R.H. Consultant Is Cuffed For Fraud
Using forged documents to procure new identities for his clients as part of a credit fixing scheme proved costly for a Richmond Hill business owner who was busted by authorities on fraud charges last Wednesday, May 2, law enforcement sources said.
Prosecutors identified the suspect as B.J. Cardova (a.k.a. Benjamin Cruz), 45, a resident of Dutch Broadway in Valley Stream, L.I. and owner of Financial Institution Recovery Services Inc., located at 92-11 102nd St. in Richmond Hill.
Authorities said Cardova allegedly defrauded at least four clients of the firm out of $7,700 in payments between 2008 and 2008 for services which the suspect claimed would repair their credit scores. Each client was reportedly charged a fee between $700 and $3,000.
Based on information obtained during their investigation, law enforcement sources learned that Cardova allegedly provided the customers with forged name-change court documents from Georgia, which he instructed them to use to change their official identities as registered with the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).
The customers reportedly obtained the new identities in order to secure new credit ratings with various credit reporting agencies, prosecutors noted.
“Instead of throwing them a lifeline, in reality, he is alleged to have exposed businesses to bad debtors who were financially drowning and assisted his customers in burying themselves deeper in debt,” said Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, who announced the charges last Wednesday along with Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly and state Commissioner of Motor Vehicles Barbara J. Fiala.
“Repairing bad credit requires more than a name change,” Kelly added. “The suspect’s idea of a quick fix solution for a person with bad credit was to use forged documents to create a debt-free new identity.”
“Making sure that those who would produce fraudulent documents are discovered, stopped and punished is an important step in protecting the identity and security of all New Yorkers,” Fiala said.
Through court-authorized search warrants, police raided Cardova’s home and Richmond Hill office last Tuesday, May 1, and recovered Georgia name change and divorce decrees as well as rubber stamps bearing the names of a judge and a clerk in the Fulton County Supreme Court. The forged documents reportedly bore the raised court seal.
Cardova was charged with second degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, fourth-degree grand larceny, fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property and first-degree scheme to defraud.
He was arraigned last Wednesday, May 2, in Queens Criminal Court before Judge Toko Serita, who ordered him held on $40,000 bond or $20,000 cash and to surrender his U.S. passport. Cardova is scheduled to return to court on May 15.
Detectives Michael McFadden and Lawrence Lloyd of the NYPD Document Fraud Squad, and members of the Department of Motor Vehicles Division of Field Investigations, conducted the inquiry under the supervision of Sgt. William Planeta and Lt. Jerry Caicedo, commander of the Document Fraud Squad. The investigation was also supervised by Deputy Inspector Gregory Antonsen, commander of the NYPD Financial Crimes Task Force, Deputy Chief Jeremiah Quinlan, commander of the NYPD Special Investigations Division, and Chief of Detectives Phil T. Pulaski.
Paralegal Kathleen P. Feeney of the D.A.’s Economic Crimes Bureau also assisted with the investigation.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Nathalie Bell of the Economic Crimes Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Gregory C. Pavlides, bureau chief, and Christina Hanophy, deputy bureau chief.
