Two charged in alleged scam to take over woman’s home

The woman allegedly defaulted on the property taxes for her Redwood City home valued between $1.5 million and $1.7 million and was preparing for an auction to be run by the San Mateo County Tax Collector’s Office in late summer when she was approached by Miller. On July 23, the Realtor allegedly took the woman to an Applebee’s restaurant, bought her two margaritas and offered her a $500,000 reverse mortgage that would allegedly give the woman the chance to live on the property until she died, according to prosecutors.

Miller allegedly gave the woman $1,000 in cash and asked her to sign a grant deed in favor of Hall’s enterprise and showing the woman had been paid $800,000 for the property, a sum she claimed she never received. Hall allegedly recorded the grant deed the same day and paid the delinquent property taxes, according to prosecutors.

Because the purchase price was so far below market-rate value, the San Mateo County Recorder’s Office reported the sale and Miller was interviewed by an inspector with the District Attorney’s Office about the transaction. Days later, Miller allegedly gave the woman another $1,000, increased the home’s purchase price to $600,000 and called the inspector to say she “cleared everything up” with the woman, according to prosecutors.

On Aug. 22, Hall allegedly sold the property to a buyer for $997,000 and on Aug. 31, Miller allegedly went to the woman’s home with a U-Haul truck to get her to move out. Miller allegedly came with another Realtor to help the woman find a new home in Auburn, but the agent became suspicious and notified police, who arrived on the scene and ordered Miller to leave, according to prosecutors.

The alleged victim said she never knew she was signing over ownership of her home to Hall, who allegedly transferred the proceeds of the property’s sale through several bank accounts, according to prosecutors.

Hall pleaded not guilty to charges of elder theft, felony grand theft, procuring false documents, commercial burglary and money laundering when he appeared in court Tuesday, and is next expected to appear in court Jan. 23 for Superior Court review conference. Hall was taken into San Mateo County custody Monday and remains behind bars on $1.1 million bail. Miller has not yet been taken in custody, according to prosecutors.