Social media is fueled, can be associated with organized crimes, warn civil servants

Baltimore (WBFF) – A social media network that publicly promotes non -occupied properties as real estate options for home -occupied people could be a form of organized crime according to officials and an owner.

Chad Shugarman, a Renovator and real estate investor from Baltimore, said that he had exposed dangerous interactions with online stools and house occupiers that currently occupy several properties.

“There are professional observers who watch people renovate houses,” said Shugarman. “When the house is almost finished, let the next person know, and this person will break in, change the locks, advertise the placement and then you have people in your house.”

It could happen in 24 hours, “added Shugarman.

Spotlight on Maryland asked Shari Green, head of the State Department of the State's Economic Crime in Baltimore City, on Wednesday, whether online posts that promote Squatter houses and other fraud networks for social media and could be associated with organized criminal activities.

“I don't know. It could be,” said Greene. “It would be a different form of money laundering. Historically, it draws the opportunity to wash money through criminal activities, to legitimate activities, usually the activities of the criminal company.”

The city's public prosecutor said that the concept was ancient even though they might have developed into digital forms.

Related | Social media squatter network? Baltimore Property Manager and occupants come to face face

Maryland's legislators say that the practice of confiscating empty property to change the locks and to rent them for rent on social media website, including Instagram. Del. Ryan Nawrocki, R-Baltimore County, said his office received complaints.

They have circumstances under which they have increased gang activity in characteristics, increased annoyance problems such as rats, “said Nawrocki.” You can have fire risks. All possible really bad things can come into a community with such properties. “

The legislator claims that he has also found online displays by alleged fraudsters, which are calculated between 1,500 and 5,000 US dollars in order to direct home -occupiers without a lawful connection to real estate.

Greene told Spotlight in Maryland that, although crouching in the state is currently civilian matter, aspects of the online industry could achieve a criminal level.

“It is the same philosophy to create a theft scheme, theft through deception,” said Green. “If you can use social media to identify people who are more open to what you are taking, you only have a larger audience. It only expands your audience and offers you more options.”

Although your office has not received many criminal complaints from citizens or law enforcement agencies in relation to online -squatter networks of online media, she said that her team remains vigilant.

“If a crime is clearly referred to and criminal measures are necessary, we have no problem calling for a person to be accountable,” said Green.

Prosecutor [Ivan Bates] Has made it very clear that he is hard in crimes, he believes in accountability, “said Greene.” This applies to fraudsters. Just because there is no blood does not mean that there is no pain and no loss and no trauma. “

“Sacrifice of fraud and deception suffer from trauma. Often they … saved for a lifetime, and now they have suffered a deep and great loss,” added Green.

Related | Maryland Lawmaker Slams State Assembly for gaps that have subjected Squatter placement

Officials suspect that a fire that destroyed the 2200 block of the Fulton Avenue in Baltimore in March in a hermit is illegally occupied by households. The city is still actively clearing the rubble from the four-alarm fire, which has sold the residents and a long-standing business.

Del. In April 2024, Nawrocki also referred to a federal attack in a Bronxhaus that had taken over the house. The New York police authority reported at the time when they arrested seven people within the property, including two Venezuelan migrants, for various charges for weapons and drug trafficking.

The raid house occupier occurred to a Bronx school on the other side of the street.

After an increase in croons in the state last year, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed a lawsuit as part of the 2024 state budget, which redefined the legal definition of home occupiers. These efforts aimed at conveying a blow to the online networks that benefited from the placement of the house -occupiers.

“As part of the historical action to treat the real estate crisis in the [fiscal year] 2025 Budget, Governor Hochul, achieved an agreement on the reinforcement of the existing law to clarify that house occupiers are not tenants and that the owners in the state support the owners, ”said Governor Hochul's office in a press release.

The New York amendment modified the state law to clarify that a “tenant should not include a home -occupier” in order to eliminate obstacles to the participation of law enforcement instead of civil disputes.

Spotlight on Maryland asked Greene whether it is a widespread illegal industry in Baltimore if it is an illegal sale or a rental of another person through fraud or deception.

“Well, in the whole of our nation it was an enormous problem. Consumer agencies that are trying to work for consumer rights report so many reports that people who lose hundreds of thousands of dollars report so many reports,” said Green.

“Our city is no different,” added Greene.

Follow Gary Collins with Spotlight on Maryland on X. Do you have news tips on this or other story? Send news tips to gmcollins@sbgtv.com.

Spotlight on Maryland is a collaboration between Fox45 News, WJLA in Washington, DC and the Baltimore Sun.