Georgia couple Charles and Charmaine Allman have lived in their Stone Mountain home for two decades. But on Tuesday, the couple were forced out of their property after an alleged fraudster forged documents to claim ownership of the home, the New York Post reported.
Charles, who is 77, was also arrested and jailed after he refused to vacate his property. “They made us feel like we were squatters,” Charmaine said in an interview with WSB-TV. “Just tossed my stuff out like it was trash.”
The anonymous individual who claimed ownership of the Allmans’ home reportedly submitted a fake online deed to Dekalb County. He is said to have forged that deed. The Allmans’ said they ultimately smelled something fishy after letters about a second mortgage were sent to them.
“We don’t have no more mortgage,” Allman said. The anonymous individual also claimed he bought the couple’s home through a foreclosure.
Charles was released on Thursday after he was arrested and charged with Criminal Trespass for refusing to leave their home. “I don’t know how this is possible,” Charmaine said in reference to her husband being arrested.
“How does this happen, period? It’s very upsetting to see my husband in handcuffs at 77 years old and placed in the car because he didn’t want to leave his home. He has nowhere to go. No family.”
Following the incident, a real estate attorney who spoke with WSB-TV said “it’s too easy to forge a deed and record it.” “It’s a big problem nowadays, because of the fact that e-filing, the e-recording of deeds is so easy. It’s very easy to record forged deeds,” Richard Alembik added.
