Wethersfield Woman Who Assisted In Fraud Scheme Sentenced To 30 Months In Federal Prison

Deirdre M. Daly, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that SUNITA D. BUDDHU, 43, of Wethersfield, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for helping her father, Deowraj “Deo” Buddhu , operate a fraudulent debt elimination scheme that victimized more than 125 people in Connecticut, New York, Wisconsin, Florida and Georgia.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between 2009 and June 2012, Deo Buddhu sold a debt elimination “program” to vulnerable individuals through various businesses, including Paradise Consulting Service, Hema, Inc., and Secured Redemption.  In exchange for substantial fees, Deo Buddhu told victims about a little-known government fund that could be used to pay off their mortgages and other debts.  In fact, no such fund exists.  Buddhu instructed his victims to stop making payments on their mortgages, credit cards and other debts, and to stop paying their property taxes.  He also provided his victims with fictitious promissory notes, which he called “bonds,” as well as other frivolous documentation, and advised his victims to use them to pay their debts. 

Using her Connecticut Notary Public license, SUNITA BUDDHU assisted her father in the business by preparing, notarizing and mailing the fraudulent documents used in the scheme, including the fictitious bonds.

By ceasing their mortgage payments and other obligations, many of the victims have lost or are in the process of losing their homes to foreclosure.

SUNITA BUDDHU has been detained since her arrest on June 13, 2012.  On October 10, 2012, she pleaded guilty to one count of passing and presenting a fictitious financial instrument.

On June 25, 2013, a jury found Deo Buddhu guilty of six counts of mail fraud and seven counts of passing and presenting fictitious financial instruments.  He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 4, 2013.
Deo Buddhu has been detained since his arrest on June 11, 2012.

Judge Thompson will issue a restitution order after further court proceedings.

This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General, with assistance from the Wethersfield Police Department.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa Perkins and Liam Brennan.

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U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
Tom Carson
(203) 821-3722
thomas.carson@usdoj.gov