Thu, Apr 24, 2014

 

 

An Englewood Cliffs woman and her 25-year-old daughter were arrested April 14 on charges of money laundering following an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office White Collar Crimes Squad and the New Jersey Department of the Treasury Office of Criminal Investigation.

 

 

Anna S. Lee, 54, and her daughter Jennifer H. Lee, 25, of New York City, were released from the Bergen County Jail after each posted $75,000 bail on April 15.

 

According to Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli, Anna Lee allegedly fraudulently obtained payments from victims in excess of $300,000 while representing clients in loan modification agreements for their properties. Molinelli said the funds were to be used for attorney fees, escrow funds and processing fees for the loan modifications services, but instead were allegedly spent by Anna Lee for personal use.

 

"Anna Lee laundered the money through her New Jersey Corporation, Donche Consulting Corporation," said Molinelli. "In addition, her daughter, Jennifer Lee, laundered monies received from the fraudulent loan modification scheme through her personal bank accounts."

 

As a result of the scheme, several victims’ properties ended up in foreclosure, Molinelli said.

 

Anna Lee was charged with money laundering, a first-degree crime; conspiracy to commit money laundering, a second-degree crime; theft by deception, a second-degree crime; and misconduct by a corporate officer.

 

Jennifer Lee was charged with money laundering, a first-degree crime, and conspiracy to commit money laundering a second-degree crime.

 

Judge Edward A. Jerejian set bail for Anna and Jennifer at $75,000 each with no 10-percent option. Both were also forced to surrender their passports. The pair posted bail the day after arrest and their arraignment date has yet to be decided.