2 Mortgage Fraud Defendants Ask For Longer Leash
TAMPA - Two men accused of an $83 million mortgage loan scheme are asking a judge to let them travel while they are free on bond.
One of the men wants to judge a cat show in New Zealand, and the other wants to travel for his real estate consulting business.
Four men have been charged with participating in the mortgage scheme that defrauded seven banks. One of the defendants, Neil Mohamed Husani, 38, remains at large.
Two defendants who have been allowed to remain free on signature bonds, written commitments to pay money if they fail to show up for court, are seeking changes to release conditions that restrict their travel to the Middle District of Florida.
Sarasota lawyer John Yanchek is “a recognized international feline judge” and breeder of Oriental Shorthairs and Somalis, according to a defense court pleading. He is scheduled to judge at the Karnak National Festival of the Cat on Saturday.
A federal prosecutor filed a response opposing Yanchek’s being allowed to travel, saying the cat show “is hardly a compelling reason.”
“Once outside the jurisdiction of the Court, the defendant will have little or no incentive to return,” wrote Assistant U.S. Attorney Terry Zitek in his response. “The only collateral attached to the bond is the defendant’s wife’s signature.”
Another defendant, Larry P. Nardelli, 49, of Tampa, filed an emergency motion Monday asking to be allowed to travel to Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas and/or the Bahamas.
According to the court pleading, he is self-employed as a financial consultant who arranges financing for real estate development projects. Nardelli needs to attend conferences with clients, wrote his attorney, Daniel Castillo.
Contacted for comment about the motion, Castillo noted his client is presumed innocent. “He hasn’t been convicted of anything yet,” Castillo said. “The man has to travel for business. That’s the end of it.”
Castillo declined to name Nardelli’s real estate clients or say whether they know he is under indictment on mortgage fraud charges.
Also arrested and charged in the multimillion-dollar scheme was Michael A. Tringali, 46, of Sarasota.
According to a 44-page indictment handed up in July, between May 2004 and June 2006, the four defrauded Orion Bank, Mercantile Bank, Bank Atlantic, Coast Bank, Fifth Third Bank, Wachovia Bank and First State Bank.
The indictment said the defendants agreed to purchase commercial real estate properties, intending to simultaneously resell the properties to other conspirators at a substantially higher price.
Reporter Elaine Silvestrini can be reached at (813) 259-7837 or esilvestrini@tampatrib.com.
