Former Attorney Sentenced To More Than 3 Years In Prison For Defrauding Investors Of More Than $1 Million
summary
Former attorney Brandon Lisi was sentenced to 38 months in prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud by deceiving at least four investors into putting over $1 million into fake real estate deals, then stealing the funds for personal use, including cash withdrawals and debt payments, while also filing false bankruptcy statements to block foreclosure.
paragraph
Brandon Lisi, a former attorney, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for orchestrating a scheme that defrauded at least four investors of more than $1 million through fraudulent real estate investments. He and his co-conspirator, another attorney, made false representations about high returns, diverted investor funds for personal expenses—including cash withdrawals, payments to relatives, and debt repayment—and falsified statements in bankruptcy court to prevent foreclosure. Lisi was sentenced to 38 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit and pay $1,438,358 in restitution.
narrative
Former attorney Brandon Lisi was sentenced to 38 months in federal prison for conspiring to commit wire fraud by deceiving at least four investors into funding fake real estate transactions totaling over $1 million. Alongside his co-conspirator, a practicing attorney, Lisi built trust with victims and then misled them with false promises of substantial returns, while concealing the true purpose of the investments. The stolen funds were systematically siphoned off for personal use, including large cash withdrawals, payments to family members, and settling Lisi’s own debts. To further conceal the fraud, Lisi directed an associate to make false statements in bankruptcy court to obstruct foreclosure on properties acquired through the scheme. He pleaded guilty on April 3, 2017, before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who imposed the sentence on September 19, 2017. In addition to prison time, Lisi was ordered to forfeit $1,438,358 and pay the same amount in restitution to his victims. The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by the Southern District of New York’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit, with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Reilly, Noah Solowiejczyk, and Michael Lockard leading the prosecution.
Classified advance-fee(confidence 90%). No EDGAR filing fingerprint (criminal/DOJ-side scheme). detection rule →
Statutes
Parties
brandon lisiJoon H. Kim
Keywords
lisiinvestorslinkgovernment non-governmentnon-government sitessites typicallytypically appearappear externalexternal linklink iconicon indicateindicate leavingleaving websitewebsite clickclick link
Extracted insights
Dollar amounts 3
- $1.44M $1,438,358 $1M–$10M
- $1.00M $1 Million $1M–$10M
- $1.00M $1 million $1M–$10M
Entities 4
- scheme_term 38 months in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud
- person brandon lisi
- scheme_term conspiracy to commit wire fraud on april 3, 2017
- person Joon H. Kim
Triples 12
- Brandon Lisi sentenced to 38 months in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud
- Brandon Lisi defrauded at least four individual investors of more than $1 million
- Brandon Lisi pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on April 3, 2017
- Brandon Lisi ordered to forfeit $1,438,358
- Brandon Lisi ordered to pay $1,438,358 in restitution
- Brandon Lisi sentenced to three years of supervised release
- Joon H. Kim announced sentencing of Brandon Lisi
- William F. Sweeney Jr. announced sentencing of Brandon Lisi
- Brandon Lisi misled clients into investing over $1 million in real estate properties
- Brandon Lisi and co-defendant pocketed invested funds instead of generating profits
- Brandon Lisi caused individual to make false statements in bankruptcy court
- Brandon Lisi is 43 years old, of Melville, New York
Extracted body text (4,473c)
Press Release Former Attorney Sentenced To More Than 3 Years In Prison For Defrauding Investors Of More Than $1 Million Tuesday, September 19, 2017 Share FacebookLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. LinkedInLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Email For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced that BRANDON LISI was sentenced today to 38 months in prison for his role in a scheme to defraud at least four individual investors in real estate transactions of more than $1 million. LISI pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on April 3, 2017, for his role in the fraud. LISI entered the guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who imposed today’s sentence. Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “As he previously admitted, Brandon Lisi, a former attorney, misled clients into investing over $1 million in real estate properties. These investments yielded no profit for investors, because Lisi and his co-defendant simply pocketed the funds. Now Brandon Lisi faces time in federal prison for his fraud.” FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “Financial crimes have the potential to turn lives upside down and inside out. The victims in this case deserve to see justice served. As evidenced by today’s sentence, they will. May this be a reminder to others that this type of behavior won’t go unpunished.” According to documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings: LISI, a former attorney, and his co-conspirator, a practicing attorney, built relationships of trust with victim investors and then induced those investors to put money into fraudulent business deals. Through