They proposed, in Rome and beyond, the purchase of houses without mortgages and at a good price: only then the deal turned out to be a scam. Two real estate developers arrested in Rome. The judge ordered them to be placed under house arrest as a precautionary measure. Once they had pocketed the deposit, they began to make excuses: 252 families were defrauded.
Cheap and mortgage-free homes: two real estate entrepreneurs arrested by the Finance Police
The order for the application of precautionary measures under house arrest – issued by the GIP of the Court of Rome, at the request of the local Prosecutor’s Office – was carried out by the Financiers of the Provincial Command of Rome today. The alleged crimes: fraudulent bankruptcy and self-laundering.
From the investigations of the Guardia di Finanza of the 1st Metropolitan Operational Unit of Rome, a fraudulent system emerged which saw the suspects ensnare people with the intention of when buying houses by offering installment payments without taking out mortgage loans and at prices significantly lower than market prices.
After having collected the deposit, the two postponed the signing of the deed, citing supervening impediments and, after exhausting postponements, they proposed a settlement agreement, which in turn was continually postponed.
In a year and a half of activity, 252 people were deceived, accumulating over 2 million euros with the advances they paid.which flowed into the personal bank accounts of the suspects from the real estate companies attributable to them, one of which was purposely driven into bankruptcy, after having suffered the impoverishment of its assets and accumulated liabilities of over 11 million euros.
The kidnapping
The evidence collected allowed the Rome prosecutor’s office to also request a precautionary seizure order for over 2.2 million euros in real estate and financial assets attributable to four companies, the two arrested, owners of the same, as well as three other ‘collaborators’ equally involved in the illicit conduct.
The investigative activity was supported by the Corps’ Departments in Milan, Asti and Belluno, as well as the Special Unit for the Protection of Privacy and Technological Fraud.
