MISSOURI CITY, Texas — A former NASA employee and her husband have been indicted on allegations that they orchestrated a mortgage fraud scheme in which they took out large personal loans, defaulted on them and attempted to claim they were victims of identity theft.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Missouri City couple started the scheme in 2016 to pay for their luxury home. Noreen Khan, 50, was still employed by NASA at that time.
In an effort to eliminate their debt, Khan allegedly made a false police report and submitted a false report to the Federal Trade Commission. She's also accused of sending notices to the credit bureaus to have them remove the loans from her credit.
The Attorney's Office said the couple had signed three separate loan agreements from 2017 to 2021 by providing false employment information and falsified documents.
Khan and her husband, 51-year-old Christopher Mayberry, surrendered to law enforcement Wednesday morning. They are both charged with one count of conspiracy to make false statements to mortgage loan businesses.
If convicted, the couple could face up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. They may also be required to forfeit their luxury home.
The Attorney's Office said the case was investigated by NASA's Office of Inspector General.