Last month Molina Flynn's offices were raided by the FBI Now, authorities may be looking to seize the former judge's house over false statements made when obtaining the mortgage Molina Flynn is a formerly undocumented lawyer from Colombia. PROVIDENCE – Weeks after agents raided his office in downtown Providence , federal authorities filed a forfeiture action against the $1.2 million East Greenwich home of immigration lawyer and former Central Falls municipal court judge Joseph Molina Flynn.
Federal prosecutors on Tuesday filed the complaint against Molina Flynn’s 65 Woodbridge Drive home, alleging that he lied on his mortgage application and failed to report that he owed taxes to the Internal Revenue Service from 2013 and 2014.
According to the filing, federal prosecutors are not requesting to seize the property at this time, but to provide notice for any other person or entity who may claim an interest. Federal authorities also want to inspect, inventory and get an appraisal.
Among those with a potential interest in the property, according to prosecutors: Molina Flynn, J.P. Morgan Mortgage Acquisition Corp., and the University Club.
John L. Calcagni III, Molina Flynn’s lawyer, said that he advised his client not to comment and said that they are awaiting more information from federal authorities. He noted that no charges have been filed against Molina Flynn and said he just learned of the latest federal action targeting his client's "primary" residence Tuesday.
Calcagni said he has not yet had a chance to confer with members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and, “as such, has no knowledge about the focus, subject matter, or target of the ongoing investigation.”
FBI raid of Dorrance Street office FBI agents raided Molina Flynn’s office at 127 Dorrance St. the morning of Jan. 23.
"There is court authorized activity at that location," Jim Martin, spokesman for U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Cunha's office, said without elaboration.
Molina Flynn is an immigration lawyer in Massachusetts and Rhode Island who, until his resignation on the day of the raid, had served as a municipal court judge in Central Falls.
Shortly after news of the FBI's actions broke, Central Falls Mayor Maria Rivera announced that Molina Flynn had stepped down from his post. He had been touted by the city as the first openly gay person and formerly undocumented individual to serve on the bench in Central Falls.
Municipal Court Associate Judge Robert McConnell will step in temporarily until the position is filled.
Accusations of false statements According to federal authorities, Molina Flynn purchased property for $650,000 in August 2019 after securing a $585,000 mortgage from Embrace Home Loans Inc. and contributing $74,459 from a business account held by the Bank of America.
They accused Molina Flynn of signing a “materially false” loan application by indicating that he had no outstanding federal debt, though the IRS had filed two tax liens against him in Massachusetts.
In addition, they said, he falsely represented in documents to secure the loan that he had no employees, when in fact he did, and records showed he made payments to multiple individuals. The misrepresentations led the loan underwriters to believe he had low expenses.
A special agent for Homeland Securities Investigations noted that Embrace – the lender – communicated primarily with Molina Flynn’s spouse, who frequently copied his husband on emails.
Molina Flynn married his husband in 2017 , according to Journal reports.
Federal officials filed a forfeiture action against the $1.2 million property with East Greenwich , but land evidence records do not indicate the amount of money Molina Flynn is alleged to owe.
The value of the property has risen by $527,000 since its purchase in 2019, according to the federal court filing.
Investigators questioned Molina Flynn on Jan. 25, an interview during which he admitted he had employees when he filed the loan paperwork and acknowledged that he owed the IRS money from 2013 and 2014, an affidavit said.
Molina Flynn's background from undocumented person to law school grad The Journal reported at his appointment in 2021 that Molina Flynn came to the United States from Colombia when he was 9 years old. Molina Flynn first arrived in Central Falls. He was on a visitors' visa, which he overstayed, becoming undocumented.
Molina Flynn married his husband in 2017 , according to Journal reports.
Federal officials filed a forfeiture action against the $1.2 million property with East Greenwich , but land evidence records do not indicate the amount of money Molina Flynn is alleged to owe.
The value of the property has risen by $527,000 since its purchase in 2019, according to the federal court filing.
Investigators questioned Molina Flynn on Jan. 25, an interview during which he admitted he had employees when he filed the loan paperwork and acknowledged that he owed the IRS money from 2013 and 2014, an affidavit said.
Molina Flynn's background from undocumented person to law school grad The Journal reported at his appointment in 2021 that Molina Flynn came to the United States from Colombia when he was 9 years old. Molina Flynn first arrived in Central Falls. He was on a visitors' visa, which he overstayed, becoming undocumented.
Molina Flynn's biography on the Roger Williams University School of Law website, where he is identified as an adjunct professor, says he graduated summa cum laude from Johnson & Wales University with a B.S. in accounting and obtained his Juris Doctor from the University of Michigan Law School.
He founded Molina Flynn Law Offices in 2015 as a solo practitioner and focuses on immigration, family and criminal matters. He works with other practitioners as a “crimmigration” consultant, his website said.
A spokeswoman at the law school said he taught one course last fall as an adjunct professor.
This story has been updated to clarify wording.
Katie Mulvaney
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