the course of the scheme, LISI and his co-conspirator made false representations and failed to disclose material information to investors, all in an effort to induce them to hand their money over to invest in these purported deals. LISI further caused another individual, acting at his direction, to make false statements in bankruptcy court in an effort to forestall foreclosure on one of the properties LISI had obtained. Although LISI promised his victims large returns on their investments, he and his co‑conspirator used the invested funds for personal use, through substantial cash withdrawals, payments to relatives, and transfers to pay off personal debts. Ultimately, the victims of this scheme lost nearly all of the money they had invested, which was more than $1 million in total. * * * In addition to the prison term, LISI, 43, of Melville, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $1,438,358 and to pay $1,438,358 in restitution. Mr. Kim praised and thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their outstanding investigative work. If you believe you were a victim of this crime, including a victim entitled to restitution, and you wish to provide information to law enforcement and/or receive notice of future developments in the case or additional information, please contact the Victim/Witness Unit at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, at (866) 874-8900. For additional information, go to http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nys/victimwitness.htmlLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link.. The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine Reilly, Noah Solowiejczyk, and Michael Lockard are in charge of the prosecution. Updated September 19, 2017 Topic Financial Fraud Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 17-304
OCR text (4,473c · plain-text · 99% conf)
Press Release Former Attorney Sentenced To More Than 3 Years In Prison For Defrauding Investors Of More Than $1 Million Tuesday, September 19, 2017 Share FacebookLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. XLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. LinkedInLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. Email For Immediate Release U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of New York Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced that BRANDON LISI was sentenced today to 38 months in prison for his role in a scheme to defraud at least four individual investors in real estate transactions of more than $1 million. LISI pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on April 3, 2017, for his role in the fraud. LISI entered the guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, who imposed today’s sentence. Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “As he previously admitted, Brandon Lisi, a former attorney, misled clients into investing over $1 million in real estate properties. These investments yielded no profit for investors, because Lisi and his co-defendant simply pocketed the funds. Now Brandon Lisi faces time in federal prison for his fraud.” FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “Financial crimes have the potential to turn lives upside down and inside out. The victims in this case deserve to see justice served. As evidenced by today’s sentence, they will. May this be a reminder to others that this type of behavior won’t go unpunished.” According to documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings: LISI, a former attorney, and his co-conspirator, a practicing attorney, built relationships of trust with victim investors and then induced those investors to put money into fraudulent business deals. Through the course of the scheme, LISI and his co-conspirator made false representations and failed to disclose material information to investors, all in an effort to induce them to hand their money over to invest in these purported deals. LISI further caused another individual, acting at his direction, to make false statements in bankruptcy court in an effort to forestall foreclosure on one of the properties LISI had obtained. Although LISI promised his victims large returns on their investments, he and his co‑conspirator used the invested funds for personal use, through substantial cash withdrawals, payments to relatives, and transfers to pay off personal debts. Ultimately, the victims of this scheme lost nearly all of the money they had invested, which was more than $1 million in total. * * * In addition to the prison term, LISI, 43, of Melville, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release, and ordered to forfeit $1,438,358 and to pay $1,438,358 in restitution. Mr. Kim praised and thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their outstanding investigative work. If you believe you were a victim of this crime, including a victim entitled to restitution, and you wish to provide information to law enforcement and/or receive notice of future developments in the case or additional information, please contact the Victim/Witness Unit at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, at (866) 874-8900. For additional information, go to http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nys/victimwitness.htmlLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the “external link” icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link.. The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Katherine Reilly, Noah Solowiejczyk, and Michael Lockard are in charge of the prosecution. Updated September 19, 2017 Topic Financial Fraud Component USAO - New York, Southern Press Release Number: 17-304