LA Area Man Accused of Scamming Troubled SB County Homeowners

A Los Angeles County man was arraigned April 24 in San Bernardino Superior Court on suspicion that he posed as the landlord of foreclosed homes and illegally collected thousands of dollars from unsuspecting renters, according to District Attorney officials.

He pleaded not guilty to several charges, a DA's office spokesman said.

In early 2010, Bob Frierson, 42, of Van Nuys reportedly targeted vacant single-family homes in North Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga and Victorville that were in the process of being foreclosed on or sold, according news release issued by the DA.

Frierson allegedly filed a fraudulent grant deed against the properties using his name, and biblical passages, then would have the unsuspecting residents sign a rental agreement, according to the news release.

He would collect the first and last month’s deposits, then collect monthly rents until the banks foreclosed on the properties and evicted the residents, officials said.

“Most of the true homeowners ended up losing their homes to foreclosure, because they could not get the tenants out in time to sell it,” said Senior Investigator Ed Nyberg. “Others ended up filing for bankruptcy.”

A felony arrest warrant was issued against Frierson on March 27 charging him with six counts of recording a false document, six counts of forgery, and one count of residential burglary, according to court records.  Frierson was found and arrested during a surveillance in the City of Compton by San Bernardino County District Attorney Investigators assigned to the Real Estate Fraud Prosecution Unit, officials said.

Frierson is scheduled for a Preliminary Hearing at 8:30 a.m. May 6 Dept. 23 of the San Bernardino Superior Court. Deputy District Attorney Lance Cantos will prosecute the case.