An Easton man has been arrested on suspicion of operating a long-running fraud scheme that targeted distressed homeowners.

From approximately between May 2008 and September 2015, Timothy W. Burke allegedly engaged in a scheme to defraud individuals, mortgage lenders and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development by falsely representing to homeowners in or facing foreclosure that he would purchase their homes and pay off their mortgages. The distressed homeowners agreed to sign various documents, including quitclaim deeds, indemnification agreements, management agreements and third-party authorization letters, which Burke presented to them on the understanding that, by signing the documents, they would be able to walk away from their homes without the burdens of their mortgage or other costs associated with homeownership. Burke instructed homeowners to ignore any notices regarding foreclosure during the process. After he gained control of the houses, Burke rented out the properties to tenants, falsely representing himself as the owner.

The complaint alleges that Burke’s fraud scheme has involved dozens of residential properties throughout Connecticut, and that Burke has made hundreds of thousands of dollars to which he was not entitled. As part of the scheme, Burke undertook extensive efforts to disguise his true identity from his victims through the use of multiple aliases and business entities, including Quality Asset Management Services LLC, Birmingham Investments LLC, the Birmingham Group of Companies, Saunders Assoc., New Haven Investments, Realty Partners Group, Preston Assoc. II, Landlord Maintenance Services LLC, Turnkey Construction Services LLC and The Complete Handyman LLC.

Burke’s aliases include “Tim Burke,” “William Burke,” “Bill Burke,” “Jeff Burke,” “Kerry Saunders,” “Pat Riley,” “Jim Caldwell,” “Jim Saunders,” “Tom Morrisey,” “Jimmy,” “Phil Burke,” “Phil” and “Burt.”

According to charges, in 2002, Burke was indicted by a federal grand jury in New Jersey on charges of conspiracy, mail fraud and equity skimming. Burke subsequently pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit both equity skimming and mail fraud, and he was sentenced to five years imprisonment and three years of supervised release. Burke was released from federal custody in August 2007 and began his federal supervised release at that time. One of the special conditions of Burke’s supervised release was that he refrain from employment in the real estate business or mortgage industry.

Burke’s detention hearing is scheduled for Nov. 23.