SAN DIEGO, California — Two Mexican nationals have admitted to participating in a fraudulent real estate scheme, pleading guilty to bank fraud charges in federal court.
Victor Hugo Villalobos Almazan, 48, and his wife, Nayeli Noemi Montoya Rodriguez, 48, both entered the United States on tourist visas and were involved in a conspiracy to sell homes they did not own, laundering approximately $1 million in proceeds, according to a press release from the Department of Justice. The couple and their co-conspirators posed as legitimate property owners, using fraudulent documents to deceive unsuspecting buyers.
The plea agreement revealed that the conspirators created email addresses resembling those of legitimate property owners to market properties they did not own. Transactions were conducted entirely through email to avoid meeting buyers in person and to conceal their identities. Forged property transfer documents were used to falsely transfer ownership to unwitting buyers…