NJ official convicted of federal fraud scheme that let him keep his home

🔴 Willingboro Councilman Nathaniel Anderson convicted in federal court

🔴 Prosecutors say Anderson lied to keep living in his foreclosed home.

🔴 He and a business associate face decades in prison.

WILLINGBORO — A longtime local official and his business associate have been convicted of a property short sale scheme.

On Tuesday, a jury found Willingboro Councilman Nathaniel Anderson, 59, guilty of two counts of mortgage application fraud and one count each of bank fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

The councilman's business association, Chrisone Anderson, 58, of Sicklerville, was found guilty of the same crimes. At the time of the plot, her legal name was Chrisone Whitehead.

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According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, both Andersons face decades in prison and millions of dollars in fines. Their sentencing is scheduled for June 1.

The trial lasted for two weeks. It took jurors less than three hours to convict the pair.

Prosecutors say scheme followed foreclosure of councilman’s home

Nat Anderson was sworn in as the mayor of Willingboro on Jan. 1, 2016, though he is no longer mayor. Federal prosecutors said the conspiracy ran from March 2015 through June 2017.

Investigators found that in March 2015, a bank foreclosed on Anderson's Willingboro home. He immediately began working to convince people, including a real estate broker and a friend, to do a fraudulent short sale so he could keep living in the home. Anderson was told the plan was illegal, but continued to shop around his idea.

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In October 2015, Nat Anderson reached out to Chrisone Anderson. She agreed to the short sale scheme. They both signed documents swearing that they: did not have a prior business relationship; Nat Anderson would not continue to live in the home; and Chrisone Anderson would live in the home after the sale. Prosecutors said all three statements were lies.

As a result of the fraudulent short sale, Nat Anderson's mortgage debt was canceled. It also caused an unidentified government-sponsored enterprise to lose over $122,000.

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