California Man Charged With Using Forged Docs To Swipe Estranged Wife's Share Of Home; Notary Stripped Of Commission, Faces Felony For Role In Scam

From the Office of the San Bernardino County, California District Attorney:

• Investigators from the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Real Estate Fraud Prosecution Unit arrested Omar Paz, 52, of San Bernardino [...]. Co-defendant, Christi Fry, 56, of West Covina was also arrested [...]. The pair was arrested for real estate fraud-related criminal charges.(1)

• Paz and his former wife had owned a home in the city of Rancho Cucamonga. Paz decided to sell their home after a domestic dispute and filed for divorce. During the real estate transaction, Paz forged his former wife’s signature on the disclosure forms, escrow instructions and grant deed.

• Fry, also formerly known as Christi Martin, was the escrow officer and public notary for the fraudulent transaction. The property sold for approximately $470,000. The excess proceeds, in the amount of $83,538.66, was wired into the joint account of Paz and his former wife. Approximately 10 days later, Paz transferred $77,054 into his personal money market advantage account for which his former wife did not have access. She discovered her name had been forged on the disclosure forms, escrow instructions, and grant deed during her divorce proceedings.

• The California Secretary of State's Notary Division conducted a separate administrative investigation and revoked Fry's notary commission due to this fraudulent transaction.

For the San Bernardino DA press release, see Pair Arrested for Real Estate Fraud.

(1) According to the DA's press release, Paz was charged with Conspiracy, Forgery, Grand Theft, Money Laundering and Offering a forged document to be recorded. Fry was charged with (1) Count of Conspiracy. Paz' bail was set at $850,000.00 and Fry's bail was set at $450,000.00. DeedContraTheft