Lawyer for New York City Accused of Mortgage Fraud
An assistant corporation counsel for New York City has been placed on administrative leave after federal prosecutors accused him of mortgage fraud.
Lawyer Hugh Zuber, 38, was charged with conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud, including mortgage fraud, and forging a judicial signature, according to LoHud.com. He made an annual salary of $79,250 working for the city.
The criminal complaint alleges that Zuber used deception to obtain properties at low prices in the Bronx and Spring Valley, representing the sellers despite relationships with the buyers. In both cases, the mortgage payments were eventually dropped, the story says.
In one case, he is accused of orchestrating the sale of a Bronx apartment building property without telling the seller that the buyer was a corporation he had created and his sister managed, according to LoHud.com and Courthouse News Service. When Zuber and the purchasing company quit making mortgage payments, he showed his client forged papers indicating he had sued the company and forced it into bankruptcy, prosecutors allege.
Zuber was released on a $100,000 personal recognizance bond. His lawyer, Sabrina Shroff, told the Associated Press that Zuber was receiving counseling for gambling problems.
Courthouse News Service posted the complaint (PDF).
