Former Willingboro Township Mayor and Associate Convicted of Mortgage Fraud in Connection with Fraudulent Short Sale

NEWARK/TRENTON/CAMDEN, N.J. - A federal jury found the former Mayor of Willingboro Township and another individual guilty yesterday of mortgage fraud in connection with a fraudulent short sale of real estate, Senior Counsel Philip Lamparello announced.

Nathaniel Anderson, 59, a town councilman and the former Mayor of Willingboro in Burlington County, New Jersey, and his business associate Chrisone D. Anderson, 58, of Sicklerville, New Jersey, were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, one count of bank fraud, and two counts of making a false statement on a mortgage application.

The jury deliberated for approximately two-and-one-half hours before returning verdicts following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Robert Kirsch in Trenton federal court. A federal grand jury indicted both defendants on August 22, 2024.

According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:

From March 2015 through June 2017, Nathaniel Anderson and Chrisone D. Anderson conspired to orchestrate a fraudulent short sale of a property in Willingboro from Nathaniel Anderson to Chrisone D. Anderson.

As part of the conspiracy to defraud a government-sponsored enterprise to discharge a mortgage obligation on Nathaniel Anderson's property in Willingboro and to induce a mortgage lending business to issue a new mortgage on the property, Chrisone D. Anderson executed mortgage documents containing materially false representations. These misrepresentations included that the short sale was an arm's length transaction, that Chrisone D. Anderson did not have a prior business relationship with Nathaniel Anderson, that Nathaniel Anderson would not continue to occupy the property as his residence following the short sale, and that Chrisone D. Anderson would occupy the property as her primary residence.

As a result of the fraudulent short sale, the government-sponsored enterprise discharged Nathaniel Anderson's mortgage obligation, causing a total loss of over $200,000, and the victim lender issued a new mortgage on the property.

The charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, bank fraud, and making false statements on a loan application are each punishable by a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a maximum fine of up to $1 million. Sentencing is scheduled for June 1, 2026 before Judge Kirsch.

Senior Counsel Lamparello credited special agents of the FBI, Newark Division, Trenton Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Stefanie Roddy in Newark; and special agents of the Northeast Region of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of the Inspector General, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Robert Manchak, with the investigation leading to the charges.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph McFarlane of the Special Prosecutions Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew M. Trombly, Chief of the Cybercrime Unit in Newark.

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Defense counsel: Troy Archie, Esq. (Chrisone D. Anderson)

Andrea Aldana and Adalgiza Nunez (Nathaniel Anderson)