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Former Willingboro Mayor and Associate Convicted of Mortgage Fraud in $200K Short Sale Scheme
Federal jury finds pair guilty of orchestrating fraudulent real estate transaction that misled government-backed mortgage lender
A federal jury in Trenton has convicted former Willingboro Township Mayor Nathaniel Anderson, 59, and his business associate Chrisone D. Anderson, 58, of mortgage fraud tied to a fraudulent short sale of a residential property in Burlington County. The verdict, delivered after approximately two and a half hours of deliberation, followed a two-week trial in U.S. District Court before Judge Robert Kirsch.
Both defendants were found guilty on four felony counts: one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud affecting a financial institution, bank fraud, and two counts of making false statements on a mortgage application. The charges stem from a real estate transaction that occurred between March 2015 and June 2017, in which the pair executed a short sale designed to eliminate a mortgage obligation while concealing their ongoing business relationship and property occupancy plans.
According to court documents and trial evidence, Nathaniel Anderson, who was serving as a Willingboro Township councilman and had previously held the position of mayor, transferred a property in Willingboro to Chrisone D. Anderson through a short sale. The transaction was falsely represented as an arm’s length deal, with key misstatements made on mortgage documents to mislead both the government-sponsored enterprise holding the mortgage and the private mortgage lender.
Among the fraudulent claims submitted were that there was no prior business relationship between the buyer and seller, that Nathaniel Anderson would not continue living in the home after the sale, and that Chrisone D. Anderson intended to use the property as her primary residence. These false statements led the government-backed lender to discharge the outstanding mortgage—resulting in a financial loss exceeding $200,000—and prompted a new lender to issue a fresh mortgage on the misrepresented terms.
The charges each carry a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentencing for both defendants is scheduled for June 1, 2026.
The investigation was conducted by special agents of the FBI’s Newark Division, Trenton Resident Agency, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of the Inspector General, Northeast Region. The case is being prosecuted 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.
The convictions highlight ongoing federal efforts to protect the integrity of mortgage lending and prevent financial fraud affecting government-sponsored enterprises and private lenders.
