankruptcy.

According to court documents and facts presented at Lerner's sentencing, the defendant was the owner of the Lerner Group, a business that claimed to provide debt relief services, including mortgage modifications. Lerner promised that he could help them lower their monthly mortgage payments by working with their mortgage lenders to secure a mortgage loan modification or federal homeowner assistance.

Lerner's sentence is a reminder to those who prey on vulnerable communities to satisfy their own greed. The victims of Lerner's scheme will receive restitution, which will be determined at a later date.

Assistant United States Attorney Breon Peace stated, 'Today the defendant learned there are serious consequences for stealing his clients' money, even after he was arrested, and ruthlessly spending it on a luxury car for himself, on-line dating and expensive meals.'

Lerner pleaded guilty to the charges in February 2024.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edny/pr/owner-brooklyn-based-credit-counseling-business-sentenced-more-11-years-prison