Bergen County Woman Indicted for Evidence Tampering in Federal Real Estate Fraud Probe

Jennifer Iturralde Pina of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, was indicted on federal charges for destroying her cell phone as agents arrived with a warrant related to an ongoing investigation into her husband Cesar Pina's alleged real estate investment fraud scheme. Cesar Pina, known as “Flipping NJ,” was charged in October 2023 with wire fraud for orchestrating a multimillion-dollar Ponzi scheme promising high returns on real estate projects. Jennifer Iturralde Pina allegedly attempted to obstruct the investigation by asking a friend to pressure a witness to stop cooperating and tried to give her phone to that same friend before ultimately destroying and hiding it when law enforcement arrived. The indictment carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 or twice the financial loss or gain involved. The investigation involves multiple federal agencies, including the FBI, IRS-Criminal Investigation, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and remains ongoing. Jennifer had previously been charged and appeared in federal court in November 2024, with authorities emphasizing the severity of evidence tampering in federal probes.