Quick Answer: A real estate broker and two others were arrested on federal charges for allegedly selling a $1.5 million Burbank home using stolen identities — without the homeowner’s knowledge — and pocketing nearly $975,000 in fraudulent loan proceeds. A fourth defendant is at large. Each faces up to 30 years in federal prison.
A homeowner in Burbank, California, had his $1.5 million house sold out from under him. He didn’t know until it was done.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced on February 11, 2026, that three defendants have been arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging them with executing a fraudulent home sale using stolen identities. A fourth defendant is still at large.
The Scheme
According to the federal affidavit, in late 2023 and January 2024, the defendants pulled off a complete real estate fraud — fabricating documents, impersonating people, and controlling every step of the transaction:
- The defendants targeted a $1.5 million home in Burbank, California
- They used the stolen identities of the actual homeowner AND a purported buyer — neither of whom authorized the transaction
- They created fraudulent documents including fake IDs, a purchase agreement, a grant deed, a deed of trust, loan applications, and falsely notarized deeds
- One defendant impersonated both the victim seller and the victim buyer
- Two defendants acted as mortgage brokers and submitted fraudulent loan applications to lenders
- The real estate broker represented both “parties” in the transaction and controlled escrow through her company
- After the lender deposited $975,000 into escrow, the broker directed the funds to third-party entities for the defendants to collect
Four Victims in One Scheme: This fraud didn’t just hurt one person. According to the DOJ, the victims include: (1) the homeowner, who lost ownership of his home; (2) the identity theft victim whose name was used as the “buyer,” now obligated to repay a $975,000 mortgage; (3) the lender, who unknowingly approved and funded the loan; and (4) the title company, who unknowingly insured the fraudulent transaction.
Who Was Arrested
Three of four defendants were arrested on February 11, 2026, and made their initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles:
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- Glenis Cardona, 63, of Highland, California — a licensed real estate broker who operates Golden Escrow, with offices in Downey and Sherman Oaks. According to the complaint, Cardona represented both the “seller” and “buyer,” controlled escrow, and directed the fraudulent proceeds to third parties
- Ivan Reyes, 50, of Van Nuys — allegedly acted as a mortgage broker and submitted fraudulent loan applications
- Arshak Akopyan, 46, a.k.a. “John Akopyan,” of Northridge — also allegedly acted as a mortgage broker who submitted fraudulent loan applications
A fourth defendant, Basil Tikriti, 54, of Marina del Rey, is at large. According to the complaint, Tikriti used the victims’ stolen identities to impersonate both the seller and the buyer.
The FBI is investigating the case with assistance from the Burbank Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Kelly Larocque of the Transnational Organized Crime Section is prosecuting.
A Growing Problem
This case isn’t an isolated incident. Deed fraud and home title theft have been rising sharply across the country:
- The National Association of Realtors found that 63% of real estate professionals reported awareness of deed or title fraud in their markets within the past year
- The FBI warns that quitclaim deed fraud is on the rise, with homeowners discovering their property has been sold without their knowledge
- Nearly 60% of title theft cases involve someone using a fake ID to impersonate the property owner before a notary
- FBI data shows $396 million in real estate fraud losses in 2023, with title theft a growing subset
How It Works: Real estate deed fraud typically follows a pattern: scammers identify a property (often vacant land or homes with absent owners), forge documents transferring ownership, then either sell the property or take out loans against it. In this case, the scheme was more sophisticated — the defendants allegedly fabricated an entire transaction with fake IDs for both sides, controlled escrow, and submitted fraudulent mortgage applications to pocket the loan proceeds.
How to Protect Yourself
- Monitor your property records. Many counties offer free deed alert services that notify you when any document is recorded against your property. Check with your county recorder’s office
- Check your title periodically. You can search your county’s public records online to verify that no unauthorized transfers have been filed
- Freeze your credit. A credit freeze makes it harder for someone to open accounts or take out loans in your name
- Be wary of “title lock” services. These monitoring services charge monthly fees for something many counties offer for free — they don’t actually prevent fraud, they only alert you after it happens
Before You Sign Anything: If you’re buying a home, refinancing, or entering any real estate transaction, run the contract through the Contract Decoder first. It’s free — and it catches red flags in the fine print.
When someone can sell your house without you knowing, the system has a serious problem. County deed recording offices weren’t built for an era where fake IDs are this easy to make.— Steve Rhode
Key Takeaways
- A real estate broker and two others were arrested for allegedly selling a $1.5 million Burbank home using the stolen identities of both the homeowner and a fake buyer
- The scheme netted approximately $975,000 in fraudulent mortgage loan proceeds
- A fourth defendant who allegedly impersonated both the seller and buyer is at large
- Each defendant faces up to 30 years in federal prison if convicted
- Real estate deed fraud is rising — 63% of Realtors reported awareness of title fraud in their markets in the past year
- Check if your county offers free deed monitoring alerts to protect against this type of fraud
(Source: U.S. Department of Justice — Central District of California)
FAQ
How can someone sell your house without your knowledge?
Deed fraud occurs when scammers forge documents transferring property ownership. In this case, the defendants allegedly used stolen identities to impersonate the homeowner, created fake IDs, forged a grant deed and purchase agreement, falsely notarized documents, and controlled the escrow process through the broker’s company. The actual homeowner had no knowledge the transaction was happening.
What should you do if you suspect deed fraud on your property?
Contact your county recorder’s office immediately to check for unauthorized recordings against your property. File a police report and contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Consult a real estate attorney about filing a quiet title action to restore your ownership. Many states have specific deed fraud statutes that provide additional remedies.
Does title insurance protect against deed fraud?
Title insurance protects the buyer and lender against defects in the title that existed before the policy was issued. However, in a case like this, the title company itself was one of the fraud victims — it unknowingly insured a fraudulent transaction. If you’re an existing homeowner, your original owner’s title insurance policy may provide some protection, but it typically doesn’t cover fraud that occurs after the policy date.
Are “title lock” monitoring services worth it?
Most title lock services charge monthly fees to monitor public records for changes to your property deed. However, many county recorder offices offer free deed monitoring alerts that do the same thing. These services — paid or free — only alert you after a fraudulent document has been filed. They don’t prevent fraud. Check with your county first before paying for a commercial service.
What are the penalties for real estate deed fraud?
Federal real estate fraud charges can carry sentences of up to 30 years in prison, as in this case. Additional charges for wire fraud (up to 20 years), identity theft (mandatory 2-year consecutive sentence), and money laundering (up to 20 years) can be added. State charges may also apply. The severity reflects the devastating impact on victims who can lose their homes and face years of legal battles to recover their property.
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