Friday, February 13, 2009

16 Indicted In House Stealing Scam Involving 80 Properties

16 individuals have been indicted by a Pennsylvania Grand Jury for a house-stealing scam that occurred in and about Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, involving over 80 properties: 

Carlos Quiles, Ivan Delgado, Troy Baylor, Richard Smith, Kenneth Lyons, Lenora Irene Jackson, Rebecca A. Robinson, Juanita Torres, Alberto Rodriguez, Daralease Brown, Vincent Wilder, Tyrone Davenport, Marino Rodriguez, Maria Roman, Zoraida Cuevas, and David Lespier are charged for their roles in a fraudulent property transfer scheme.

Since February 2008, the grand jury had been investigated the facts and circumstances pertaining to the creation, notarization and filing of forged deeds and fraudulent real estate transfer paperwork and the sale of such real properties and other real properties without any lawful authority, by the above group of individuals.  The grand jury’s presentment to the court included the following recitation of facts:

The 2007 Grand Jury learned that the investigation of the above scam began in September 2004, when a property owner contacted the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office to report the fraudulent transfer of his property at 5411 N. 3RD Street. At that time, the property owner was referred to the detective division of occurrence, the Central Detective Division, and reported the crime. As a result of the investigation, Carlos Quiles was arrested on October 19, 2004, for the fraudulent transfer of the 5411 N. 3rd St. property. Meanwhile, the Economic and Cyber Crime Unit of the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office began to receive an increasing number of calls regarding the fraudulent conveyance of other properties in Philadelphia. A preliminary review of those complaints also implicated Carlos Quiles. The continuing complaint calls received by the Economic and Cyber Crime Unit and the information uncovered by the investigation confirmed that there were more properties and conspirators involved in the conspiracy and the Economic and Cyber Crime Unit took over the investigation in January 2005. While this investigation developed and appeared to focus on Carlos Quiles and Ivan Delgado, new information received in the summer of 2006 changed its course.

In July 2006, four Spanish speaking victims came to the District Attorney’s Office. The victims were interviewed and stated that they had bought homes from a man named Troy Baylor. They further explained that they paid Baylor for the homes, but then learned that, in most instances, the title to the properties was never transferred to their names. One of the victims explained that she met Troy Baylor through two of her friends, Justine Timms and Alberto Cruz.  The initial investigation of Troy Baylor revealed that one of the four complainants had title to a property transferred into her name via a fraudulent deed that was notarized by Ivan Delgado. Delgado is a notary public known to have conspired with Carlos Quiles in the other fraudulent conveyances.

In September 2006, Justine Timms met with investigators to discuss her knowledge of Troy Baylor and his associates involved in selling property with him in Philadelphia. During the interview, Timms explained that she also bought properties from Troy Baylor and that title to those properties had never been transferred into her name. In addition, Timms implicated and identified Carlos Quiles and other individuals believed to be Quiles’ co-conspirators by photo array, implicating them further in a conspiracy with Troy Baylor.

Suspecting a larger conspiracy, investigative agencies joined together to investigate the possible connection between their two ongoing investigations. Upon finding a massive conspiracy between Carlos Quiles, Troy Baylor, and numerous other individuals to fraudulently transfer multiple properties in Philadelphia, the District Attorney’s Office petitioned to have the matter brought before this Grand Jury. The Grand Jury heard evidence about the fraudulent transfer of over 80 properties in Philadelphia by a ring of conspirators identified below. Generally, the ring involves the forging and recording of deeds to abandoned or otherwise uninhabited property, purporting to sell the property to another person. However, there are instances where the owner was forced to leave their home when a buyer showed up and claimed ownership to the property. In each case of fraud, the original owner was unaware of the transactions and did not give anyone the right to transfer the property. In many instances, the owner of the house had been deceased for a number of years at the time of the fraudulent conveyance, or was otherwise unavailable, and thus, could not have signed the deed.

The members of the Grand Jury also heard evidence regarding the manner in which deeds are processed in Philadelphia and how the conspirators exploited this process to commit fraud. Specifically, Joan Decker, Commissioner of the Department of Records testified before the Grand Jury stating that the title transfer history of property in Philadelphia is a matter of public record and that any member of the public may obtain information about past or current ownership of property regardless of whether he or she has a legitimate reason to do so. This information is easily obtained either in City Hall or through the use of the City’s automated computer system PhilaDox, which is accessible through the internet for a nominal fee. State law governs the actual process of recording deeds and mandates that anyone may record a deed as long as the deed meets sixteen criteria. The individual recording does not have to be the buyer, seller or have any relationship whatsoever to the property being transferred. Decker explained that there are sixteen criteria which focus on the content of the deed and mainly insure that certain information is provided within the document. It is not, however, the Department of Record’s responsibility to verify the accuracy or veracity of the information provided. State law mandates the recording of all deeds that meet the sixteen essential criteria.

