A Former NASA Scientist Has Pleaded Guilty To Mortgage Fraud To Buy A $850,000 Luxury Texas Home
A former NASA scientist has pleaded guilty to mortgage fraud. Federal prosecutors alleged Noreen Khan fabricated income documents to finance the purchase of an $850,000 luxury home in Texas.
Khan and her husband, Christopher Mayberry purchased the luxury home in Missouri City, TX in 2017. At the time, Khan was working at NASA as a space toxicologist. Mayberry worked at Mori & Associates. Mori & Associates is a contractor for NASA.
Plea agreements show Khan and Mayberry admitted to taking out numerous personal loans to cover their down payment. They also admitted to falsifying income documents before defaulting on those loans. In addition, they admitted to falsely claiming identity theft.
Court documents stated that in 2019, the couple applied for a loan to finance the Missouri City home. The couple claimed they planned on flipping the property. The lender approved the $820,000 loan.
The government’s investigation also revealed Khan tried to falsely wipe away the loan debt in 2020. She tried to claim she was a victim of identity theft. She falsely disputed the accounts on her credit report. Kahn also filed lawsuits against the creditors to try to eliminate the debt. The lenders eventually “charged off” $276,709.42 of debt owed by the couple.
But Wait! There’s More!
However, Khan’s fraud didn’t end there. Court documents state that in 2021, the couple refinanced their mortgage on the home for $895,000. The couple altered an October 2020 bank statement during the underwriting process. Khan changed the account owner’s name from Khan to her husband, Mayberry.
The investigation also found that Mayberry’s tax records and pay stubs were falsified. Kahn or Mayberry altered documents to show that NASA was Mayberry’s employer. However, he was just a NASA contractor. Mayberry worked for Mori & Associates. Mayberry signed all of the loans.
Kahn resigned from NASA on Sept. 29, 2021, and closed on the refinance on Oct. 6, 2021.
The couple pleaded guilty to the fraud charges and face up to five years in federal prison. They also face up to $250,000 fines and losing the Missouri City home. In addition, they must also pay restitution of $276,709 before sentencing. The court has set sentencing for December 18th 2025.
