Toronto

Toronto police seek public's help in finding mortgage fraud suspects who bilked $200K

The Toronto Police Service Financial Crimes Unit is asking the public to help identify two suspects in a fraud over $5,000 investigation involving a fake mortgage.

Suspects may have used fake identities to apply for a 2nd mortgage on home they didn't own

A mortgage application and a key.
Toronto police say a man and a woman were able to obtain $200,000 for a second mortgage on a home they did not own. The suspects allegedly kept the money while the real homeowner was served with court papers months later for non-payment. (CBC)

The Toronto Police Service Financial Crimes Unit is asking the public to help identify two suspects in a fraud investigation involving a fake mortgage. 

Police say the suspects, a man and a woman, went to a mortgage broker's office in September 2015 in the Warden Avenue and Sheppard Avenue East area.

They allegedly applied for a second mortgage on a property they did not own in the amount of $200,000, and the broker was able to find financing for them through a mortgage lender.

Police say the suspects received the money through their real estate lawyer, and that several months after the mortgage was registered, the real homeowner was served court documents saying he was being sued by the mortgage lender for non-payment.

He called police and reported the mortgage fraud.

Toronto police say the man and woman allegedly used fake identification to impersonate the real homeowners, and have appealed to the public to help identify the suspects.

Police released photos of the suspects on their website.