Federal prosecutors charged a slew of Florida residents and one Bostonian across two fraud cases, which each level charges of faking financial records or applications for mortgage loans and COVID-era paycheck protection programs.
Sniders Jean-Jacques, 38, of Miami, Florida, is the top defendant in each case and is accompanied in both cases by Tanya Pierre, 28, also of Miami, who federal prosecutors said served as Jean Jacques’ assistant. Both of them appeared in federal court for an initial appearance in Miami and will appear in Boston at a later date.
Mortgages
Jean-Jacques operated a tax preparation and credit repair business with offices in both Miami and Boston, according to court documents. Federal prosecutors allege that he and his associates helped applicants for mortgage loans or apartment rentals who had bad credit through fraudulent means. In all, prosecutors allege schemes…
These frauds exploit emotional vulnerability and trust rather than technical weaknesses.
- Romance Scams: Scammers build long-term online relationships with victims, eventually fabricating a “crisis” (medical emergency, legal trouble, or travel costs) that requires the victim to send money.
- Pig Butchering: A hybrid scam where the criminal builds a romantic or platonic relationship to eventually “tutor” the victim in a fraudulent cryptocurrency investment.