California Man Sentenced to 34 Months for $3.3 Million Mortgage Fraud

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Peter B. Neathery, 38, of Los Angeles, California, was sentenced today to 34 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in a mortgage fraud scheme that caused more than $3.3 million in losses.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James W. McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Daniel Cortez, Inspector in Charge of the Washington Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge T. S. Ellis, III.

During late 2006 and through 2007, Neathery was affiliated with two businesses that were located in Vienna, Virginia and McLean, Virginia that focused on the marketing of undeveloped, subdivided lots located in North Carolina and South Carolina. Neathery conspired with others to provide false and fraudulent employment and asset information on loan applications to financial institutions that were considering the loan applications of prospective lot purchasers referred by Neathery and others.

Court documents list at least 11 properties that Neathery financed through these fraudulent practices, all of which eventually resulted in foreclosure. He was ordered to pay $3,384,958 in restitution to the five financial institutions that suffered losses due to his fraud.

This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Assistant United States Attorney Mark D. Lytle is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.