A Litchfield resident was recently sentenced for his role in multiple fraud conspiracies involving a series of real estate transactions intended to shield assets from creditors.

Ryan Geddes was sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release.

According to the trial, Geddes was in debt in late 2005 and was the subject of numerous lawsuits and collection efforts over the next few years. In November 2005, Geddes engaged in a bank fraud conspiracy involving the sale of a Morris home to Thomas Provenzano, who falsely reported his income and employment on a mortgage application. The loan was refinancing in November 2006 under similar false information. The loan is now in default and the Morris property is under foreclosure.

Geddes, Provenzano and others conspired to commit mail and wire fraud between December 2009 and January 2010 when they discussed defrauding a title insurance company. The individuals attempted the scheme on Geddes’ Litchfield property. Liens were omitted from the title search report and Geddes arranged a straw transfer in March 2010. Geddes also arranged to transfer another property in Old Forge, New York to Dustin Whitten. In March 2011, the men obtained a home insurance policy in Whitten’s name, although Geddes continued to use the property and pay mortgage and maintenance expenses. After the property was destroyed in a fire, Whitten sought a claim on the property and falsely represented himself as the owner. The claim was denied, and Geddes has admitted the scheme’s intention was to shield the insurance proceeds from his creditors.

Geddes has been ordered to pay $703,698.70 in restitution.

On April 28, 2015, Geddes pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and two counts of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

Provenzano and Whitten previously pleaded guilty. On Dec. 1, 2014, Provenzano was sentenced to 18 months in prison. On Dec. 18, 2015, Whitten was sentenced to 12 months and one day of imprisonment.