Lawyers And Realtors Teamed in Probate Scam

Families say local realtor, attorney cashing in on estates of their recently passed loved ones

(WXYZ) – When you lose a loved one, often the last thing on your mind is what to do with the home they once lived in.  But several local families say before they could do anything with their relatives’ estates, some realtors and attorneys are swooping in to cash in.

“It’s really shady,” said Kristin Bobier Rekowski.   Rekowski tells the 7 Investigators that her late father would be furious if he knew what had happened with his home.

When Richard Bobier died last year, Kristin says she had been told his Warren house was worth far less than what he owed on it.

“I was just working on getting his belongings out of the house and just trying to salvage what could be salvaged,” said Rekowski.

After the foreclosure process started, Rekowski and her siblings talked about trying to redeem the house and put it up for sale.  But before they could do that, somebody else stepped in.

“We were summoned to the court.  Someone opened a probate case in his name,” said Rekowski.

2:58 PM, Nov 18, 2016
5:53 PM, Nov 22, 2016