Texas AG Sues Nine In Alleged Deed Theft From 40+ Dead Homeowners; Accusations Include Illegal Foreclosure Rescue

In Fort Bend County, Texas, FortBendNow.com reports:

• Five Fort Bend County residents and four associates have been accused of a scheme to steal homes from families of recently deceased homeowners. A statement from Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said the nine "orchestrated a complex residential real estate scheme by relying on forged and backdated signatures on fraudulent deeds and trusts," and "fraudulently obtained titles to at least 40 Houston-area properties, which were subsequently sold to other conspirators and unsuspecting buyers." Abbott filed a lawsuit against the nine, and named Edward Charles Gray, of [...] Fresno, and James Lanier King of Houston as ringleaders in the alleged scheme.

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• The lawsuit accuses Gray of operating "an illegal foreclosure rescue scheme" in which he offered to help homeowners prevent foreclosure. In one case, he allegedly convinced an elderly woman to pay him $350 a month and temporarily transfer her home title to him. Then, according to the suit, Gray got the woman to sign a warranty deed transferring the home to another defendant, Erik Lamont Campbell, whose address is listed at the same [...] Fresno home as Gray.

• A spokesman for Abbott said Wednesday that no criminal charges have been filed in the case, and thus none of the defendants has been arrested.

For more, see AG Sues 5 Fort Bend Residents Over Scheme To Steal Dead People's Homes.

From the Texas Attorney General's Office:

• Lawsuit - State of Texas v. King, et al,
• Temporary Restraining Order - State of Texas v. King, et al.,
• Texas AG Press Release - Attorney General Abbott Takes Legal Action To Halt Houston Area Mortgage Scheme (Charges defendants with conspiring to defraud deceased homeowners, heirs of property titles).