SEATTLE NEWS ARCHIVES & FEATURES

Scammer charged in plot to kill witness from prison

Oct 27, 2011, 8:37 AM | Updated: Mar 4, 2016, 5:59 am

The convicted mastermind of a $100 million mortgage scam was charged with plotting from prison to whack the “rat” who testified against him, the New York Daily News reported.

Aaron Hand is accused of turning to his parents and friends for money so he could hire a hitman for $2,000 to kill the witness who helped put him behind bars.

Hand was taped giving instructions to the hitman – actually an investigator from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office – on how to shoot the witness, his wife and their two kids at their home in Brooklyn and dump the bodies.

“No samples, no DNA, no gloves,” Hand said, according to court papers. “Wear something over your head.”

Hand, 39, was convicted last year of running a massive four-year scam through his Long Island company, AFG Financial Group. As part of the con, banks were scammed out of $100 million.

He’s serving an 8-25 year prison sentence for his part in the racket, in which approximately 30 people were convicted.

Seattle News Archives & Features

Associated Press

3 dead, including suspect, and 2 deputies critically injured in eastern Washington state

SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. (AP) — A shooting and subsequent firefight with responding officers left three people dead, including the suspect, and two deputies critically wounded in eastern Washington state Tuesday. Deputies responded to a home in Spokane County, which borders Idaho, around 2:30 p.m. after a woman told her neighbor that she had been shot […]

2 days ago

Sedro-Woolley medications missing...

KIRO 7 News Staff

Student medications found missing or diluted at Sedro-Woolley schools

Students’ medications are missing or diluted at multiple schools across the Sedro-Woolley School District, according to a district statement.

16 days ago

In this photo taken with a smartphone, Mike Herrington, the FBI special agent in charge, speaks to ...

Associated Press

Washington resident charged with conspiracy in Canada shool shooting is ordered detained

SEATTLE (AP) — A Washington state resident charged with conspiracy in one of the worst school shootings in Canada’s history has been ordered detained pending further hearings in the case. Melody Bryant, also known as James Cody Bryant, of Bellingham, Washington, was charged this month with conspiring to murder people in a foreign country. Investigators […]

24 days ago

The location of the Vertical Evacuation Tower will be near the Westport Marina. It will be the thir...

Tom Brock

Rising above the risk: Westport breaks ground on Washington’s newest tsunami refuge

The city of Westport broke ground Saturday on what will become Washington state's latest tsunami-safe location: a new vertical evacuation tower.

1 month ago

Andre Sayles (2) bite of seattle shooting suspect...

Tom Brock

Texts on hold: SPD delays Bite of Seattle shooting records

Interim Seattle Police Chief Andre Sayles says he needs more time before he can release the police department's internal communications the night of the deadly "Bite of Seattle" shootings.

2 months ago

Two alleged wire thieves caught in the act on Highway 12 near Aberdeen. Authorities estimate they d...

Tom Brock

Grounded: Grays Harbor deputies cut short highway wire heist

Deputies in Grays Harbor arrested two men Saturday for trying to steal hundreds of feet of wire along Highway 12.

2 months ago

Scammer charged in plot to kill witness from prison