Suspect In Fatal Loudoun County Fire Facing New Charges

PENNSYLVANIA — A Loudoun County man who was arrested last fall and accused of intentionally setting a house fire that killed a 36-year-old woman is expected to be transferred to a Pennsylvania jail to face new federal charges, according to a report.

Jacob Bogatin, 78, of Sterling, was arrested in October and charged with felony murder and burning or destroying an occupied building after authorities said he intentionally set fire to a townhome in Sterling's Lowes Island neighborhood. Two other townhouses were also damaged in the blaze.

A resident of one of the homes, 36-year-old Madelaine Samantha Akers, was killed in the Oct. 24 fire.

According to new charging documents obtained by WTOP, Bogatin was hit with additional charges in Pennsylvania last week, including four counts of theft of government money.

During the COVID pandemic, prosecutors said Bogatin repeatedly filed false and misleading applications for a government program that provided emergency loan options for struggling businesses for amounts up to $500,000.

Between May and November 2020, prosecutors say Bogatin completed four applications that contained false income information and signatures. In at least one case, prosecutors said Bogatin signed the application under the name of a former business partner.

According to the documents, Bogatin was also one of four men indicted in 2002 in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania on charges of mail fraud, money laundering, false filings with the Securities Exchange Commission, and other counts.

The order initiating Bogatin's transfer to Pennsylvania specified that "the prisoner shall remain in federal custody until the final disposition of federal charges.”

It's unclear when he will stand trial for the charges in Loudoun County.