Real Estate Operator Gets 25+ Years For Duping Financially Strapped Homeowners Into Phony Sale Leaseback Ripoffs w/ False Mortgage Elimination Promises

From the Office of the Sacramento County, California District Attorney:

• The Honorable Donald Currier sentenced Lonnie Glenn Schmidt to 24 years, 8 months in state prison, and 1 year in county jail consecutive.
  
  On December 9, 2015, a jury convicted Schmidt of 30 felony real estate fraud charges involving foreclosure consultant fraud, recording false documents, unauthorized use of personal identifying information, second-degree burglary, perjury, grand theft, and attempted grand theft. The jury also found true out-on-bail, white-collar crime, and property loss enhancements.
  
  Between 2009 and 2013, Schmidt falsely promised homeowners facing foreclosure that he would save their homes by eliminating their mortgage. Desperate to believe Schmidt’s promises, homeowners who signed up for his program gave Schmidt control over their properties. Schmidt then tried to use those properties as collateral for personal loans or tried to sell them outright for his own profit – all the while charging the victims “rent” to continue living in what had been their own homes.
  
  Schmidt was previously convicted of four felonies in 1990 in federal court for a tax scam involving conspiracy to impair and impede the IRS, witness tampering, aiding and abetting witness tampering, and conspiracy.
  
  This case was investigated and prosecuted by the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Real Estate Fraud Unit.

Source: Defendant Sentenced for 30 Counts of Real Estate Fraud.