Man Gets Prison in $2M Mortgage Closing Scam

A western Pennsylvania businessman must spend 6 ½ years in prison for stealing more than $2 million from clients of his mortgage closing businesses.

Forty-five-year-old Jeffrey Garbinski, of Butler County, acknowledged the crimes, but says he was trying to keep his businesses afloat and workers employed and was not motivated by greed.

Federal prosecutors disagree, saying Garbinski used Closing Co. of PA and Main Street Mortgage Services to steal money from some clients in order to repay others. He allegedly siphoned money from escrow accounts he handled and spent it for his own use.

Garbinski was indicted in November 2011, the same month he pleaded guilty in state court to stealing money from the Highland Country Club in Ross Township, which he formerly owned. He received nine to 18 months on house arrest for that $174,000 theft.

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