ABC News (US)
· collected 2026-10-05 · by Jared Kofsky, Lindsay Tuchman
Lauren Taliento, president of JT Homesavers, faces 46 charges including grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property after being indicted for allegedly defrauding homeowners seeking mortgage relief. Prosecutors claim Taliento instructed a client named Miguel Mora to pay her directly instead of his lender, using these payments for personal gain rather than helping with loan modifications. Taliento denies wrongdoing, while affected clients express relief at the charges but frustration over their financial losses and ruined credit histories.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-06,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Lauren Taliento, president of JT Homesavers, appeared in a Staten Island courtroom on Monday after being indicted on 46 counts of grand larceny, petit larceny, and criminal possession of stolen property. Taliento advertised online that she could help prevent homes from foreclosure but is accused by prosecutors of misusing payments meant for mortgage lenders. One victim, Miguel Mora, a 60-year-old retired New York City subway conductor, claims he paid Taliento to act as an intermediary for loan modifications, only to have his money allegedly spent on herself rather than forwarded to the lender. Despite facing serious charges and pleading not guilty, prosecutors withdrew their request to restrict Taliento's business operations after questioning whether they had legal authority to do so, allowing her company to continue operating while she awaits trial.
Written for “Home Saver Scam Accusations” on 2026-10-06,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 58822 · logged 2026-10-06
Self-proclaimed 'home saver' accused of grand larceny
Lauren Taliento said she was "in shock" after being indicted in New York.
asserted
she → proclaim → York
A New York entrepreneur who advertised online that she could help save people's homes from foreclosure found herself facing charges in a Staten Island courtroom Monday.
uncertain
herself → advertise → courtroom
Lauren Taliento, the president of JT Homesavers, is facing a 46-count indictment accusing her of grand larceny, petit larceny and criminal possession of stolen property.
asserted
Taliento → face → property
She has pleaded not guilty.
asserted
She → plead → ?
One of Taliento's accusers, who is not part of the criminal indictment, was featured in a recent ABC News investigation about self-proclaimed "home savers" around the country at a time when a growing number of Americans are facing foreclosure.
asserted
number → feature → foreclosure
Prosecutors said in court that a homeowner named Miguel Mora reached out to Taliento seeking a loan modification to reduce his mortgage payments and that Taliento instructed Mora to pay her instead as an intermediary.
asserted
Taliento → say → intermediary
However, the payments "were not being forwarded to the mortgage lender and she was basically spending them herself," prosecutors alleged.
asserted
prosecutors → forward → them
"People like her need to be stopped," Mora, a 60-year-old retired New York City subway conductor, told ABC News in an interview.
asserted
Mora → need → interview
"This is not like somebody asking you on the street, 'Give me $5.'
asserted
somebody → ask → 5
Her business wants to take people's homes and take their money.
asserted
business → want → money
And now that she's being stopped, I'm really happy and elated with this.
asserted
I → stop → this
"
"My credit is ruined because the 20 months of not paying my mortgage is still all on my credit report," Mora said.
asserted
Mora → ruin → report
Taliento was released without bail following her arraignment.
asserted
Taliento → release → arraignment
She attempted to hide her face from reporters as she left the courtroom, but called WABC-TV by phone shortly afterward to say that "this is far from a scam."
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this → attempt → scam
"I truly cared about these people.
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I → care → people
I was available to them 24/7," Taliento said.
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Taliento → say → them
"I am in absolute shock about what has gone on."
Mora is the only alleged victim in the indictment, but three Staten Island residents who attended Monday's hearing said that they hope Taliento will be charged with additional crimes.
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Taliento → go → crimes
"Unfortunately we're still working so hard to pick up the pieces from the turmoil," Donna Manitta told ABC News.
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Manitta → work → News
Manitta, Fabiana Polizzi and Constance Pantazis say they each ended up losing their homes to foreclosure after paying JT Homesavers for loan modification services in an attempt to lower their mortgage payments.
asserted
they → say → payments
"The investigation into this matter remains ongoing and additional charges may be forthcoming," the Richmond County District Attorney's Office told ABC News and WABC-TV in a statement.
uncertain
Office → remain → statement
Prosecutors asked the judge to restrict Taliento from continuing to conduct loan modification and mortgage assistance services as a condition of her release, but after the judge questioned whether he had the authority to impose such a restriction, the request was withdrawn, meaning Taliento's business can still operate while she awaits trial.
asserted
she → ask → trial
Polizzi was featured in ABC News' investigation into self-proclaimed "home savers" in July.
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Polizzi → feature → July
"It becomes reality to watch your whole life being loaded into trucks, and it's worse when it's not because you want to," Polizzi said over the spring as she left her Staten Island home for the last time.
asserted
she → become → time
When asked by WABC-TV how people like Polizzi lost their homes, Taliento blamed banks, investors and predatory lending.
asserted
Taliento → ask → banks
"It wasn't because of me," she said.
asserted
she → say → me
Taliento could face up to seven years in prison if convicted on the most serious charge she currently faces.
uncertain
she → face → charge
WABC-TV's Mark Crudele contributed to this report.
asserted
Crudele → contribute → report
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