A former NASA staffer and her hubby have been slapped with federal charges over a scheming plot to defraud mortgage lenders in a years-long fraud racket, according to the feds.
Noreen Khan, who goes by Noreen Khan-Mayberry, and spouse Christopher Mayberry, could face a stretch of up to five years in a federal pen and a hefty $250,000 fine each if they're convicted of concocting a financing and refinancing mortgage loan scheme, the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Southern District of Texas announced. The indictment also hangs the possibility of their swanky home being seized over their heads.
The indictment, which was returned earlier this month, accuses the duo of lying through their teeth since 2016. While still on the NASA payroll, they allegedly snapped up loans for a luxe property only to promptly stop paying, officials said. The charges claim they then dodged their debts, alleging identity theft — with Khan supposedly filing a fake police report, hitting up the Federal Trade Commission with false claims and disputing the debts with credit bureaus.
As part of their ploy, the Mayberrys reportedly signed three separate agreements with mortgage lenders from 2017 to 2021. To pull the wool over lenders' eyes, they are accused of providing made-up employment info and phony documents including pay stubs, tax forms, and account statements. The endgame? Snagging loans they had no intention of repaying, the indictment alleges.
Earlier today, the couple turned themselves in and faced U.S. Magistrate Judge Yvonne Ho. Despite the serious charges stacked against them, it's important to remember an indictment is merely an accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. The Mayberrys maintain their presumption of innocence until otherwise proven guilty in the court of law.
