Joint So. Cal. Local/Federal Probe Ends With Bagging Of Suspect Alleged To Have Forged, Filed False Docs To Hijack Title To Recently-Foreclosed Homes

From the Office of the San Bernardino County, California District Attorney:

• A 56-year-old man has been arrested and charged for defrauding banks and financial businesses by illegally filing fraudulent Grant Deeds on properties throughout San Bernardino County.
  
  David Alan Boucher is charged with 63 felony counts of Filing False Documents, Forgery and Identity Theft. If convicted as charged, he faces a maximum sentence of 16 years and 4 months in state prison.
  
  On the morning of July 28, 2012, Boucher was arrested at his Upland residence without incident by investigators from the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office Real Estate Fraud Unit. Other agencies involved in the arrest include the FBI, Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.

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• HOW THE SCHEME WORKS:
  
  Boucher locates properties that have been sold at foreclosure auction and currently belong to a lending institution. He then fraudulently signs Grant Deeds as the “Authorized Representative” of the bank, which has acquired the foreclosure home.
  
  After having the documents notarized, Boucher or one of his representative then records the Grant Deeds at the San Bernardino County Recorder’s Office. In some instances, after the fraudulent transfer of title, hard money loans are obtained on the properties. Boucher has fraudulently transferred approximately 20 properties in San Bernardino County, representing a property value of approximately $4.5 million dollars.
  
  District Attorney Investigators believe there may be additional victims. Members of the media are asked to share the following information: If you suspect that you been victimized by David Alan Boucher, or any of his associates, please contact the District Attorney’s Real Estate Fraud Unit at (909) 891-3519.

For the San Bernardino County DA press release, see Upland Man Charged in Connection with Fraud Scheme Involving $4.5 Million in Real Estate.