MERRIMACK — Antonio D. Silva, 60, has been charged with theft by deception after allegedly scamming a woman with a fake lease for a property he did not own. Silva, from Country Club Lane, was arrested last Saturday, concluding an investigation that began in October, according to the Union Leader.
Silva allegedly deceived Anna Mazzarella Anderson by presenting himself as the owner of a home undergoing renovations. Anderson signed a lease she believed to be legitimate and paid a security deposit plus first month’s rent totaling around $5,500. Merrimack Sgt. Brandon Gagnon noted that the situation would normally be civil, but it became criminal when it was discovered Silva had no authority to rent the property, as reported by WMUR.
While Anderson was promised she could move in after renovations, the home was never ready, forcing her and her children to stay in a hotel. Anderson incurred extra expenses due to limited space, and her health suffered—resulting in a hospital visit after severe coughing led to a torn abdominal wall. Anderson expressed her distress to WMUR, saying, “My mom would have lost me. My siblings would have lost me. I would have just been gone.”
Silva, released on personal recognizance, is scheduled for a court appearance on Jan. 22. The Attorney General’s Office has confirmed it is reviewing the case. Additionally, Dan Oliverio, a former employee and carpenter, claimed Silva defrauded him out of $2,000, describing Silva’s behavior as deceitful and untrustworthy. Silva has denied any wrongdoing in prior statements to WMUR.
