Four Accused In Alleged Scheme To Sell Vacant Properties Across Detroit

DETROIT, MI — Four people face numerous felony charges in what authorities describe as a scheme to con potential home owners into buying vacant properties across the city. Victims of the scheme, including 19 people from the Detroit area and four others from out of state and as far away as Ireland, were given forged ownership documents and fake deeds, authorities said.

The scheme was detailed during a press conference on Tuesday by Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy, Wayne County Register of Deeds Bernard J. Youngblood and Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon.

Among the four people charged was James Webb, 44, Detroit, on 34 felony counts including extortion, conducting a criminal enterprise, larceny and home invasion. Also charged were Geneva Edwards, 42, of New Baltimore, and Zarvelar Weems-Jones, 47, of Southfield, who each face eight felony counts, including conducting a criminal enterprise and larceny; and Trini El-Bay, 52, of Detroit, who faces three felony counts, including conducting a criminal enterprise.

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Authorities said that Webb, Edwards and Weems-Jones would collect fees ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 from victims by claiming that they could get the victims ownership of vacant properties through a program they called the “Acceleration Tax Lien Foreclosure Process.” The suspects targeted properties throughout Detroit that were unoccupied and in some cases behind in taxes.

After the victims paid fees for the properties, the victims would get a false or forged affidavit, and, in some cases, a fake quit claim deed, to a property, which was then unlawfully recorded with the Wayne County Register of Deeds.

The affidavits and deeds were given to the victims and recorded without the true property owner’s knowledge or consent and without any legal basis of true ownership, authorities said.

Prosecutors say that in addition to the victims who were looking to acquire properties, one of the suspects, Webb, went to the actual property owners and would tell them that he had taken possession of their home and he would only vacate their property if they paid him money.

The scheme involved 19 properties around the city and netted more than $21,000 from victims, authorities said.

“The alleged scheme and subsequent actions of these defendants are unconscionable,” said Worthy.

Wayne County Register of Deeds Youngblood commended the partnership between his office and the office of Worthy and Napoleon. "Over fifteen years ago this task force has been the trailblazer, and pioneer of property protection."

The victims included 16 people from Detroit and three from the surrounding area. There also was a victim from Texas and another from Georgia, and one from Ontario and another from Ireland, according to court documents.

Images by the Wayne County Prosecutor's office