PA mother, son admit $14M NY credit union fraud

 A mother and son from Pennsylvania admit they ran an elaborate scam to get $14 million in bogus loans from a New York teacher's credit union.

Richard Hartunian (hahr-TOO'-nee-yihn), the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District in New York, says Scott Lonzinski of Clifford Township and his mother, 46-year-old Laura Conarton of Great Bend, pleaded guilty to felony bank fraud.

Conarton and her 32-year-old son say that between July 2009 and February 2011, they created phony documents, forged signatures and invented fictitious people to get 10 loans from the Broom County Teacher's Federal Credit Union.

They used the money to finance Lonzinski's construction business, bought vehicles, remodeled Lonzinski's house and paid other expenses.

They each face up to 30 years in prison and a fine up to $1 million when they are sentenced in December.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.