Seattle-Area Man Faces Multiple Charges Of Pocketing Tenant Deposits From Would-Be Renters On Homes Belonging To Others

In King County, Washington, The Seattle Times reports:

• Paul Bakovich, who was arrested last month after authorities said he took nearly $4,300 in deposits from seven people he allegedly scammed into believing he owned rental properties, has been arrested again -- for allegedly using the same ruse. Bakovich was charged on Sept. 2 with four counts of second-degree theft in the most recent incident. He was already facing three counts of second-degree theft filed on Aug. 26.

• Bakovich, 36, was arrested on Aug. 22 for fraudulently claiming to be a landlord and taking thousands of dollars in deposits from would-be renters, according to charging papers. He wasn't caught until one potential renter looked his name up on the Internet and found warnings from other people who had been scammed. But by that point the renter, a woman who was interested in a Redmond home, was out $900.(1) Soon after bailing out of jail on Aug. 27, Bakovich alleged tried to collect money from another person interested in the Redmond home, according to charging papers filed in King County Superior Court. [...] Bakovich is now being held at the King County Jail on $60,000 bail.

For more, see Alleged phony landlord in trouble again.

(1) Reportedly, the woman met Bakovich after seeing a Craigslist ad for a three-bedroom house in Redmond for $885 per month. The house was in foreclosure and was never owned by Bakovich. KappaPhonyLandlordScam