Three men now face federal charges for allegedly stealing a vacant Concord lot on Mattison Drive, selling it for roughly $525,000 by impersonating the owners, and laundering the proceeds across multiple states.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts charged Moshe Levi, 57, of Carrollton, Texas, with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. Kyon James, 44, of Middleborough, and Bradley Beauge, 41, of Somerset, New Jersey, each face money laundering conspiracy charges, The Concord Bridge reported Friday, July 31.
The charges follow the trio's July 16 arrests, which we reported July 24.
U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in a July 24 statement that Levi allegedly defrauded property owners of approximately $1.5 million total, and that all three defendants are accused of laundering proceeds between June 2023 and June 2024. The scheme also targeted properties in Tennessee, Georgia, and Indiana.
How the Concord scheme worked
The 1.84-acre Mattison Drive lot belonged to Omar and Halla Shami Jaraki, a South Carolina couple who had owned it since 1991. They planned to move to Massachusetts or give the land to one of their sons.
In October 2023, someone listed the property for sale. FBI Special Agent Michael Jankowiak's affidavit states the listing agreement was digitally signed from an IP address that resolved to Nigeria. Between October 2023 and May 2024, an unnamed co-conspirator used a Google Voice number and a phony email address, both traced to Nigerian IP addresses, to impersonate one of the Jarakis in communications with a Massachusetts realtor and real estate attorney, according to Boston.com's reporting.
The sale closed in May 2024. A check of more than $496,000 was deposited into a bank account opened in the victim's name just six days prior. The funds were drained via checks payable to people in the Philadelphia area, according to the FBI affidavit.
Halla Shami Jaraki discovered the fraud in summer 2024 after she stopped receiving her property tax bill. She reportedly screamed and fainted when a Concord town staffer told her the lot had been sold, per the civil complaint.
"We are grateful the FBI made these arrests," said Richard Vetstein, the attorney representing the Jarakis.
Construction halted, civil suit pending
Crews began building a house on the lot after the fraudulent sale. Work stopped after the Jarakis won a civil injunction. As of Wednesday, July 29, weeds and wildflowers had grown across an unpaved driveway, and a no-trespassing sign hung from a chain in front of the partially completed structure.
The Jarakis have filed a civil lawsuit against attorneys, a real estate agent, and the property's buyers. They are seeking to void the deed and mortgage, affirm Halla Shami Jaraki as the lawful owner, recover legal fees and damages, and have the court order the buyers to remove the partially built house.
Attorneys for real estate agent Bernard Aaron argued in a filing that the Jarakis' complaint does not allege illegal conduct on his part and that Aaron was acting "within the scope of his profession." The complaint "actually acknowledges that Mr. Aaron and the other parties were fooled," his attorneys wrote.
Jane Peachy, attorney for Beauge, said her client is entitled to the presumption of innocence and asked the public to withhold judgment as the case proceeds.
What's next
James and Beauge were released after initial court appearances in Boston. Levi was held after his initial appearance in Missouri and will face a Boston judge at a later date. No specific hearing date has been published. The Jarakis' civil case remains ongoing.
