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Jennifer Iturralde Pina, 43, of Franklin Lakes, is accused of attempting to stop a witness from cooperating with investigators and destroying one of her phones as federal agents arrived to seize it, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said this week.
The alleged obstruction is linked to an ongoing investigation involving her husband, Cesar Humberto Pina, 45, a real estate influencer better known as “Flipping NJ.”
Pina gained prominence through real estate seminars he hosted alongside DJ Envy, a popular radio host. Authorities claim he used this visibility to attract investors by promising substantial returns—20 to 45% in as little as five months. But instead of delivering on those promises, authorities say Pina engaged in a Ponzi-like scheme, using new investor funds to pay previous investors while funding personal expenses, according to U.S. Postal Inspector Christopher A. Nielsen.
Pina was arrested in October 2023 on federal wire fraud charges and released on a $1 million bond with electronic monitoring. After his release, Iturralde allegedly asked a friend to discourage a witness from cooperating, according to the complaint.
In early March 2024, federal agents obtained search warrants for two of Iturralde’s phones, suspecting they contained evidence. As agents arrived to execute the warrants on March 5, she reportedly destroyed one of the devices.
Following her arrest, Iturralde appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge André M. Espinosa in Newark federal court and was released on a $200,000 bond.
The charges against Iturralde for record destruction and against Pina for wire fraud each carry maximum penalties of up to 20 years in prison and fines reaching $250,000 or twice the financial gain or loss from the offense.
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