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TAMPA - A landlord whose apartment complex once racked up record code violations was sentenced this morning to 33 months in federal prison.
Steven Green received his sentence for charges of failing to file tax returns and using a false social security number on an application for a $9 million mortgage on the once-condemned Amberwood Apartments on North Florida Avenue.
Once viewed as one of Hillsborough County’s worst code violators, Steven Green is being portrayed by his attorneys as a charitable and well-meaning victim of the media, malicious tenants and incompetent financial institutions.
The prosecution had sought a sentence of 51 to 63 months in federal prison, while Green’s attorneys tried to persuade U.S. District Judge Susan Bucklew to allow Green to serve probation.
One of the issues the judge had to determine in setting the sentence was the loss suffered by the financial institution.
The prosecution says the bank suffered a net loss of $4.1million.
Green’s attorneys argued that the defendant is not responsible for that loss. They maintained that Green was the victim of problems caused by the lender, tenants, city code officials and the media.
The defense said Green made improvements to Amberwood after he acquired the complex in late 2000. Then, on March 11, 2002, a fire destroyed one of the five buildings in the complex.
Although the loss from the fire was estimated to be more than $1million, Green persuaded a contractor to make the necessary repairs of the insured amount of $716,000, his attorneys said. But the lender, Wachovia, refused to release the insurance money.
The situation then deteriorated as the complex caught the attention of local media, residents began vandalizing the property and withholding rent, and code officials began cracking down on Amberwood and Green’s other properties, the defense maintained.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Mosakowski said Green could have found the money to make the needed repairs and keep up with the $73,000 monthly mortgage payments on the property given that his net worth was $34.5 million.
Reporter Elaine Silvestrini can be reached at (813) 259-7837 or esilvestrini@tampatrib.com.
Why does he not have to pay the $4.1M and any loses by the rentors?
Yes! Justice had been served! Now lets hope he makes it to prison without skipping out in one of his Jets! 4 months to report can be a little problem. For his sake i hope he isnt in prison with any of his ex tenants!
Thank God! This lousy excuse for a human being will never change but at least the government can put him away for a couple years. I hope Mr. Green’s surroundings are just as shabby as those he provided to his tenant’s--and at a cost of 5-700 dollars a month! Mr. Green is an arrogant, selfish, evil snob who got EXACTLY WHAT HE DESERVED.
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Posted by Angela Bomba, Brandon Fl. on 02/26 at 06:54 PM
A news account stated that Mr. Green has requested to spend his prison sentence in a facility near his home that has medical services because he has some medical problems.Well one could guess his medical needs are not due to heart disease,because he could possibly have a heart and treat those tenants the way he did.33 months is a slap on the wrist for this piece of scum !