COURTS: Falls house flipper going to jail

Local News

August 7, 2008

Jospeh Furan sentenced to 30 days for continuing to sell property over the Internet

Staff Reports The Niagara Gazette Thu Aug 07, 2008, 05:13 PM EDT

A Niagara Falls man was found guilty of criminal contempt of court after he tried to flip properties on the Internet in direct violation of a court order, according to Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s office.

Justice Kevin M. Dillon found Joseph Furan, 39, of Lockport Road, guilty of criminal contempt of court for seven violations of a prior court judgment by advertising properties on the Internet classified site Craigslist. Dillon sentenced Furan to 30 days in jail beginning Aug.15.

“Ignoring a detailed court order, Mr. Furan continued to attempt to defraud unknowing investors by using the anonymity of the Internet,” said Cuomo. “He engaged in persistent fraud with respect to the sale of properties over the Internet, and he flouted the law. My office does not ignore violations of court orders, and for his continued acts of defiance, he is going to jail.”

In April, Cuomo sought contempt charges against Furan for violating a court order that banned Furan from using the Internet to sell any properties in the state unless he posted a $100,000 performance bond. He was also barred from conducting any transactions regarding securities or commodities and from engaging in any deceptive business practices. In that case, Furan placed multiple ads on the Internet site eBay in an attempt to lure investors to buy properties he did not own, among other schemes.

An investigation by the Attorney General’s Office discovered that Furan — after the court order was issued, and without posting a court imposed $100,000 bond — began advertising properties for sale on Craigslist. According to court documents, Furan violated the original court order in numerous respects. Furan continued to place ads on the Internet and fake his credentials and companies that he claimed to own and operate. He repeatedly told the Attorney General’s Office that the actions taking place after the order was issued were actually done on behalf of a licensed real estate broker. However, the real estate broker said he had no knowledge of — and did not consent to — any of Furan’s actions and that he merely rented Furan office space.

Justice Dillon found that Furan, in violation of his court order:

• Did not file a $100,000 performance bond

• Posted listings on the Internet to sell properties on seven occasions

• Did not have an agreement with a real estate broker to post the listings

Furan is also facing a pending charge of third-degree grand larceny for allegedly selling two Niagara Falls properties over the Internet to a buyer from England, using the money to pay off various debts and never providing the titles to the properties. According to the felony complaint, Furan sold a property on Linwood Avenue for $19,000 to an investor from England. However, Furan did not own the property at the time of the sale, as it had already been foreclosed when it belonged to his wife. Furan also sold a property on 18th Street to the same investor for $32,000 without ever transferring the title. The charge carries a maximum prison sentence of seven years.

Text Only | Photo Reprints

Local News

SLIDESHOW: Memorial Day Weekend 2012 Niagara Falls celebrates Memorial Day Weekend activities on Saturday with a parade on Pine Avenue, a memorial service and viewing of the new Veterans Memorial at Hyde Park, a concert series on Old Falls Street and free boat safety inspections by the Niagara County Sheriff Department Marine Division at the City of Niagara Falls Boat Docks on Buffalo Avenue.
May 26, 2012 1 Photo
Legislation protecting Falls air base units moves forward
The effort to protect jobs at the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station got a boost from a committee in Washington, D.C. on Thursday.

May 24, 2012 1 Photo
Korean student robbed at gunpoint in Falls
Detectives are investigating the robbery of a 25-year-old woman Wednesday night in front of a motel in the 400 block of Main Street.

May 24, 2012 1 Photo
Davis will not seek Murphy removal
Lawyers for accused killer Matthew “Bones” Davis say their client will not ask to have Niagara County Court Judge Matthew J. Murphy III removed from his case.

May 24, 2012 1 Photo
Labor group laments economic development efforts
Economic development in New York state has become a joke to some in the area. And many of them are demanding changes to a process which spends approximately $3 billion a year.

May 24, 2012
Repaving work on Old Military Road rises to $790K
Sometimes a change is good. Sometimes a change is bad. For the Town of Lewiston, a change can be pretty costly.

May 24, 2012
Fifth-grader presents list of 400 names asking for new playground
A 10-year-old boy carrying a petition containing more than 400 signatures asked members of the Niagara Falls School Board on Thursday to consider building a new playground at his school.

May 24, 2012
Bomb threat leads to arrest at NT school
A North Tonawanda teen was arrested Thursday morning for sending a one-sentence bomb threat to the computer of a fellow high school student, resulting in a brief lockdown of the school.

May 24, 2012 1 Photo
Sense of resignation on AES pact
May 24, 2012
Marching to the new veterans memorial
It's the unofficial beginning of summer.

Memorial Day may mean cookouts with hot dogs and hamburgers, a trip on the river in a boat or simply a day off from work Monday.

May 24, 2012 2 Photos
More Local News Headlines

Do you think cigarette sales to non-Native American customers should be taxed on reservations?