Fraudster convicted of defrauding Brooklyn, Queens homeowners

A jury in White Plains has convicted Gregory Cooper of defrauding homeowners in Brooklyn and Queens through a predatory mortgage scheme, Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced yesterday. The scheme, which earned Cooper and his associates more than $750,000 in commission, involved luring working-class homeowners into negative amortization mortgages through false statements and other forms of deception. Cooper, 47, was also convicted of defrauding mortgage brokers nationwide through a Bronx-based business that advertised fake lists of homeowners interested in refinancing their mortgages. The lists were sold for nearly $30,000 each, allowing Cooper and his colleagues to amass over $700,000. Cooper’s bail has been revoked, and he is scheduled for sentencing Feb. 23. He faces a maximum of 220 years in prison, plus a fine of either $250,000 or twice the amount earned or lost through the scam. TRD