A University of Maryland professor says squatters took over his Pigtown townhome during winter break and stayed for nearly 59 days, leaving behind what contractors peg as more than $80,000 in damage. When he came back in early January, his key no longer worked, and he says he watched strangers unloading boxes into his garage. Text messages he shared with reporters show one of the occupants allegedly demanding $5,000 in cash to leave.
Owner Finds Himself Locked Out
Ze Wang, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, told reporters he called 911 on Jan. 7 after spotting what he believed were signs of forced entry. He says he then watched a woman pull out her phone and show officers what he describes as a fake lease. "I was totally shocked," Wang said in an interview. As reported by Fox Baltimore, Wang says police left after the lease was presented, and he ended up sleeping in a college office while the situation moved into court.
Trash, Water Damage And A Nasty Cleanup
Contractors who inspected the house found a collapsed second-floor ceiling they traced to a clogged third-floor toilet, along with rooms scattered with discarded clothing and toddler toys. They also reported dozens of soiled diapers and multiple used pregnancy tests throughout the property. The contractors estimated repairs would total roughly $80,000 and started mitigation work while Wang pursues a wrongful-detainer action. The state of the home and how long it took to remove the occupants highlight how presenting lease-style paperwork can push these disputes into civil court and slow down enforcement.
Annapolis Weighs Criminal Fixes
The episode arrives as state lawmakers move to stiffen penalties for counterfeit leasing documents. The Maryland General Assembly bill page shows the Senate approved a counterfeiting-of-lease measure on third reading by a 37-5 vote, then sent a companion bill to the House Judiciary Committee for review, according to the Maryland General Assembly. Advocates and some legislators say creating new criminal penalties would give police clearer authority to treat fake-lease tactics as fraud instead of primarily civil landlord-tenant disputes.
Owner Plans Repairs And Next Steps
Wang says contractors are securing the home and that he intends to move ahead with repairs, intending to sell the property once it is safe and cleared. His case now sits alongside other high-profile incidents that have pushed elected officials and neighbors to call for faster tools to remove bad actors and tougher penalties for counterfeit-lease operations.
