Friday, October 31, 2008

FBI Seizes Records Of Pa. Man Accused In Alleged Scam Involving The Forging & Filing Of Phony Mortgage Satisfactions That Bilked Investors Of Millions

In Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh Tribune Review reports:
  • The FBI has seized the financial records of a defunct Monroeville investment firm owned by a missing man who allegedly bilked investors out of millions of dollars. Frank Guzik Jr., 39, a Derry resident who operated East Haven Development until he disappeared this year, "apparently has fled the country," according to court filings in Allegheny County.(1)

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  • Federal agents apparently are centering their investigation on mortgage transactions that may have been forged by Guzik. [...] "There is some legitimate concern that any number of mortgage satisfactions may have been fraudulently filed," [certified fraud examiner Joseph] Labriola wrote.

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  • [Three area couples have] filed separate lawsuits in Allegheny County this year against Guzik and East Haven. The Westmoreland couples allege that forged documents had been filed in court to falsely indicate that their East Haven investments -- totaling more than $300,000 -- had been repaid.

For more, see Monroeville business owner from Derry allegedly flees.

(1) According to the story, Guzik has not been seen since March, when he boarded an airplane at Pittsburgh International Airport and disappeared. Guzik told family and friends he was going on a cruise. Before he left, Guzik cleaned out his office, burned his files and destroyed his computers, said Sean Kerrigan of Trafford, a business associate, the article reports.