Manhattan DA Pinches NYC Woman In Alleged Harlem Brownstone Rent Skimming Racket; Accused Of Taking Over Control Of Property She Didn't Own After Owner's Death, Then Pocketed Nearly $194K In Rent From Tenants While Stiffing Mortgage Lenders Out Of Monthly House Payments

In New York City, The Real Deal (NYC) reports:

• A property manager who unsuccessfully ran for City Council three years ago was indicted [] for allegedly masterminding a housing fraud scheme.
  
  Cheryl “Shelley” Keeling, 65, of Riverdale, allegedly earned $5,000 a month in rent from tenants at a Harlem brownstone that she didn’t own, the District Attorney’s office claims. Keeling was indicted on charges that she unlawfully collected close to $194,000 in rent between 2011 and 2014 and for failing to pay taxes on that income, among other charges.
  
  According to Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr., Keeling sold the Harlem brownstone in 2007 and the new owner took two mortgages out on the property, including one with a principal balance of $1.5 million. The new owner then defaulted on the mortgage. When the new owner died suddenly in 2011, Keeling pretended to be the building’s manager, collecting the rent that should have gone to the property’s lenders, Bank of America and Ocwen Loan Services, the district attorney’s office claims.

Source: Ex-City Council candidate indicted on housing fraud charges (Cheryl Keeling collected nearly $200K in rent on a Harlem brownstone she didn't own: DA).

For the Manhattan District Attorney press release, see DA Vance: Cheryl Keeling Indicted for Stealing Thousands of Dollars Through Unlawful Harlem Brownstone Rental.