An indictment was unsealed this morning in federal court in Brooklyn charging KEVIN DUNN, a former MetLife broker, for his participation in a scheme to defraud the widow of a victim of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks of the settlement benefit she received as a result of the death of her husband.

DUNN is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Lois Bloom at the United States Courthouse, 225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, New York. The charges were announced by Roslynn R. Mauskopf, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Ron Walker, Inspector-in-Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, New York Division. The criminal case has been assigned to United States District Judge I. Leo Glasser.

According to the indictment, the victim’s husband was a Port Authority Police Officer who was killed during the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001. As a result of her loss, the victim received a death benefit of approximately $2 million from the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. The victim contacted DUNN, who was a long-time friend, to obtain investment advice. After meeting with the victim to discuss her investment options, DUNN assisted the victim to set up a brokerage and an annuity account with his firm.

Over the next several years, DUNN allegedly defrauded the victim of approximately $250,000. On several occasions, DUNN falsely told the victim that there was a problem with her account. To remedy the problem, DUNN instructed the victim to withdraw money from her brokerage account and send him a blank check, which DUNN said he would fill in with the proper information and redeposit into her accounts. Instead, the indictment alleges that DUNN wrote his own name on the checks and deposited them into his personal bank account.

In addition, without the victim’s knowledge, DUNN allegedly opened a joint MetLife brokerage account in his and the victim’s names, forged the victim’s signature on the application, and falsely listed his own mother’s address as that of the victim to ensure that the victim would not receive any brokerage statements. DUNN then caused funds in the victim’s original brokerage account to be deposited into the joint account, which he wired transferred to his personal bank accounts.

“We will vigorously investigate and prosecute those who would exploit the tragedy of the September 11 terrorist attacks for their own gain,” stated United States Attorney Mauskopf. Ms. Mauskopf added that the investigation is continuing.

Postal Inspector-in-Charge Walker stated, “Postal Inspectors will apply all available resources to investigate and arrest those who target the families of the victims of 9/11.”

If convicted of mail fraud and wire fraud, DUNN faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.

The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Daniel Wenner and Laura Mantell.

The Defendant:

Name: KEVIN DUNN
Age: 28

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