The grand jury learned that in each instance of fraud, the initial fraudulent conveyance transferred title to the property to either a member of the ring, where the property could be used as an investment property and rented to an unsuspecting tenant, or sold to a duped buyer, or a “straw person” who either did not exist or was unaware of the transfer, leaving the property vulnerable to further fraudulent conveyance by the ring. Often, the duped buyers were immigrant, non-English speakers, targeted by the conspirators because of the victims’ lack of familiarity with the laws and procedures governing real estate transfers in the Commonwealth. The investigation revealed that in most instances these conspirators hail from the same neighborhoods as their victims, often touting themselves as leaders of the same community they were victimizing for their own financial gain.

Carlos Quiles is implicated in the fraudulent conveyance of the following properties:

5411 N. 3RD Street;

3036 Tulip Street;

3135 Weikel Street;

3525 Jasper Street;

951 E. Westmoreland Avenue;

1827 E. Madison Street;

2309 E. Somerset Street;

2330 N. 17th Street;

226 E. Roosevelt Boulevard;

1927 Berkshire Street;

1933 Berkshire Street;

1814 Gillingham Street;

928 W. Susquehanna Avenue;

146 W. Palmer Street;

2966 N. Tulip Street;

2316 N. 10TH Street;

969 E. Price Street;

918 E. Chelten Avenue;

2305 N. 10th Street;

4312 Waln Street;

4401 N. 9th Street;

2070 E. Stella Street; and

2563 N. 31st Street, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Ivan Delgado is implicated in the fraudulent conveyance of the following properties:

3135 Weikel Street;

3525 Jasper Street;

951 E. Westmoreland Avenue;

3103 Emerald Street;

1827 E. Madison Street;

2309 E. Somerset Street;

1947 Mascher Street;

1945 Elston Street;

2330 N. 17th Street;

4720 Whitaker Avenue;

1927 Berkshire Street;

1933 Berkshire Street;

1814 Gillingham Street;

1813 Foulkrod Street;

2265 E. Ontario Street;

331 W. Thompson Street;

2966 N. Tulip Street;

2641 W. York Street;

2008 W. Oxford Street;

969 E. Price Street;

918 E. Chelten Avenue;

2305 N. 10th Street;

2442 E. Harold Street;

2070 E. Stella Street; and

2908 N. 7th Street, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Kenneth Lyons is implicated in the fraudulent conveyance of the following properties:

5411 N. 3RD Street;

3525 Jasper Street;

951 E. Westmoreland Avenue;

928 W. Susquehanna Avenue;

918 E. Chelten Avenue;

2305 N. 10th Street; and

1831 N. Croskey Street, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Troy Baylor is implicated in the fraudulent conveyance of the following properties:

2309 E. Somerset Street;

1945 Elston Street;

2330 N. 17th Street;

4720 Whitaker Avenue;

226 E. Roosevelt Boulevard;

1927 Berkshire Street;

1814 Gillingham Street;

1933 Berkshire Street;

4324 and 4326 Paul Street;

1813 Foulkrod Street;

3143 Rorer Street;

4248 Penn Street;

4561 Mulberry Street;

1820 Harrison Street;

4773 Loring Street;

1708 Church Street;

4809 Darrah Street;

4362 Paul Street;

4708 Darrah Street;

1640 Allengrove Street;

1729 N. Marston Street;

2257 N. 17th Street;

2404 N. Clarion Street;

2419 N. Patton Street;

2526 N. 32nd Street;

2641 W. York Street;

2008 W. Oxford Street;

2305 N. 10th Street;

2313 N. 17th Street;

2254 N. Sydenham Street;

2335 N. 17th Street;

2030 W. Oxford Street;

2214 N. Sydenham Street;

2325 N. 17th Street;

1620 Edgley Street;

1913 W. Norris Street;

1715 Edgley Street;

1609 W. Diamond Street;

2023 N. 16th Street;

2120 N. 17th Street;

418 N. Salford Street;

2015 W. Oxford Street;

1752 N. Dover Street;

2330 N. 19th Street;

2462 N. Patton Street;

2337 N. 30th Street;

2441 N. Patton Street;

2447 N. Patton Street;

5227 McKean Avenue;

2425 N. Clarion Street;

1739 Willington Street;

138 E. Wyoming Avenue;

2217 W. Dauphin Street;

2908 N. 7th Street; – 2 Counts

2626 N. 17th Street;

2149 N. Franklin Street;

4937 Rosehill Street; and

2455 N. Patton Street, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Richard Smith is implicated in the fraudulent conveyance of the following properties:

