87-Year Old Ex-Chicago Cop Victimized In Foreclosure Rescue Scam; Fights To Stave Off Eviction

(originally posted 12-29-07)
In Chicago, Illinois, the Chicago Defender recently reported on the story of 87-year old Tellie Howard, a former Cook County, Illinois Sheriff's Deputy facing foreclosure who was reportedly scammed out the equity in his home of almost 46 years by foreclosure rescue operator Anthony Deveaux [aka Antonio Deveaux] in a transaction that was intended to be nothing more than a simple refinance of his home so that he and his wife could take care of an existing mortgage in default and have some home improvement work done. Not long after signing the purported refinance papers, a woman showed up at his front door, told him she was the new owner of the home and that she wanted him out, giving him a month to vacate.

According to the story, the matter forced Howard to place his 82-year-old wife, Addie, who is of ill-health and needs dialysis three days a week plus other care, in a nursing home until the nightmare with his home can be straightened out. An excerpt from one of the articles:

• According to a lawsuit filed by the Cook County Public Guardian’s office on behalf of Howard’s disabled wife Addie Howard -- who is now a ward of the state and living in a nursing home -- Anthony Deveaux [aka Antonio Deveaux] bought the property from Howard and his wife for $230,000. “Mrs. Howard is deemed disabled and mentally incompetent, therefore ruling out any assertions that she signed a real estate sales contract. Mrs. Howard was not present to sign any documents. Mr. Howard said he didn’t sign his property over to Deveaux. Mr. Howard thought he was signing a mortgage refinance contract, nothing else. Deveaux knew that Mr. Howard didn‘t know he was signing his home away,” Dawn Lawkowski-Keller, an attorney in the public guardian’s office said.

***

• Lawkowski-Keller also said Deveaux is making his living on scamming the elderly out of their homes and speculates that the more than $100,000 in proceeds from the alleged fraudulent scheme to buy the Howard’s home financed a Bentley automobile that Deveaux reportedly owns. “He conducts get rich quick real estate seminars and has videos on You Tube about his lifestyle. You can see him driving his Bentley on there,” Keller said.

For the whole story, see:

• Elderly man conned into signing over house (3rd story from the bottom of page) (Chicago Defender, 11-28-07),
• Judge stymies attempt to foreclose on elderly man's house (Chicago Defender, 12-28-07) (no longer available online),
• See also CBS2 (Chicago) report on Tellie Howard, Rev. Jackson Pressures Lenders On Foreclosures (read story #1) (read story #2) (watch video).

Go here , go here , and go here for other posts on elder financial abuse.

Go here and go here for other posts on deed theft by forgery, swindle, etc.

For related posts, see:

• Foreclosure Rescue - For Criminal Prosecutors Only,
• Criminal Prosecutions Of Foreclosure Rescue Operators deed theft zorro elder financial abuse xero