On this segment of Black people having their hard-earned property snatched from them, we have an odd case to look at down in Houston, Texas. An 84-year-old man says he’s fighting to reclaim properties that he already paid for. Now begs the question, how did they get taken in the first place?
Elbert “Sam” Cormier says back in 2022 he got a notice to “Pay Rent To Person Other Than Landlord” but... on a property he already owned and paid off, per Click2Houston. Cormier did his own digging and tracked down the lender listed on the rent notice he received. The report says he found the land was transferred to a management company - one that shared the last name of his former partner. He was also told his properties were owned by the company despite him never placing them for sale. He said they’re valued at $1.1 million.
Cormier told Click2Houston he believes someone filed new, fraudulent deeds on the properties before taking out a $1 million loan against them. Then, they were auctioned.
“They liquidated all of my properties and sold it at the auction to three or four different people,” Cormier said.
Cormier claims the suspect is a young adult woman with a history of theft and fraud who targeted him because he’s old in age. However, court records show that a filing by a Sam Cormier of Harris County granted a piece of property located in Elena to an Alline Cormier as part of a divorce agreement back in 1975. Though, it’s unclear if this is the same Sam and his former partner as he did not specify what happened in his prior relationship. The documents also don’t account for his other properties.
Well then, how was it so easy to allegedly snatch these properties from his hands? An attorney tells Click2Houston the rules for Harris County make it quite easy. As long as you pay a fee and have notarized documents, a new deed can be recorded. As of now, there are little to no details as to who allegedly scooped up his plots for themselves.
Authorities say they are investigating the matter and charges are expected to reach the District Attorney’s Office fairly soon. The Root contacted the Harris County Sheriff’s Office for more details on the matter.