Bergen County woman indicted in real estate fraud that led to over a dozen lawsuits
Jennifer Iturralde Pina is accused of destroying a cellphone when federal investigators came with a warrant to seize her phone, according to a press release from U.S. Attorney Alina Habba. Iturralde Pina was charged with destruction of evidence in November.
Iturralde Pina, along with her husband Cesar Pina, are the targets of at least a dozen lawsuits filed by people who say they gave the couple millions of dollars to invest in real estate and ended up being defrauded.
Pina, who ran an account known as 'Flipping NJ,' was charged in October 2023 with wire fraud in an alleged real estate investment fraud scheme. Court documents said Iturralde Pina asked a friend to tell a witness to stop talking to and cooperating with investigators in February 2024, Habba said.
Itrrualde Pina attempted to give her friend her cellphone to hold onto but the friend wasn't able to take it. When investigators came to Pina's house with a warrant for the cellphone, Iturralde Pina destroyed the device and hid it, the release said.
Iturralde Pina faces up to 20 years in prison and "a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary gain that any persons derived from the offense, or twice the gross amount of any pecuniary loss sustained by any victims of the offense, whichever is greatest," the release said.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Franklin Lakes NJ woman indicted in real estate fraud scheme
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