Last night we showed you how someone stole an entire island from Israel Pi Marin and Rosella Zabaneh.
Well, it's a scam that's become all too prevalent at the Lands Department where fraudsters have been capitalizing on gaping loopholes in the General Registry system to steal people's titles without them even having a clue that their title has been transferred to someone else.
That's what happened to a State Senator from Kansas in the United states. We had a look at his fraudulent conveyance:
Jules Vasquez Reporting:
State Senator for Kansas David Haley and his wife Michelle had title to a 5.18 acre parcel of land in Commerce Bight, north of Hopkins which they bought in November of 2000.
But in January of this year - the land was fraudulently sold - supposedly by them - to Simeon Lino for twenty thousand dollars. It facilitated by this laughable block signature for both he and his wife. It's a forgery, yes, of course, but again, Justice of the Peace Angel Moreria signed and stamped the conveyance deed - stating that David and Mcihelle Haley appeared before him to legitimize the transfer.
Of course, it's all fake - just another case of tithe theft - but legitimized and lodged here at the Lands Department in Belmopan.
Wilbert Vallejos - Commissioner Of Lands
"Yes, he was a victim of the same situation, and if we found it while reviewing the document. I noticed that these people didn't even transfer from the person to whoever they sent it to. They tried to lose it down the track, transferred it to 1, 2, 3 and eventually, the person who really buys it. So if the person who was to do a title search and try to track it down, he would say, 'Oh, it went legitimate from one person to another, to another.' And the more times it's being sold, the more it seems to be in order, right. And so then, They stop doing a title search and say, 'Well, it's in order. I'll take it.' But again..."
Jules Vasquez
"But it's your office, ultimately, which is legitimizing these fraudulent transactions."
Wilbert Vallejos
"But like I said, it's difficult for us to know that it is fraud, right. The document, in itself, is properly drawn. The document, in itself, is properly presented in all that is required for the deed to go through."
All except the value. In all the documents we've seen the value of the property is at twenty thousand dollars - set low so as not to attract stamp duty - and in all cases a gross undervalue for the specific piece of land - especially in the case of Bikini Caye, property of Israel Marin and Rosella Zabaneh.
Someone must have noticed in the valuation department that an island was being sold for twenty thousand dollars - three percent of its market value
Jules Vasquez
"Shouldn't the valuation of an island for $20,000 - shouldn't that have raised a flag?"
Wilbert Vallejos
"Definitely, I agree with you. That should have raised a flag. But I really wouldn't be able to tell you exactly, nonetheless, it went through."
Jules Vasquez
"So, is it a lack of vigilance, or is it collusion on the part of someone within the land's department."
Wilbert Vallejos
"Well, I wouldn't be able to tell you for certain what it is, but I would be brave enough to tell you that over the last 2 years the Land Titles Unit has been responsible only for the registration of documents."
And not only is the fraud perpetrated here, it also starts with a title search at this office.
Wilbert Vallejos
"These records are public information - public records. People come in; they have an idea - somebody tells them, 'That piece of land, there, has been abandoned; the person lives in the States or hasn't been here a while.' They come in; they do a title search - as many people who are required to do transfers, come in and do title search. They get information; they purchase a copy of the deed, which is allowed by law. And then, they orchestrate it. They map it out, and set out a plan or design. And really, the only thing they have to do is try to imitate the signature."
But these folks didn't even try to imitate Israel Marin's of the Hayley's signatures.
Wilbert Vallejos
"And of course, when they logged the document, it has the signatures of witnesses, and Justices of the Peace, and the stamp. So, naturally - or regularly - the people at the titles on it won't question it if it comes witnessed by somebody, and signed by Justices of the Peace, with the stamp."
Meaning they don't scrutinize documents - but, Vellejos says they have strengthened the system:
Wilbert Vallejos
"We have strengthened the process - or the system - in the Land Titles Unit. For example, we will now require the submission of identification, some sort of identification where we can compare signatures. Or if something is suspicious, it is brought up to the attention of senior managers who can look into it. The valuation of properties is now vetted by the chief value, and endorsed by the Commissioner of Lands. So, one person might make an error, but now it's two persons who will vett your application."
Jules Vasquez
"I don't get the sense from you that you all are investigating this agressively. It's sort of a wait-and-see approach, but there may be untold title thefts that you nor I know about, or even the property owner might not know about."
Wilbert Vallejos
"I agree with you, it would be difficult to find out, unless the owner himself comes and says, 'I did not do that.'"
Jules Vasquez
"Your office, or your Lands Registry or Titles Registry, is the one that has sanctioned fraud. By accepting -it's certainly the case with Mr. Israel Marin - something with an obviously flawed signature. And I don't see anyone being held to account for this. Obviously under-valued, these things jump out."
Wilbert Vallejos
"Well like I said, we - Mr. Israel Marin proceeded to take the matter to the police. The police have requested information from us. I had written to them granting them all the necessary information - copies of the document, authentic documents from the registry that they need, to examine it and later on, decide whether it is fraud or not. When a matter is passed on to the police, we put it on hold."
Jules Vasquez
"But shouldn't you do something administratively?"
Wilbert Vallejos
"We are doing something administratively. We are doing our own investigations administratively; we are taking our own precautions to ensure that things like that do not occur."
So far no administrative sanction has been taken against anyone in the Department.
The Lands Commissioner says he knows of nine cases that have been reported, others with some knowledge of the ins and outs of the department say it's more than that. All the cases of fraud discovered so far have been concentrated in the Stann Creek District where they general registry system is still widely used and the Lands department has not shifted to the compulsory registration system - which is harder to scam.
Our investigation into the story continues tomorrow with the story of a Canadian who had the title for his land in Dangriga with a house on it - sold - supposedly by him - when he wasn't even in the country. And, guess what, it was all facilitated by the same Justice of the Peace Angel Morerira. We'll talk to the man who blew the whistle on that fraudulent conveyance...
