The Brief
Arizona's Attorney General is suing two people accused of stealing homes from senior citizens through a multi-million-dollar real estate scheme.
The state has recovered millions of dollars from the alleged perpetrators, but is seeking more victims who may have been impacted by the fraud.
PHOENIX - Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes has filed a lawsuit alleging a years-long, multi-million-dollar scheme to steal homes from senior citizens across the Valley.
The lawsuit names Edward Trenton Albarracin, also known as Trenton Edwards, and Gretchen Marie Zamjahn, also known as Gretchen Edwards, as the alleged perpetrators.
The backstory
According to the Attorney General's Office, the defendants would knock on the doors of homeowners who were behind on their mortgage payments.
They would offer help, but instead of providing assistance, they allegedly tricked the homeowners into signing over their property to limited liability companies controlled by the defendants.
What they're saying
"It was deception. It was exploitation, and it was frankly absolutely immoral," Mayes said.
Scottsdale resident Susan Tepley-Lupo believes she is one of the victims.
She says the defendants tricked her into signing over her home, then changed her last name on the title without her knowledge.
"I started crying. I was just so emotional," Tepley-Lupo said. "I have always had a good feeling that something good was going to come out of this."
Tepley-Lupo said she lost $18,000 in the alleged scheme, and is fighting to get her title back.
"I’m not the only victim to these people," she said.
The Attorney General's Office says it has already recovered millions of dollars and that Edwards is cooperating to lessen her responsibility.
"Every piece of property, every luxury vehicle and every bank account controlled by these defendants is now under court supervision," Mayes said.
When reached by phone on Aug. 25, Edwards told FOX 10 she would not answer any questions without her attorney and did not call back.
What you can do
Mayes believes there could be hundreds of victims, and urged anyone with a similar experience to contact her office.
Click here to read more about the alleged scheme.
Comments