What Other Real Estate Did Vijay Taneja Own?
This week—well, really for the last couple weeks—I've been writing about Vijay Taneja, Bollywood producer, local mortgage broker, and generator of a flimsy house of cards, which ultimately collapsed last year. Taneja is currently serving out a seven year prison sentence for charges related to a mortgage fraud scheme.
Thus far, I've written about Taneja's erstwhile collection of mansions: His own former Fairfax home, a nearly identical property in Potomac, another large house next door in Potomac, and a colossal beach abode in North Carolina's Outer Banks.
But that's far from all Taneja owned.
On Monday, I talked to bankruptcy trustee H. Jason Gold, who told of a much grander, more diverse portfolio, including: Several office condominiums in Fairfax city, which have been sold; Single family residences in places like Leesburg, Alexandria, and Bowie; Two parcels of undeveloped land out in Loudoun County; and some residential rowhouses in Baltimore, "right in the middle of the city, in a really downtrodden neighborhood."
That last entry doesn't appear to be a top priority. Gold says he's been asked many times about the value of this entire portfolio. The wild card remains the two parcels of raw land in Loudoun county, which have been quoted at a wide variety of values. But, the mansions alone will bring in between $10 to $15 million.
11:20 am
I knew Taneja. He was arrogrant, but I never pegged him for a criminal. A worst offender is the Georgetown Conman, Tikiri Mayu Bogollagama. This guy did a number of ponzi schemes in the area and was never caught because the people he scammed are too scared/ashamed to speak out. He manage to rip off promient businessmen, politicians, and even the crown-price in exile of Libya. He sold them all on the idea that his family owned a multi-billion conglamorate in Sri Lanka called Ceylinco. He created companies with names resembling this real company, though he has no family connections with it. Ceylon Hotel Development Group was one of it. He claimed that he was the US agent working for this group and that a single equity share would reap tenfold rewards when the "projects" were done. The problem was, no projects existed. He used the money instead to buy high cars, clothes, and male prostitutes. He even managed to live in the Washington Harbour, two doors down from Nancy Pelosi, for two years, on one of his victim's dime. Yet no one writes about, no one says anything. Burned investors are just ashamed. This guy should be in jail. His father was even disbarred for ripping off poor immigrants through a green card scheme. They are all crooks...
12:33 pm
Please when you write about people have your facts staight. He indeed might have cheated the system but did not go to the lenghts that you have written and further more you have dragged his poor family who were unaware of the facts. If he did a crime he is being punished for it. But as for u please stop defaming people who have nothing to do with it. utilize your time doing something positive than wasting your time writing lies.
7:40 pm
Mayu is a Crook....how could dare defend him...how? he is being punished? explain this...who what when and where i want front row tickets to see his punishments....
11:58 am
For all those who judge please note that someday your judgement day will come! I know the man so many want to throw stones at. I would stand in front of him and let you hit me instead. Did he make some bad choices?? YES... However if you really know him you would know that his intentions were never to hurt anyone. I think everyone needs to look inside themselves and worry about why they feel noble enough to judge others? There is not a person alive worthy of such a title. He has been punished and is serving his sentence helping others. I will always call him my friend. I only pray that everyone is blessed with a forgiving heart! It is only then will you be able to see past the fog that clouds your judgement!