2330 N. 17th Street;

1933 Berkshire Street;

2257 N. 17th Street;

2404 N. Clarion Street;

2526 N. 32nd Street;

2008 W. Oxford Street;

2313 N. 17th Street;

2254 N. Sydenham Street;

2335 N. 17th Street;

2030 W. Oxford Street;

2214 N. Sydenham Street;

2325 N. 17th Street;

1620 Edgley Street;

1913 W. Norris Street;

1715 Edgley Street;

1609 W. Diamond Street;

2023 N. 16th Street;

2120 N. 17th Street;

418 N. Salford Street;

2015 W. Oxford Street;

1752 N. Dover Street;

2330 N. 19th Street;

2462 N. Patton Street;

2337 N. 30TH Street;

2441 N. Patton Street;

2447 N. Patton Street;

4859 N. 9th Street;

1739 Willington Street;

2425 N. Clarion Street;

2626 N. 17th Street; and

2149 N. Franklin Street, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Lenora Irene Jackson is implicated in the fraudulent conveyance of the following properties:

2309 E. Somerset Street;

2404 N. Clarion Street;

2419 N. Patton Street;

418 N. Salford Street;

1752 N. Dover Street;

2462 N. Patton Street;

2447 N. Patton Street;

5227 McKean Avenue;

2425 N. Clarion Street; and

2908 N. 7th Street, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Rebecca Robinson is implicated in the fraudulent conveyance of the following properties:

2313 N.17th Street;

2254 N. Sydenham Street;

2335 N. 17th Street;

2030 W. Oxford Street;

2214 N. Sydenham Street;

2325 N. 17th Street;

1620 Edgley Street;

2120 N. 17th Street;

1913 W. Norris Street;

1715 Edgley Street;

1609 W. Diamond Street;

2015 W. Oxford Street;

2337 n. 30th Street;

2441 N. Patton Street; and

4859 N. 9th Street, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Tyrone Davenport is implicated in the fraudulent conveyance of the following properties:

2330 N. 19th Street;

2462 N. Patton Street;

2337 N. 30th Street;

2441 N. Patton Street; and

2447 N. Patton Street, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Juanita Torres is implicated in the fraudulent conveyance of the following properties:

2316 N. 10th Street;

4312 Waln Street;

4401 N. 9th Street;

3882 Glendale Street; and

2070 E. Stella Street, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Daralease Brown is implicated in the fraudulent conveyance of the following properties:

2257 N. 17th Street;

2404 N. Clarion Street;

2015 W. Oxford Street; and

4859 N. 9th Street, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

David Lespier is implicated in the fraudulent conveyance of the following properties:

3036 Tulip Street;

3135 Weikel Street;

3103 Emerald Street;

2309 E. Somerset Street; and

2265 E. Ontario Street, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Vincent Wilder is implicated in the fraudulent conveyance of the following properties:

1827 E. Madison Street; and

1927 Berkshire Street, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Alberto Rodriguez aka Herman Rodriguez is implicated in the fraudulent conveyance of the following properties:

3135 Weikel Street;

3525 Jasper Street;

226 E. Roosevelt Boulevard;

138 E. Wyoming Avenue; and

4937 Rosehill Street, all of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Marino Rodriguez is implicated in the fraudulent conveyance of the following property:

226 E. Roosevelt Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Maria Roman is implicated in the fraudulent conveyance of the following property:

226 E. Roosevelt Boulevard, Philadelphia, Pennsylvia.

Zoraida Cuevas is implicated in the fraudulent conveyance of the following property:

3525 Jasper Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

mortgage fraud

1. Wow, this was a huge operation. I can’t believe that they were able to steal over 80 homes before they were caught. It definitely takes some cleverness to do that - if only that cleverness could have been applied to something more productive and useful to society rather than damaging to society.

   Posted by Palm Bay Movers  on  07/10  at  09:13 AM

2. Several months ago 4 people were arrested in similar mortgage fraud scheme in Utah.

   Posted by  on  07/11  at  10:06 PM