0:00
is the second case of this in the past
0:02
few months. So, we know this is
0:03
happening. So, no charges yet in this
0:05
case, but the AG says she has seized
0:07
millions of dollars for victims in this
0:09
scam that spanned years. The flyers
0:12
promised relief for homeowners facing
0:14
foreclosure like Susan Tley Lupo.
0:17
They took complete advantage of me.
0:20
The offer of help was a lie and it was a
0:24
trap. Arizona Attorney General Chris
0:26
Maize is suing Edward Trenton Alvarez
0:28
and Gretchen Marie Zamjan. She says they
0:31
stole at least hundreds of homes using
0:33
dozens of shell companies.
0:35
The defendants told these homeowners
0:37
that they had to temporarily transfer
0:40
the deed to their home in order to save
0:43
it. The homeowners were led to believe
0:46
that the deeds were going into family
0:48
trusts or living trusts.
0:51
They weren't actually trusts. They were
0:53
LLC's controlled by the defendants.
0:56
By signing, the homeowners unknowingly
1:00
gave away ownership of their homes.
1:04
It's called equity stripping. It often
1:07
starts with a public foreclosure notice.
1:09
Once that's posted, people pounce,
1:11
knocking on victim's doors and tricking
1:13
them into signing over their homes for
1:15
way less than the actual value.
1:17
It's a big property. We reported on a
1:20
similar case of equity stripping in May
1:22
when May sued 70 people in companies for
1:24
consumer fraud and racketeering. She
1:26
says Cameron Jones led that network that
1:28
included title companies and attorneys.
1:31
He just said that he could help get it
1:37
far more than my home, my memories,
1:43
my heart. May said that case against
1:46
Jones led to this new lawsuit.
1:49
Albert Rassen at one point was working
1:51
with Cameron Jones and his associate.
1:54
And Maize believes there's still more to
1:57
It is highly likely that there are
2:00
hundreds of these scammers roaming the
2:03
streets of Maricopa County trying to
2:06
steal people's homes.
2:08
Susan's still fighting to save hers. I
2:10
pray every minute of every day of every
2:13
second about this. It's a little
2:15
one-story townhouse, but it's my home
2:17
and I love it. It's perfect for me and
2:21
um I'm not letting go of it. In this new
2:24
case, Maize says her office has seized
2:26
assets, including cars, homes, and bank
2:29
accounts worth millions of dollars. The
2:31
goal is to return that money or property
2:34
to victims. We did try to get in touch
2:36
with the defendants in this case. I was
2:38
able to reach Gretchen by phone. She
2:41
referred me to her attorney. I called
2:42
him. He hasn't responded to any of our
2:45
questions. Uh but we're going to
2:46
continue to report on this and raise
2:48
awareness. Uh the key here takeaway that
2:51
we want everybody to be aware of. If
2:53
somebody comes and knocks on your door,
2:54
if somebody feels like they're
2:56
pressuring you and you are already in a
2:57
precarious financial situation, slow
3:00
everything down. Go through a trusted
3:01
real estate agent, trusted attorney. Do
3:04
not sign things that you do not know
3:08
Right. Oh my goodness. I cannot imagine
3:11
what those people are going through.
3:12
That is so awful, Susan.
