WASHINGTON – In one of the stranger twists to come out of the financial meltdown, a Maryland man is being investigated for a 2009 mortgage fraud after he allegedly convinced CitiGroup to accept a money order purportedly backed by then Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.
In the scheme, allege investigators, Bryan Gardner of Waldorf, Md., sent CitiMortgage a $353,000 money order in January of 2009 that stated it was drawn on the Paulson’s account. Investigators said Gardner signed the document as Paulson’s “Authorized Representative.” CitiMortgage then accepted the money order and credited Gardner’s account.
Investigators allege that Gardner had actually tried the scheme once before, in November of 2008, but was unsuccessful. He allegedly changed the amount on the money order slightly when he tried the scam a second time, the Secret Service reported. Because CitiMortgage issued a “satisfaction” on the mortgage, Gardner was able to sell the Maryland property; he has not been indicted in the matter.
