In the following press release the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Office announced that on Tuesday, December 9, Investigators from the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Real Estate Fraud Unit arrested Anthony Vargas, 34, at his office in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. Vargas is a Real Estate Agent for Prudential California Realty and markets himself to the public as “Anthony The Realtor.”

In February 2008, Vargas fraudulently acquired a property in Rancho Cucamonga that belonged to an elderly Rancho Cucamonga couple. Vargas completed a Grant Deed and forged the victims’ signatures, granting the property into his name. Vargas recorded the Grant Deed with the San Bernardino County Recorder’s Office and became the owner of record of the residential property. The victims owned this property outright with no mortgage owed. Vargas immediately took out a loan on the property in the amount of $250,000. The loan closed in March 2008, and after loan fees were paid, $205,828.64 was wired into Vargas bank account. During the loan process the property was appraised at $1,200,000.

After an extensive criminal investigation by District Attorney Investigators, it was determined the victims didn’t know Vargas nor did they give him their property. The victims filed a complaint with the San Bernardino County District Attorney’s Real Estate Fraud Unit, which filed Felony counts of Grand Theft (PC 487), Forgery (PC 470), Filing a False/Forged Document with the County Recorders Office (PC 115a) and Financial Elder Abuse (PC 368d).

Vargas was transported and booked into the Sheriff’s West Valley Detention Center in Rancho
Cucamonga. Bail was set at $1,450,000.