Welcome to The Home Equity Theft Reporter, a blog dedicated to informing the consumer public and the legal profession about Home Equity Theft issues. This blog will consist of information describing the various forms of Home Equity Theft and links to news reports & other informational sources from throughout the country about the victims of Home Equity Theft and what government authorities and others are doing about it.
Wednesday, April 27, 2016
Cops: Wisconsin Woman Moved Dying 69-Year Old Man Out Of His Home, Then Used POA & Lies To Closing Agent To Walk Away w/ $90K By Selling $500K+ Residence Out From Under Elderly Victim's Heirs One Day After His Death
In Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, WITI-TV Channel 6 reports:
She's accused of telling a big lie about a dead man and making a profit. Wauwatosa police say 63-year-old Linda Crawford illegally sold a man's house -- but there's much more to this bizarre story.
Crawford is charged with theft by fraud and false swearing. Family members say what she did to a dead man fits her M.O.
A house in Elm Grove once belonged to a businessman, Wolfgang Voith. The 69-year-old died on January 24th of a rare brain tumor. He did not spend his final days at home. Instead, police say he stayed at an apartment complex on Milwaukee's north side.
Voith had moved in with Crawford, a woman he met online. The two were never married.
Family members say Voith didn't have a will.
According to court documents, hours after Voith died, Crawford got busy. Police say she acted quickly to sell Voith's Elm Grove home. Its assessed value is more than $500,000.
Records show Crawford closed on the home on January 25th -- one day after Voith's death.
The closing was done at "US Title and Closing Services" in Wauwatosa. Crawford filled out paperwork indicating she had Voith's power of attorney. She did, but power of attorney is invalid once the person dies. So Crawford told the closers Voith was alive. After paying off the lien against the property, Crawford walked away with $90,000.
From there, Crawford arranged to deposit all of the funds into her granddaughter's bank account. Police say she was hiding the money. Crawford and her son-in-law then left the state and settled in Utah.
Other family members would later tell investigators, Crawford is "dishonest" and that she had been involved in welfare fraud and check fraud in the past.
FOX6 News spoke with one of Crawford's sons by telephone. In one final twist to the story, he said his mother died in March while staying in Utah.
Voith's family members say Crawford had made claims in the past she was dying. Police say there is no record on her death.
It is unclear who currently owns the house in Elm Grove.
Voith's daughter declined to comment -- but because her father didn't have a will, Voith's children would have inherited everything Crawford sold.
CBC News: Betrayal of Trust (A CBC investigation reveals how lawyers across Canada have misappropriated and mishandled clients money, to the tune of tens of millions of dollars, or sometimes even charging vulnerable people top dollar for shoddy services)
Land Contract/Contract For Deed/Rent-To-Own Rackets
The New York Times: The Housing Trap (In the wake of the housing crisis, low-income families have turned to seller financing to buy homes but these deals can be a money trap)
Beware The Fine Print: Consumers Forced To Sign Away Their Rights To Use Court System
The NY Times: Arbitration Everywhere, Stacking the Deck of Justice(Part 1 in series examining how clauses buried in tens of millions of contracts have deprived Americans of one of their most fundamental constitutional rights: their day in court)
Foreclosure Mills' Abysmal Record In Complying With New NYS Foreclosure Requirements
Justice Deceived: How Large Foreclosure Firms Subvert State Regulations Protecting Homeowners
MFY Legal Services Report On Questionable Practices By Process Servers In Debt Collection Cases
Justice Disserved: A Preliminary Analysis of the Exceptionally
Low Appearance Rate by Defendants in Lawsuits Filed in the Civil Court of the City of New York
Mortgage Mess Redux: Robo-Signers Return (A Reuters investigation finds that many banks are still employing the controversial foreclosure practices that sparked a major outcry last year)
CNN Video: As Foreclosures Mount, Florida Court Turns To 'Rocket Docket'
The Wall Street Journal: A Florida Court's 'Rocket Docket' Blasts Through Foreclosure Cases (2 Questions, 15 Seconds, 45 Days to Get Out; 'What's to Talk About?' Says a Judge)
"Produce The Note" Strategy When Dealing With Missing Promissory Notes In Foreclosure Actions
ABC Video: Fighting Against Foreclosure (Some homeowners have found a new tactic to keep the banks at bay)
<< Home