- Raids & Arrests
- Nov 5, 2026
California Mortgage Gang ARRESTED As FBI EXPOSES Fake Docs Used To Target $17M From Seniors
Before dawn, the FBI and the LAPD arrested eleven people in Operation Hard Money. Federal prosecutors say the group used the stolen identities of elderly homeowners in Santa Monica, Hollywood, the Hollywood Hills, Westwood and Chinatown to take out private "hard money" loans against houses they did not own, backed by fake bank statements, doctors' notes and even death certificates.
In this report
- How prosecutors say the scheme worked, step by step
- The fake documents and the forged notary signatures
- What Fox 11 cameras saw outside one home at dawn
- What a hard money loan is, and why these homes were targeted
- $17.4 million attempted, about $6 million lost
- The charges, the penalties, and where the case stands now
- What the FBI says to do if it happens to you
Presumption of innocence
All eleven defendants have only been charged and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
Sources
U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California (March 19, 2026); CBS News Los Angeles; FOX 11 Los Angeles; NBC Los Angeles; California Post; ABC7 Los Angeles (separate title fraud case); LAPD. News footage is used under fair use for news reporting and commentary.
