Philadelphia resident Macangelo Tillman, aged 52, has been hit with a six-year prison sentence following a real estate scam that falsified ownership of local properties. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Tillman's scheme involved the fraudulent transfer of properties to himself or his associates ahead of sheriff’s sales, depriving the city and rightful property owners of potential income.
Back in December 2023, Tillman was charged with five counts of wire fraud and eventually pleaded guilty in March of this year. To successfully execute the fraud, he had deeds prepared that unlawfully transferred properties' ownership, then managed to get these recorded with the City of Philadelphia. The scam also involved notary publics, with Tillman persuading one to illegitimately notarize documents for a mere $50, and another as a personal favor to him.
It wasn't just about falsified notarization; in some instances, counterfeit deeds bore the forged signatures of actual titleholders. These forgeries were then manipulated with fraudulent notary stamps, presented as legitimate to the Office of the Recorder of Deeds. The scheme negatively affected not just the City of Philadelphia, but also 11 homeowners or their heirs, stripping them of potential revenues from sales and due taxes.
Tillman's motivations were clear-cut: financial enrichment. The properties he illegally seized were either rented or sold to unsuspecting buyers, who inadvertently became tangled in this web of deceit. The U.S. Attorney's Office reports that the actions of Tillman and his associates not just illegally diverted funds intended for the city, but also deprived rightful property owners of their just proceeds.
The case was brought to light and pursued by a cooperative investigation effort between the FBI and the Philadelphia Office of the Inspector General. Assistant United States Attorney Anita Eve led the prosecution, culminating in Tillman's hefty penalty of a 72-month incarceration, three years of supervised release, and over $150,000 in restitution.
