An East Meadow man is on trial in Suffolk County court for allegedly running a Long Island mortgage fraud scheme while authorities said he is a fugitive on the lam.
Ramon Rios had been released without bail after pleading not guilty in March 2012 to a nine-count grand jury indictment charging him with residential mortgage fraud, falsifying business records, grand larceny and scheme to defraud.
“Like most of the cases our Mortgage Fraud unit investigates and prosecutes, the Rios scheme is based on fraudulent mortgage loan applications made to the lender,” Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said. “We have sufficient evidence to prove Rios manufactured phony paperwork that inflated the borrower’s assets and income and deceived the lenders by showing substantial down payments were forthcoming.”
Judge Mark Cohen ruled Monday that the trial continue in absentia and issued a warrant for the 33-year-old suspect’s arrest the next day when Rios allegedly failed to appear in court for the proceedings.
Rios’ Central Islip-based attorney, Eric Naiburg, was not immediately available for comment.
Rios allegedly falsified the business records of Bank of America and National City Mortgage to purchase houses in Lindenhurst, Westbury, Roosevelt and Uniondale, prosecutors said.
He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
