Ep 59. Real Estate Home Wrecker

In this episode of American Greed season 6, titled Real Estate Home Wrecker, viewers are taken on a wild ride through the world of real estate scams.

The episode focuses on the case of Kevin Trudeau, a notorious fraudster who had a history of scamming consumers out of money with false promises of weight loss and financial success. This time, however, Trudeau took his deceitful practices to the real estate market.

Trudeau's scheme involved buying homes in foreclosure and then leasing them out to tenants with the promise that they could eventually own the property through a rent-to-own agreement. However, Trudeau had no intention of ever following through on this promise.

Instead, he would cash in on the rental income for as long as possible, neglecting necessary repairs and maintenance on the homes. Eventually, the homes would fall into such a state of disrepair that they were uninhabitable, leaving the tenants with nowhere to go.

Trudeau's victims, many of whom were already struggling financially due to the foreclosure crisis, were left with nothing. And Trudeau continued to Live the high life, buying luxury cars and homes with the money he had stolen.

Through interviews with victims, law enforcement officials, and experts in the real estate industry, the episode showcases the devastating effects of these types of scams. It also highlights the challenges law enforcement faces in bringing these criminals to justice.

Despite the overwhelming evidence against him, Trudeau (always the con artist) claimed that he was the victim of a government conspiracy to take him down, a claim that was ultimately dismissed by the courts.

The episode concludes with Trudeau being sentenced to ten years in prison for his crimes. However, while justice was finally served, it came too late for the countless victims who had lost everything at the hands of this real estate home wrecker.

American Greed season 6, episode 59 serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of real estate scams and the importance of due diligence when dealing with any investment opportunity. It also shines a light on the bravery of those who work tirelessly to bring these criminals to justice and the resilience of those who have been victimized.