New York, NY —

A Brooklyn jury found the former leader of a violent Haitian paramilitary group guilty of mortgage fraud.

REPORTER: Toto Constant could face up to 15 years in prison for a scheme that cheated lenders out of $1.7 million. The case was followed closely by Haitians and human rights groups because of Constant's alleged oversight of the torture and massacre of thousands of Haitians in the 1990s.

Jennie Green of the Center for Constitutional Rights says they're all celebrating this verdict.

GREEN: It exposed a different level of his crimes. It exposed that he’s a thief as well as someone who commits human rights violations.

REPORTER: Green was among those who convinced the judge not to accept a plea deal that would have had Constant deported to Haiti. Haitians working on the case against him there argued Haiti's justice system was in no shape to handle the case. Constant's attorney says his client was convicted for "political reasons."