A woman from Bergen County has been formally indicted for allegedly obstructing a federal investigation tied to her husband’s suspected real estate fraud scheme. Jennifer Iturralde Pina, 43, of Franklin Lakes, faces a charge of destroying records during a federal inquiry, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Alina Habba.
Court filings state that Iturralde Pina intentionally destroyed her cell phone on March 5, 2024, just as federal agents arrived at her residence to execute a warrant to seize the device. The investigation centers around her husband, Cesar Humberto Pina—better known as “Flipping NJ”—who was previously arrested in October 2023 on wire fraud charges connected to an alleged real estate investment scam.
Prosecutors allege that Iturralde Pina went beyond destroying her phone in an effort to derail the investigation. In February 2024, she is said to have encouraged a friend to convince a key witness to cease cooperating with authorities. Around that same time, she allegedly tried to pass her phone to the same friend—who declined to take it. Days later, when agents attempted to retrieve the device, she reportedly destroyed and concealed it.
The single count of obstruction by destroying records in a federal investigation carries a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years and a fine of $250,000—or double the amount of financial gain or loss involved in the case, whichever is greater.
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Iturralde Pina was originally charged by complaint and made her initial appearance in November 2024 before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark. The recent indictment now formalizes the charges brought against her by federal prosecutors.
The ongoing investigation involves multiple agencies, including the FBI, the IRS-Criminal Investigation Division, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey. Prosecutors handling the case include Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Silane and Aaron Webman from the Economic Crimes Unit, alongside Marko Pesce, Deputy Chief of the Bank Integrity, Money Laundering, and Recovery Unit.
Charges against Cesar Pina are still pending. Both Jennifer Iturralde Pina and her husband remain presumed innocent unless and until found guilty in court.