Squatter Masterminds Arrested In Beverly, Morgan Park Raids: Authorities

Caption: Home at 10941 S. Wood St. where Torrez Moore was taken into custody in early morning raid on squatters. (Top to bottom) David Farr, aka Fahim Ali, Torrez Moore, and Raymond Trimble, who remains at large.

FBI and Chicago Police raided five homes in Morgan Park and Beverly early Tuesday morning that have been allegedly occupied for months by illegal squatters.

Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez announced charges for four men who identify themselves as a part of an anti-government group who are accused of illegally occupying and renting out at least 14 foreclosed properties in various Chicago neighborhoods. At least 8 of those 14 homes are located in the 19th Ward.

Alleged squatter masterminds David Farr (aka Fahim Ali), 40, and Torrez Moore, 55, were both arrested in an early morning raid on Tuesday at their unlawfully occupied homes in Beverly, Ald. Matt O’Shea (19th) said.

Ali and Moore have both been charged with Class X felony theft, burglary and financial institution fraud, along with their alleged associate, Raymond Trimble, 52, of Markham. Arrest warrants were issued for Trimble and his son, Arshad Thomas, 26, is also charged with one count of burglary. Both father and son remain at large.

The alderman, who was present during the raid, said that 22nd District Police and FBI agents converged on six homes in Beverly and Morgan Park around 7 a.m. Tuesday. Ali was taken into custody in an unlawfully occupied home at 10941 S. Wood St. Moore was found a block away at 10821 S. Wood St.

“I was out front and it was a relief to watch David Farr, aka as Fahim Ali, being taken out in handcuffs,” O’Shea said. “It was a long time coming.”

O’Shea said that throughout the day relatives gathered at the address that Ali had occupied.

“As the day went on the family reunion started,” the alderman said. “All these people started showing up during the day. It was like a party except Fahim was at 26th and California.”

Tenants at the other residences were given 24 hours to vacate the premises. O’Shea said that he drove around the neighborhood Tuesday night and saw moving vans and U-Haul trucks in front of the houses.

“As we speak all the homes are vacant,” O’Shea said.

Ali and Moore both appeared in bond court Wednesday at the George Leighton Criminal Courts Building at 26th and California. Moore was released on a $75,000 I-bond; Fahim was released on a $50,000 I-bond.

“I’m shaking, I’m so angry that a judge based on what’s going on here in our community and based on the track record of these two individuals would issue an I-bond and put on a bracelet,” O’Shea said. “These guys will come right back to this community and pick up their criminal enterprise.”

Authorities said the four men were tied together, but kept their unlawful business dealings separate. The banks that lawfully owned the properties were unable reclaim or sell them because they were occupied by squatters,

Ali has allegedly claimed adverse possession of eight homes in Beverly and Morgan Park:

• 9757 S. Damen Avenue,
• 1635 W. 106th Street,
• 11220 S. Longwood Drive,
• 10329 S. Prospect Avenue,
• 10941 S. Wood Street,
• 11025 S. Esmond Street,
• 10350 S. Union Avenue and
• 1334 N. Waller Avenue.

Moore has claimed adverse possession of five homes which are located at 10821 S. Wood Street, 10929 S. Esmond Street, 9022 S. Indiana Avenue, 9147 S. Greenwood Avenue and 4200 W. Rosemont Avenue. Trimble has claimed adverse possession of one home located at 5501 N. Virginia Ave., according to investigators.

“As the day went on the family reunion started,” the alderman said. “All these people started showing up during the day. It was like a party except Fahim was at 26th and California.”

Ald. Matt O’Shea, 19th Ward, on watching the raid.

The four men are said to have capitalized on mortgage foreclosures in Chicago neighborhoods, in which illegally claimed foreclosed or vacant properties as their own or rented to other tenants. Investigators said that once inside, they changed locks and filed adverse possession documents claiming ownership with the Cook County Recorder of Deeds office.

The year-long investigation was conducted by the Chicago Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Inspector General Office, the Chicago Office of the FBI, the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Cook County Recorder of Deeds Office, and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Financial Crimes Unit.

According to investigators, the four men identify themselves as “Sovereign Moors,” that reject the government and police as having no authority over them. The banks that lawfully owned the properties were unable reclaim or sell them because they were occupied by squatters, investigators said.

Local police tried many times to evict tenants but because the occupants possessed documents and leases that appeared valid, they were unable to oust the purported squatters, authorities said.

Ali and Torrez are both due back in court on July 22.