Self-proclaimed 'home saver' accused of grand larceny
Lauren Taliento said she was "in shock" after being indicted in New York.
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she → proclaim → York
A New York entrepreneur who advertised online that she could help save people's homes from foreclosure found herself facing charges in a Staten Island courtroom Monday.
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herself → advertise → courtroom
Lauren Taliento, the president of JT Homesavers, is facing a 46-count indictment accusing her of grand larceny, petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.
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Taliento → face → property
She has pleaded not guilty.
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She → plead → ?
One of Taliento's accusers, who is not part of the criminal indictment, was featured in a recent ABC News investigation about self-proclaimed "home savers" around the country at a time when a growing number of Americans are facing foreclosure.
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number → feature → foreclosure
Prosecutors said in court that a homeowner named Miguel Mora reached out to Taliento seeking a loan modification to reduce his mortgage payments and that Taliento instructed Mora to pay her instead as an intermediary.
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Taliento → say → intermediary
However, the payments "were not being forwarded to the mortgage lender and she was basically spending them herself," prosecutors alleged.
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prosecutors → forward → them
"People like her need to be stopped," Mora, a 60-year-old retired New York City subway conductor, told ABC News in an interview.
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Mora → need → interview
"This is not like somebody asking you on the street, 'Give me $5.'
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somebody → ask → 5
Her business wants to take people's homes and take their money.
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business → want → money
And now that she's being stopped, I'm really happy and elated with this.
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I → stop → this
"
"My credit is ruined because the 20 months of not paying my mortgage is still all on my credit report," Mora said.
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Mora → ruin → report
Taliento was released without bail following her arraignment.
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Taliento → release → arraignment
She attempted to hide her face from reporters as she left the courtroom, but called WABC-TV by phone shortly afterward to say that "this is far from a scam."
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this → attempt → scam
"I truly cared about these people.
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I → care → people
I was available to them 24/7," Taliento said.
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Taliento → say → them
"I am in absolute shock about what has gone on."
Mora is the only alleged victim in the indictment, but three Staten Island residents who attended Monday's hearing said that they hope Taliento will be charged with additional crimes.
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Taliento → go → crimes
"Unfortunately we're still working so hard to pick up the pieces from the turmoil," Donna Manitta told ABC News.
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Manitta → work → News
Manitta, Fabiana Polizzi and Constance Pantazis say they each ended up losing their homes to foreclosure after paying JT Homesavers for loan modification services in an attempt to lower their mortgage payments.
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they → say → payments
"The investigation into this matter remains ongoing and additional charges may be forthcoming," the Richmond County District Attorney's Office told ABC News and WABC-TV in a statement.
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Office → remain → statement
Prosecutors asked the judge to restrict Taliento from continuing to conduct loan modification and mortgage assistance services as a condition of her release, but after the judge questioned whether he had the authority to impose such a restriction, the request was withdrawn, meaning Taliento's business can still operate while she awaits trial.
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she → ask → trial
Polizzi was featured in ABC News' investigation into self-proclaimed "home savers" in July.
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Polizzi → feature → July
"It becomes reality to watch your whole life being loaded into trucks, and it's worse when it's not because you want to," Polizzi said over the spring as she left her Staten Island home for the last time.
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she → become → time
When asked by WABC-TV how people like Polizzi lost their homes, Taliento blamed banks, investors and predatory lending.
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Taliento → ask → banks
"It wasn't because of me," she said.
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she → say → me
Taliento could face up to seven years in prison if convicted on the most serious charge she currently faces.
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she → face → charge
WABC-TV's Mark Crudele contributed to this report.
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Crudele → contribute → report
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