After Sam Cormier’s property was stolen and sold off without his knowledge, a lawyer at Vestige Law strongly advises property owners to regularly examine their documents.
Cormier was shocked when, in 2022, he was asked to pay rent on a property he already owned. He has been fighting for the past two and a half years to recover eight homes that he believes were stolen from him; these houses, he claims, were totally paid off and worth more than $1.1 million.
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The 84-year-old told Click2Houston, “I said, ‘No, I didn’t sell my property.’ And the woman on the phone said, ‘Well, your properties are now owned by this company,’ and I said, ‘What!’”
The rent demand confused Cormier, so he called the lender mentioned on the notification. At that point, he claimed to have discovered that the property had been given to a management firm that carried his ex-partner’s last name. Cormier said that property and seven others had been used as collateral for a $1 million loan.
Cormier’s friend Kevin Williams said, “She took the deeds and got a lump sum loan against them, because all the properties were paid off.”
Within a short time, Cormier said all eight properties were liquidated and auctioned off. The newly filed deeds, according to Cormier, were forged without his permission and were fake. He feels he was targeted because of his age, noting that the woman involved is nearly 30 years younger and has access to a notary.
“I lost my money, I’m losing my voice, I’m losing my health. It’s really hard. This is traumatic,” he said.
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In Harris County, filing a new deed doesn’t require much, according to the lead lawyer at Vestige Law. All one needs to do is bring a paper and a notary stamp to the county office.
“You pay a small fee — $10 or $20 — and you can record a new deed,” the attorney explained.
Because of this, they emphasize the importance of regular monitoring.
“The public has access to property records online. Every six months, just check to make sure your property is still in your name,” the attorney advised. “One other thing that I would recommend is drive around your property from time to time. At least once a year or once in six months, go take a drive around the property because there are people who are keeping an eye, there may be squatters or people who see if the property is left vacant, then they can take action.”
Houston Police did, however, confirm that the case has been thoroughly examined. Charges are expected to be filed with the District Attorney’s Office.
There is also a legal case underway against the lender that helped facilitate the disputed loan.
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