After years of online whispers and angry group chats, Anne Bergstedt-Jordanova, a Long Beach woman long accused of posting fake rental listings, walked out of custody Tuesday with a plea deal, two years of probation, and a hefty bill.
A judge ordered Bergstedt-Jordanova to pay $47,100 in restitution to 14 victims and said she will face more jail time only if she violates the terms of her probation. She had already spent about 63 days in custody following her November arrest.
In court, Bergstedt-Jordanova pleaded no contest to two counts of grand theft as part of a deal that wiped out most of the other charges, according to Long Beach Post. Prosecutors had accused her of taking security deposits that ranged from $1,500 to $4,000 from would-be tenants. Under the agreement, she admitted to roughly $5,300 in theft, while the judge still ordered the larger restitution amount to make the victims whole.
How the Scam Worked
Victims and local reporting say Bergstedt-Jordanova posted rental listings on marketplaces and housing sites, sometimes even touring people through units in person or over FaceTime before collecting deposits through payment apps, as described by Longbeachize. After the money changed hands, she would allegedly cut off contact.
Multiple renters say they signed documents or wired money only to discover the property was controlled by someone else entirely. The pattern started bubbling up on neighborhood forums and a dedicated victims' website that compiled stories of the alleged schemes.
Court Deal and Restitution
At sentencing, the judge read out the terms of Bergstedt-Jordanova's probation and set the $47,100 restitution order for 14 separate victims, according to Long Beach Post. Court records show she had been in custody for 63 days before being released.
The plea deal spares her any additional jail time as long as she follows probation rules. Had she been convicted on the original slate of counts, she could have faced prison terms ranging from 16 months to three years per count.
Victims and the Local Response
People who say they were scammed describe moves that fell apart overnight, savings accounts wiped out, and frantic hunts for last-minute housing. One victim, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Post his only consolation was that she did some time behind bars: “Well, at least they got her for three months.”
Property managers across Long Beach say they have fielded calls from multiple renters who claim Bergstedt-Jordanova advertised units she did not own or control, leaving them holding receipts instead of keys.
How Renters Can Protect Themselves
Consumer protection officials urge renters to slow things down before sending money. Do not transfer large deposits through peer-to-peer payment apps, insist on a signed lease, verify who owns the property through county records, and use payment methods that offer some form of recourse, according to guidance from the FTC.
If you think you have been targeted, file a police report and submit a complaint through ReportFraud.FTC.gov. Keep screenshots, receipts, messages, and any documents; that paper trail can help investigators and prosecutors connect the dots.
The case has highlighted how easily online marketplaces can be turned against renters and how limited civil remedies can feel after the fact. Advocates say better platform policing and faster takedowns of suspicious listings are crucial to stopping similar schemes before they spread. For now, Bergstedt-Jordanova's probation and restitution order offer a formal path to recovery for victims, even if the financial and emotional damage is far harder to pay back.
