TRENTON
- Vaughn L. McKoy, Director, Division
of Criminal Justice, announced that the
Division of Criminal Justice has obtained
guilty pleas from four members of an Ocean
County family on charges they operated
a sophisticated criminal enterprise which
illegally obtained hundreds of thousands
of dollars in cash and luxury merchandise
through various mortgage, real estate,
bank fraud, and identity theft schemes.
It was charged that the family used Atlantic
City casinos to launder the illegally
obtained cash.
According to Criminal Justice Director
McKoy, Antwan Issa (father), 62, and Robert
Issa (Antwan’s son), 41, pleaded
guilty on Jan. 25 before Atlantic County
Superior Court Judge Bernard DeLury to
charges of racketeering conspiracy and
theft by deception respectively. As a
result of the guilty plea, Robert Issa
faces 15 years in state prison, while
Antwan will be sentenced to 13 years in
state prison. Roger Issa (Antwan’s
son), 30, entered a guilty plea before
Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Michael
R. Connor on Jan. 5 to a charge of racketeering
conspiracy and will be sentenced to 13
years in state prison. Rita Issa (Roger’s
wife), 35, entered a guilty plea before
Judge Connor on Aug. 18, 2005 to a charge
of conspiracy to commit theft by deception;
she faces eight years in state prison.
The Issa’s are former residents
of 400 Carter Ave., Pt. Pleasant Beach,
Ocean County. Antwan and Robert Issa face
additional federal charges and remain
incarcerated in federal prison on parole
violations.
The 28-count State Grand Jury indictment
returned on March 15, 2005 charged that
from November, 2002 through March, 2004,
the Issa family engaged in a racketeering
conspiracy to accumulate wealth through
various financial schemes, including mortgage
and real estate fraud, bank fraud, theft
by deception, and identity theft. It was
charged that the Issa’s devised
various financial schemes and that each
family member assumed specific roles to
successfully perpetrate the illegal activity.
Various schemes devised to steal money
included the creation of a non-existent
bank, complete with telephone numbers
answered by family members to verify the
issuance of fraudulent checks; identity
theft; the purchase of legitimate travelers
checks using bogus bank checks; the purchase
of expensive luxury items using bogus
bank checks; and the laundering of thousands
of dollars in stolen monies through Atlantic
City casinos.
The indictment charged that in November,
2002, Robert, Roger, and Rita Issa assumed
the identity of a relative (Dolly Issa)
and sold Dolly’s residential property
without her knowledge. As a result of
the sale, the Issa’s obtained $87,947
from the sale of the property located
at 130 Tamarack Drive, Wayne, Passaic
County. A second real estate fraud occurred
when Robert Issa posed as a financial
expert, befriended a doctor under the
guise of providing assistance to obtain
a loan, and used the doctor’s financial
and personal information to fraudulently
apply for and obtain a $450,000 mortgage
purportedly to purchase a Toms River,
Ocean County, residence.
Additional counts in the indictment charged
that in January, 2004, Robert Issa made
arrangements to rent space at a Neptune
City, Monmouth County, storefront to open
a nonexistent bank (Bank United). Using
the guise of the bank, “official-looking”
Bank United checks were printed and used
to purchase valid AAA VISA Travelers checks.
The VISA Travelers checks, in combination
with fraudulent Bank United checks, were
used in February and March to purchase
two Rolex watches valued at $43,000 and
a 4.85 carat diamond necklace and a 2.5
carat diamond bracelet priced at $11,000.
Additionally, it is charged that Rita
Issa deposited $55,000 at the Borgata
Casino while Roger Issa deposited $61,000
in VISA Travelers checks at the Tropicana
Hotel & Casino (all alleged to be
purchased with bogus Bank United checks).
After minimal gaming activity, the Issa’s
withdrew the balance of the monies in
cash.
Yet other charges alleged that Robert
and Rita Issa opened various bank accounts
at Commerce Bank by depositing minimal
amounts of money drawn on fraudulent Bank
United checks and, through a series of
deposits and withdrawals, stole more than
$142,600 in Commerce Bank funds. Additionally,
it was charged that in November, 2003,
Robert Issa (under an assumed name) rented
a furnished home in South Brunswick, Middlesex
County, and stole the household furnishings,
including a large freezer, a large-screen
television, china and a computer system.
The investigation resulted in the March
3, 2004, arrest of Roger and Rita Issa
at their 400 Carter Avenue, Pt. Pleasant
Beach residence by U.S. Marshals. Antwan
and Robert Issa were subsequently arrested
for violating federal parole. On June
2, the Division of Criminal Justice -
Civil Forfeiture Bureau, filed forfeiture
proceedings seeking to obtain the proceeds
of the alleged illegal activity, including
more than $70,000 in cash, various items
of jewelry, antique coins, and assorted
electronic equipment seized as part of
the investigation.
The investigation was coordinated by Deputy
Attorney’s General Andrew Butchko
and Kerry Menchen assigned to the Division
of Criminal Justice - Casino Prosecutions
Bureau. The investigation was conducted
by the Dover Township Police Department
and New Jersey State Police detectives
assigned to the Division of Gaming Enforcement.
Additional information, along with a copy
of the State Grand Jury indictment, is
available via the Division of Criminal
Justice Web site at www.njdcj.org.
