Tampa, FL – In a significant legal outcome, John Alberto Stolard, 48, from Wesley Chapel, has been sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud involving fraudulent quit claim deeds. U.S. District Judge Mary S. Scriven also ordered Stolard to forfeit $747,388.30, which represents the proceeds from his illegal activities. Stolard entered a guilty plea on October 3, 2024.
The fraudulent scheme involved Stolard obtaining fake quit claim deeds for five properties belonging to a victim he personally knew. Stolard secured $827,000 in fraudulent mortgage loans by falsely claiming ownership of these properties. He and a co-conspirator forged the victim’s signature on the deeds and filed these fraudulent documents with the Hillsborough County Clerk of Court. Stolard then used the fraudulent deeds to apply for mortgage loans online, using the victim’s properties as collateral.
The U.S. Secret Service, in collaboration with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, conducted a thorough investigation which unveiled the depth of Stolard’s betrayal and greed. Special Agent in Charge Robert Engel of the Tampa Field Office remarked on the investigation’s success in preventing significant financial harm to the victim, emphasizing Stolard’s breach of trust.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Peresie, highlighting the swift and effective collaboration between federal and local law enforcement agencies to bring Stolard to justice.
