A Missouri City couple has pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in a mortgage fraud scheme involving false statements to loan businesses, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Noreen Khan, also known as Noreen Khan-Mayberry, 52, and her husband Christopher Mayberry, 53, admitted to their roles in the scheme. Khan had worked as a technical manager for NASA, while Mayberry was employed by a NASA contractor.
Prosecutors said that starting in 2016, while both were working at NASA or for its contractors, the couple took out large personal loans to buy a luxury home and then quickly defaulted on those loans. After defaulting, they tried to dispute the debts by claiming identity theft. According to court documents, Khan filed a false police report and submitted fraudulent reports to the Federal Trade Commission. She also sent letters to credit bureaus attempting to remove the loans from her credit record.
The couple entered into three separate loan agreements with mortgage lenders between 2017 and 2021 related to their home financing. They admitted in court that they provided false employment information and fake documents such as pay stubs, tax forms, and account statements during this process.
Khan and Mayberry each face up to five years in federal prison and could be fined up to $250,000. They may also have their luxury home forfeited. Restitution of $276,709 must be paid before sentencing. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 18 before U.S. District Judge Charles Eskridge.
Both defendants are currently out on bond until the hearing date.
The investigation was conducted by NASA’s Office of Inspector General-Office of Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather Winter is prosecuting the case.
"Noreen Khan aka Noreen Khan-Mayberry, 52, and her husband Christopher Mayberry, 53, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy for making false statements to loan businesses in relation to several mortgage loans they financed."
