Monday, September 03, 2012

So. Cal. Coupled Booked On $2.3M Bail After Pinch For Allegedly Hijacking Homes By Forging, Filing False Deeds; I.D./Grand Theft Charges Also Pending

From the Office of the San Bernardino County, California District Attorney:
  • A Fontana couple has been arrested and charged with 20 felony counts in connection with a real estate fraud scheme. Nick C. Lee, 42, and his wife, Chang-Li Wang, 45, both of Fontana, are charged with multiple counts of Forgery, Procuring and Offering False or Forged Instrument, Identity Theft, and Grand Theft of Personal Property.

    After receiving a fraud referral from the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, investigators from the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office determined that in 2007, the suspects fraudulently filed false Deeds of Trust and Grant Deeds for properties in the cities of Fontana and Baldwin Park.

    Lee, a licensed real estate agent, and his wife Wang, are also suspected of assuming the identities of unsuspecting victims and using their credit profiles to obtain the residences and multiple credit cards. "They would use the fraudulent credit cards to initially pay mortgage payments prior to renting the homes out," said Senior Investigator Jamie Samaniego.

    Both Lee and Wang were arrested without incident on August 22, 2012, at their Fontana residence and booked at the West Valley Detention Center on $2.3 million each.
For the San Bernardino County DA press release, see Husband and Wife Charged with Real Estate Fraud and Identity Theft.