PONTIAC, Mich. (WXYZ) — A 28-year-old Pontiac woman is facing 10 felony charges in connection with an alleged real estate fraud scheme that prosecutors say bilked victims out of nearly $200,000 in fake down payments.
Watch Brett Kast's video report:
Amanda Escalante-Lopez was booked Monday on charges stemming from what prosecutors describe as a scheme dating back to early 2024. Authorities allege she made multiple verbal agreements for land contracts and titles to homes in Pontiac that she did not own, collecting down payments from victims.
"She had been representing herself as owner of properties she did not own and would fraudulently obtain money from people thinking they were buying the home from her, and had a fake notary person and would give them some kind of fraudulent receipt to something she never owned," Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said.
24-year-old Damne Zavala says she is one of the alleged victims who trusted Escalante-Lopez after renting from her for months following a Facebook listing.
"I was just looking for a home to rent because I wanted to move out and have my own place," Zavala said.
After paying rent and living in the home for months, Escalante-Lopez offered Zavala the opportunity to buy it under a land contract. Zavala gave her $6,000 as a down payment, but never received the title.
"I had the possibility of being a homeowner at such a young age, and I was just honestly heartbroken," Zavala said. "She just crushed all of our dreams, not just mine but everyone else who was involved."
FULL INTERVIEW: Damne Zavala details the scam
The scheme began to unravel when a family friend of Zavala's, who was also buying a home from Escalante-Lopez, had a real estate agent oversee the transaction.
"He wanted to go to the bank and have his real estate agent there to make sure it was legit, and when the real estate agent went through the files to make sure everything was legit, none of the homes were under her name," Zavala said.
Zavala said the homes were actually owned by one of the suspect's family members. Zavala says she now knows of multiple families who say their money was stolen, with one family paying more than $50,000.
"It was just a lot of families that were involved that gave her a lot of money," Zavala said. "My hope is that justice is served and we get what we deserve."
“For many, home ownership is the ultimate financial goal after years of hard work,” said Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald. “These allegations are about more than the theft of money. It is about robbing victims of the security and dignity that comes from purchasing a home of their own.”
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