Updated 2:41 PM Sunday, January 9, 2011

http://www.oxfordpress.com/news/crime/seven-plead-guilty-to-mortgage-fraud-conspiracy-1049853.html

CINCINNATI — A 70-year-old man is the last of six family members to plead guilty to mortgage fraud conspiracy in federal court.

Seven people total — including an employee of the family’s — admitted in United States District Court to operating a mortgage fraud conspiracy between 2004 and 2009, said a release from Fred Alverson of the United States Department of Justice.

All defendants entered their pleas before Chief U.S. District Judge Susan Dlott, the release said. Defendants include:

• Salvatore Sferrazza, 70, of West Chester Twp., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, and one count of money laundering.

• Keiron Ashurst, 45, of Fairfield, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud. “She is a citizen of Great Britain and may face immigration consequences,” according to the USDOJ.

• Heather Ashurst, 27, of West Chester Twp., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud.

• Debbie Sferrazza, 46, of West Chester Twp., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, one count of money laundering, and three counts of filing false income tax returns. She is a citizen of Great Britain, so she may face deportation, according to the USDOJ. She is the wife of Salvatore Sferrazza and the brother of Keiron Ashurst.

• James Ashurst, 27, of West Chester Twp., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, and one count of money laundering. He is the husband of Heather Ashurst and a son of Debbie Sferrazza.

• Whitney Bonapfel, 22, of Cincinnati, Debbie Sferrazza’s daughter, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement or report to HUD (a misdemeanor offense). “She faces a maximum sentence of one year in prison, a fine of up to $100,000, and one year of supervised release,” according to the USDOJ.

• Tabatha Sturgill, 35, of Hamilton, who was employed by Debbie Sferrazza, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud and one count of filing a false income tax return.

The wire and mail fraud charges and conspiracy charges are punishable to up to 20 years in prison. “Money laundering is punishable by up to ten years and each of the tax charges is punishable by up to three years in prison,” the release said.

“According to court documents, the conspirators prepared false loan applications and used fraudulent supporting documents to acquire loans in connection with 14 real estate transactions involving eight residential properties.

“The pleas also require the defendants to make restitution to the lenders involved and to the IRS,” according to the release.

Sentencing dates for the defendants have not been set.

“Agencies participating in the Greater Cincinnati Mortgage Fraud Task Force include the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General, the Cincinnati Police Department, the U.S. Secret Service, the Springdale Police Department, Warren County Prosecutor Rachel Hutzel, Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Kentucky, the West Chester Police Department, the Middletown Police Department, Hamilton County Sheriff Simon Leis, the FDIC, and the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Financial Institutions,” according to the USDOJ.