Van Nuys Woman Arrested In Alleged Real Estate Fraud Scheme
GLENDALE (CBSLA.com) — A San Fernando Valley woman faced dozens of charges Monday linked to the recording of false and fraudulent documents related to over 100 properties in Los Angeles County.
Anna Moskovyan, 30, of Van Nuys, was arrested on March 28 after a 36-count felony complaint was filed by the Los Angeles County County District Attorney's Ofice on March 21.
Investigators alleged that between April 2010, and June 2012, Moskovyan committed numerous sophisticated fraudulent acts of various types throughout Los Angeles County, including fraudulently claiming the rights to receive money left over after a property was sold and the tax liens were paid off.
Moskovyan would allegedly identify real estate properties that were scheduled for tax lien sales by the Los Angeles County Treasurer and Tax Collector's Office. Moskovyan then recorded forged Grant Deeds at the Los Angeles County Recorder's Office transferring ownership of the properties from the rightful owners to herself, and filed claims to receive the "excess proceeds" from the tax lien sales.
She also allegedly recorded dozens of phony Mechanic's Liens - for painting work which was never done - on the titles of real estate properties which were in foreclosure. Several financial institutions paid Moskovyan to remove the fraudulent Mechanics Liens in order to clear the titles so the properties could be foreclosed upon and resold, according to investigators.
Moskovyan also allegedly fraudulently transferred the ownership of two real estate properties to herself by recording forged Grant Deeds. She then applied for, and received, loans using the fraudulently obtained properties as collateral.
Moskovyan's alleged activities, which netted her approximately $100,000, came to light when several of the property owners and their families filed complaints with the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer Affairs.
Search warrants were executed at Moskovyan's office in Glendale and her residence in North Hollywood, which produced allegedly certified copies of the forged Grant Deeds and forged Mechanic's Liens she had allegedly fraudulently recorded at the Los Angeles County Recorder's Office.
Moskovyan is currently in custody with a bail of $1.24 million. She is scheduled to appear in court on April 16.
