(Photo courtesy of Riverside Police Department)
A Lake Elsinore woman was arrested after Riverside police said she fraudulently added her name to the title of a 76-year-old Riverside woman’s home and tried to sell it without the owner’s knowledge or permission.
Jennifer Renee Lewis, 46, allegedly used a copy of her deceased grandmother’s death certificate to add herself to the title of the Riverside home, which police said was worth approximately $1 million.
The Riverside Police Department was notified June 18 that the home was being sold without the owner’s knowledge or permission, according to police.
Detectives with the department’s Economic Crimes Unit identified Lewis as the suspect. Police said Lewis’ grandmother had the same name as the victim and died about two years ago.
Detectives determined Lewis used her position as administrator of her grandmother’s estate, along with a copy of her grandmother’s death certificate, to file a fraudulent affidavit and add herself to the victim’s home title, police said.
Police said Lewis placed the home in escrow and tried to sell it for $625,000.
She also allegedly attempted to access the victim’s retirement funds and admitted to stealing mail from the woman’s residence, police said.
Lewis was located and arrested in Lake Elsinore on Sept. 15 with assistance from the Riverside Police Department’s Post-Release Accountability and Compliance Team.
She was booked on suspicion of filing a false document in a government office, elder abuse and grand theft, according to police.
Detectives also obtained a $1 million increase in bail and a bail hold requiring Lewis to demonstrate a legitimate source of funds if she attempts to post bail, police said.
The Riverside Police Department reminded property owners to keep their contact information current with the Riverside County Recorder’s Office so they can be notified of changes to their property title.
Anyone with additional information can contact Detective Brian Money at 951-353-7118 or BMoney@RiversideCA.gov.
