A Chattanooga woman who turned fake real estate paperwork into a multi-state hustle is headed to federal prison after targeting homes she did not own, including properties tied to the Charlotte area.
On Tuesday, 33-year-old Alicia England of Chattanooga, Tenn., was sentenced to 75 months in federal prison after prosecutors said she filed bogus property deeds and used stolen identities to sell or try to sell homes in several states, including four listings linked to the Charlotte region. England was also ordered to pay more than $300,000 in restitution and will serve two years of supervised release once she finishes her prison term.
According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina, England pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Prosecutors said that from October 2022 through August 2024, she filed fake deeds for residential properties that were not hers and tried to cash in on them.
U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson did not mince words in the release, stating that "Filing fake deeds and stealing identities can wreak havoc on a victim’s life."
How the scheme worked
Court records show England stole personal information from several victims, both living and deceased, then used that data to open bank accounts, file phony deeds and enter into sales contracts for homes she did not own. In some instances, she forged notaries' signatures. In others, she used counterfeit identifications, according to prosecutors.
From there, investigators say, she tried to move the properties through online marketplaces, including Facebook Marketplace, as reported by Queen City News.
Investigation and sentence
Prosecutors say the scheme touched at least 19 properties nationwide, including four in the Charlotte area, with a combined value of more than $1.4 million. A federal judge ordered England to pay over $300,000 in restitution to victims of the fraud.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Ryan prosecuted the case, while the U.S. Secret Service led the investigation, according to the U.S. Attorney's press release. England is currently in federal custody and is awaiting designation to a Bureau of Prisons facility.
What to do if your deed was targeted
Officials say that anyone who suspects their deed or identity was misused should file an identity theft report with the Federal Trade Commission through IdentityTheft.gov. They also recommend submitting a complaint to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3 to create an official record and help investigators track online activity.
Victims are further urged to check county land records, contact their title insurer or a real estate attorney, and closely monitor or freeze their credit while the situation gets sorted out.
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