News

Actions

AZ families claim they were duped out of homes

Posted at 11:11 PM, May 12, 2016
and last updated 2016-05-13 02:11:52-04

The wheels of justice are turning too slowly for families who say they were duped out of their homes by a Valley business.

Now they're banding together hoping to push the case forward.

When the Attorney General's Office started investigating Montecristo Properties nearly a year ago there were five listed victims.

Twenty five have now come forward hoping their collective stories will help make the case stronger.

The victims say they bought new homes, made the mortgage payments, but received foreclosure notices because their money never made it to the bank. 

“You feel so violated when you have to get up and leave," said one victim named Ana.

In some cases, the company didn't even own the homes it was selling but the victims didn’t know that.

They all say the financial loss was crippling but the emotional toll is even greater.

"I’ve lost a good part of my dreams, my hopes," said Ana.

"We're all frustrated because Francisco is free while all of us have suffered tremendous damage," said Silvia Gallo, one of the original complainants referring to the company’s owner Francisco Aguirre.

There still have been no arrests. The AG's office says it expects a case update soon.