Philly DA: Local Scammer Used Dirty Deeds To Hijack Title To Five Homes, Skimmed Rent & Security Deposits From Unwitting Tenants In Leasing Apartments He Had No Relationship With

From the Office of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania District Attorney:

• The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office has charged 41-year-old Dwayne Stewart of West Philadelphia with “stealing” five properties in the City and County of Philadelphia, theft from at least 12 additional victims in fraudulent real estate scams and passing bad checks to victims including the City of Philadelphia Recorder of Deeds Office.(
  
  The long term investigation lead by the Southwest Detective Division of the Philadelphia Police Department revealed that houses at 2545 N. Newkirk Street, 916 W. Huntingdon Street, 2613 W. Harold Street, 3025 N. Warnock Street and 2148 Reese Street were all stolen by Stewart from an elderly victim through the creation and recording of fraudulent deeds. Stewart then, in several instances, sold or tried to sell these stolen homes to unsuspecting buyers.
  
  In addition, using both Newkirk St., Huntingdon St. and other properties in Southwest Philadelphia Steward defrauded apartment seekers and apartment owners by unlawfully renting out apartments, accepting deposits and payments for apartments with which he had no relationship. In several cases, without the knowledge of the true owner or the rental agency, Stewart left the unsuspecting tenants stranded with no home.(1)

For the Philadelphia DA press release, see Dwayne Stewart Arrested for “Stealing Houses” in Philadelphia.

(1) Stewart has been charged with :

• Forgery (F-3)- 7 counts,
• Theft-Unlawful Taking or Disposition (F-3)- 13 counts,
• Theft-Unlawful Taking or Disposition (M-1)- 3 counts,
• Att. Theft-Unlawful Taking or Disposition (F-3)- 1 count,
• Theft by Deception (F-3)- 13 counts,
• Theft by Deception (M-1)- 3 counts,
• Att. Theft by Deception (F-3)- 1 count,
• Receiving Stolen Property (F-3)-7 counts,
• Receiving Stolen Property (M-1)- 3 counts,
• Deceptive Practices (F-3)- 1 count,
• Tampering w/Public Records/Information (F-3)- 8 counts,
• Tampering w/Records or Identification (M-1)- 8 counts,
• Defiant Trespass (F-3)- 1 count,
• Securing Execution of Docs (M-2)- 10 counts,
• Bad Checks (M-1)- 1 count,
• Bad Checks (M-2)- 4 counts.