Chagrin Falls Woman Charged with Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud for Acts That Resulted in Losses of More Than $300,000

A criminal information was filed charging Leslie Apisdorf, age 51, of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud for acts that resulted in loss of more than $300,000, said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

From on or about October 24, 2005 through on or about February 1, 2009, Apisdorf conspired to defraud financial institutions in connection with the financing of trucks and trailers which were purported to be owned by Mark’s Akron Medina Truck Sales Inc., according to the information.

Apisdorf owned and operated Hazel Financial Ltd., which provided financing through Hazel on vehicles sold and purchased by Mark’s. Both Hazel and Mark’s were located at 2636 Brecksville Road in Richfield, Ohio, according to the information.

It was part of the scheme that between 2005 and 2009, Apisdorf and others submitted false documents to financial institutions which purported to show transactions for the sales of trucks and trailers, according to the information.

In fact, the trucks and trailers submitted for financing were inflated above their market rate, were already collateralized or did not exist, according to the information.

Apisdorf and others received loan proceeds and fees in connection with the financing of trucks and trailers based on false documents, according to the information. As a result of the acts committed by Apisdorf during the time period of the conspiracy, financial institutions suffered total losses of approximately $308,474.

The information is a result of an investigation conducted by Special Agent Jeffrey P. Kassouf with the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Henry F. DeBaggis.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal records, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation.

In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum, and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

An information is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt.

A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.