Timothy Burke, of Easton, was charged in federal court in November with operating a mortgage-fraud scheme that targeted homeowners who were on the verge of losing their homes.

An investigation by The Day in 2014 found more than a half-dozen instances across the state — in Bridgeport, New London, Griswold, Waterbury, Plymouth, Portland, Andover, New Haven and West Haven — in which property owners facing foreclosure believe they were misled and taken advantage of by Burke.

Instead, the homeowners who spoke to The Day said, he paid them a small amount of cash and then rented out the property, keeping the rent monies instead of applying them to the mortgages, taxes and other property-related expenses.

The homeowners have either lost their homes to foreclosure or are in the process of losing them. The tenants, who found the rental listings on Craigslist, didn't know they were living in houses under foreclosure.

Burke was charged with mail fraud, an offense that carries a maximum prison term of 20 years. He is being held in federal custody without bail since he was deemed a flight risk.

— Izaskun E. Larrañeta