On Monday, a woman from Southern California is set to be sentenced for her involvement in a $6 million real estate fraud scheme. Bianca Gonzalez, 41, of Walnut, pleaded guilty to one federal count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud last year. The U.S. Attorney’s Office revealed this information.
Gonzalez’s brother, Adolfo Schoneke, 46, of Torrance, has already been sentenced to nine years in prison in October 2022 for his role in the scam.
Working alongside co-conspirators, Schoneke and Gonzalez operated real estate and escrow companies in Cerritos, La Palma, and Long Beach under various names, including MCR and West Coast. They would list properties for sale without the owners’ permission and falsely advertise them as short sales, with the intention of tricking buyers into purchasing them below market value.
Using the broker’s licenses of other individuals, the duo listed these properties on real estate websites, such as the Multiple Listing Service. They also utilized open houses to market the homes, convincing homeowners to allow their properties to be used during these events.
As part of their scheme, the co-conspirators accepted multiple offers for each property, leading victims to believe they were the only ones interested. The victims were then deceived into believing that the closing of the sales was being delayed due to lenders approving the short sales. In reality, the scammers strung them along for years.
In order to receive funds from the victims, Schoneke and Gonzalez instructed office workers to open bank accounts in their names. The victims would then transfer the full purchase price into these accounts after receiving forged sale documents.
Investigators estimate that the scam resulted in hundreds of victims collectively losing over $6 million.
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