Samuel Hoyle

The Republic | azcentral.com

A U.S. District Court judge sentenced a Scottsdale couple to serve 2½ years in prison after pleading guilty to charges related to real-estate fraud. Their two sons also were sentenced in the case.

Daphne Iatridis, 59, and her husband Arthur Telles, 59, had pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and tax evasion.

They were sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Neil Wake on Thursday.

The couple was accused of obtaining more than 30 houses from Fannie Mae, the Federal National Mortgage Association, stealing identities, fraudulently notarizing documents and using bogus trusts to facilitate the purchases between 2008 and 2012.

MORE: Scottsdale family arrested in $1.3M Fannie Mae fraud case

The couple’s sons, Brendyn Iatridis and Spenser Iatridis, pleaded guilty to related crimes. Brendyn received 10 months in prison and Spenser received probation.

Prosecutors said that the family also did not pay taxes on the rental income they received from the fraudulently-purchased properties from 2010 to 2015.

Along with the prison time, Daphne Iatridis and Telles were ordered to forfeit 26 fraudulently-purchased properties to the United States.

“Real estate professionals who lie and forge documents are a scourge to the industry,” Acting U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Strange said in a statement. “Our office places a high priority on investigating and prosecuting real estate fraud, and we hope that the lengthy sentences imposed in this case will send a strong message that this type of dishonesty and misconduct will be punished severely.”

Michael DeLeon, special agent in charge of the FBI Phoenix division, said in a statement, "This case epitomized the greed that erodes confidence in the Realtor/Mortgage industry. I am pleased the defendants are now being held accountable for their crimes and that the majority of the fraudulently obtained properties will be forfeited."

READ MORE:

Phoenix businessman accused of spending clients' tax collections

Ex-Phoenix Union High School District employee charged in tax fraud

Dry cleaners scramble to save businesses after they say woman ran scam