Orange County DA Slams Suspect With Multiple Felony Charges In Alleged Vacant Home-Hijacking, Title-Swiping, Rent-Pocketing Racket

In Orange County, California, the San Clemente Times reports:

• According to a June 4, 2010 Orange County District Attorney’s press release, Blair Christopher Hanloh, 46, of Long Beach was charged with grand theft for stealing more than $3.5 million in a fraudulent real estate scheme, renting out houses in Dana Point, San Clemente and Anaheim. The problem with him renting these homes?—he neither owns them nor acted as an agent on behalf of the owners.(1)

• Hanloh would allegedly look for vacant properties that were in foreclosure, post a notice on the home labeling it an “abandoned property,” then return a few weeks later, drill the locks and “take possession” of the home. He would then change the locks and post “no trespassing” signs at the properties.

• Hanloh would then file fake quitclaim deeds on the properties via his company, Blair Hanloh Trustee of Diversified Management Trust, to change “ownership” from himself to his company in order to perpetrate his scheme. [...] He would then advertise the homes for rent [online, on Craigslist] and lease them to unsuspecting tenants via fraudulent lease agreements and begin collecting rent.(2)

For more, see Man Charged With Renting Out San Clemente and Dana Point Homes He Did Not Own.

For the Orange County DA press release, see Man Charged With Grand Theft Over $3.5 Million In Fraudulent Scheme Of Real Property Theft And Renting Out Houses.

For an earlier post on this story, see S. Calif. Man Suspected Of Openly Hijacking Title To Vacant Homes & Renting Them Out, Leaving Owners Frustrated, Neighbors Rattled, Cops Flat-Footed.

(1) Hanloh is charged with eight felony counts of grand theft, five felony counts of recording false and forged instruments, one felony count of second degree commercial burglary, and sentencing enhancement allegations for property theft over $65,000, $200,000, $1.3 million, $3.2 million, and aggravated white collar crime over $100,000 and $500,000, according to the Orange County DA press release.

(2) Go here for a map of a slew of homes Hanloh is suspected of swiping, including five in Orange County.