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Sentencing postponed in fraud case

Early Edition: The judge said she would  resume the sentencing hearing next  Monday.

By JEFF TESTERMAN
Published February 20, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [Times photo: Carrie Pratt] Steven Green walks toward the federal courthouse in Tampa today. Philanthropist ... and a fraud Read letters asking for leniency A matter of loss in case of fraud (Feb. 12)

TAMPA — A federal judge heard arguments today about the possible sentence for New York real estate investor and philanthropist Steven Green, but postponed the remainder of the hearing until next week.

Green, 42, faces up to eight years in prison after pleading guilty in November to fraudulent use of a false Social Security number in an application for a $9.04-million mortgage on Amberwood Apartments, a loan Green’s company defaulted on in 2002.

Green also pleaded guilty last year to failing to file income tax returns for the years 1999, 2000 and 2001, a period in which he had personal income in excess of $3.1-million.

In today’s hearing, U.S. District Judge Susan Bucklew listened to Green’s attorneys and federal prosecutors debate whether the loss attributable to Green on the Amberwood loan was zero or more than $4-million. If the loss was zero, Green could be eligible for probation; if the loss is in the millions, he could be eligible for 51 to 63 months in prison under sentencing guidelines.

Bucklew said she would consider the loss question this week and resume the sentencing hearing at 9 a.m. Monday.

[Last modified February 20, 2007, 14:33:00]