An Arizona couple was shocked to discover their Phoenix home had been stolen and sold without their permission after squatters broke in and assumed their identities. D’Andrea Turner said it felt “like the Twilight Zone” when she learned that two individuals, Aaron Polmanteer and Lledera Hollen, forced entry into the property, found personal documents, and forged ownership papers. Using the fake documents, they successfully posed as the Turners, listed the property, and sold it to unsuspecting real estate investors for $200,000.
The fraud unraveled only when the squatters attempted to cash checks made out in the Turners’ names. Authorities recovered the property, and Polmanteer and Hollen now face trial. The case underscores how criminals can manipulate flaws in real estate safeguards to carry out title fraud, bypassing title companies and notaries. Turner, who saw the forged documents, expressed disbelief at how the system failed her. The FBI and state officials warn homeowners to monitor property records and take proactive steps to guard against this fast-growing crime.
This story was first reported by Realtor.com
