Mother, Son Charged in Real Estate Fraud Throughout South Jersey, Including Collingswood

A mother and son have been charged with fraudulently leasing or selling properties in foreclosure throughout South Jersey they had no legal right to rent, sell or even enter, the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office said Thursday morning.

Lisa Smith, 51, of Philadelphia, and Kristian “Frank” Edmonds, 28, whose last known address was in Sicklerville, allegedly perpetrated this scam against 20 customers in Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties. Charges are pending further investigation in many of these cases.

Smith is currently charged with three counts of third-degree theft by deception.

In two of the cases, she allegedly posed as a real estate agent and created a fictitious real estate purchase agreement for two properties in foreclosure.

In one case, the victim reportedly provided a check for $27,500 to purchase a property in Sicklerville.

In the other case, the victim reportedly provided a check for $18,000 to purchase a property in Camden.

Both transactions occurred in Collingswood in April of 2015.

Neither victim obtained the property they were attempting to purchase, and they allegedly never got their money back.

In the third case, Smith allegedly took $3,000 from a victim in September of 2015 for a rental property in the Avandle West Development of Sicklerville when she did not have authorization to lease the foreclosed property.

Smith is also charged with one count of third-degree burglary for allegedly entering a foreclosed home in Woodlynne while knowing that she was not licensed or privileged to do so.

Edmonds is charged with one count of third-degree burglary for allegedly entering a foreclosed home in Winslow without permission and posing as a Realtor.

They allegedly carried out this fraud under the business names of Sterling Realty Investments and REQ (Real Estate Queens) Realtors, which are located at 128 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia and 571 Black Horse Pike in Turnersville, respectively.

Two additional business, Angel Home Savers, LLC and Breeze Capital Consulting Group, LLC, affiliated with the defendants are listed at 614 West Collings Avenue in Collingswood, where two of the fraudulent transactions took place in April of 2015.

According to state records, Smith’s real estate license as well as her eligibility for a broker’s license were revoked for life in March 2010. Sterling Realty Investments had its business license revoked by the state for not filing reports in 2009. REQ Realtors has no business filings with the state.

Smith and Edmonds allegedly entered the properties by unlawfully using keys from real estate lockboxes or having the properties re-keyed.

In some instances, they allegedly illegally turned the utilities back on and scraped off winterization stickers. Some victims allege they learned the plumbing had been removed only after moving in.

Anyone who believes they are a victim of these companies or suspects is urged to contact Camden County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Grace Clodfelter at 856-225-8479. Information may also be emailed toccpotips@ccprosecutor.org.

The attached images of Lisa Smith and Kristian Edmonds were provided by the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office