LOS ANGELES—The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office revealed that Angela Fawn Wallace, 58, of West Hills, is facing new charges for her role in taking millions of dollars from elderly property owners and others through a real estate and financial fraud scheme.
According to a press release from the LADA’s Office, Wallace has been charged with a total of 162 felony counts, including grand theft, identity theft, forgery and money laundering, in two separate cases. The charges include special allegations of taking more than $200,000 and prior convictions. She pleaded not guilty on Friday, February 1 to 35 felony counts on January 29.
The defendant was initially charged in July 2018 in a 72-count complaint in case BA468922. Additional charges were added in that case, bringing it to a total of 127 felony counts. She pleaded not guilty to those charges.
A preliminary hearing setting for both cases is set for March 28 in Department 30 of the Foltz Criminal Justice Center.
From June 2014 through August 2018, Wallace allegedly befriended elderly homeowners and found residential properties where owners were deceased. She falsified documents in order to get her name placed on the titles of the buildings noted Deputy District Attorney Walter Mueller of the Real Estate Fraud Section. Wallace, who is a former attorney, is accused of using her legal expertise to ingratiate herself with the victims.
The alleged scheme targeted six homes in Los Angeles County and impacted two dozen victims, including property owners, estates, trusts, investment companies, property management companies and notaries, Mueller stated. The real estate victims lost a total of $2.4 million as a result of the scheme.
Wallace allegedly obtained loans secured by the properties or sold them to unknowing purchasers, and keeping a majority of the proceeds for herself. In one situation, she allegedly placed her name on the title, then rented several of the units and kept the rental proceeds for herself instead of giving them to the estate of the deceased owner. Wallace is accused of stealing $800,000 from an elderly victim’s stock portfolio and other accounts.
The defendant faces a possible maximum sentence of 81 years and 10 months in state prison if convicted as charged. Her bail has been set at $980,000. Wallace has several prior felony convictions out of Los Angeles County, including grand theft in 2003, 2007 and 2013; forgery in 2003; and recording false documents in 2007, according to the felony complaints.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Bureau of Investigation is still investigating case BA468922. Case BA474533 is being investigated by the Bureau of Investigation and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
