HOUSTON – At 84 years old, Sam Cormier says he’s spent the last two and a half years fighting to reclaim eight properties he claims were stolen from him — properties he says were fully paid off and valued at over $1.1 million.
It all began in 2022 when Cormier received a shocking notice: He was being asked to pay rent on a property he already owned.
“I said, ‘No, I didn’t sell my property.’ And the woman on the phone said, ‘Well, your properties are now owned by this company’ and I said ‘What!’” Cormier recalled.
A surprise transfer and a $1 million loan
Confused by the rent demand, Cormier contacted the lender listed on the notice. That’s when he says he learned the property had been transferred to a management company—one that shared the last name of his former partner. According to Cormier, a $1 million loan had been taken out against that property and seven others.
2 Helps You: How Greater Houston area homeowners can protect their home from deed theft
“She took the deeds and got a lump sum loan against them, because all the properties were paid off,” said Kevin Williams, a friend of Cormier.
Shortly after, Cormier says all eight properties were auctioned off.
“They liquidated all of my properties and sold it at the auction to three or four different people,” Cormier said.
Forgery, fraud, and a questionable notary
Cormier alleges the new deeds filed were fraudulent — forged without his consent. He believes he was targeted due to his age, saying the woman involved is about 30 years younger and had access to a notary.
“I lost my money, I’m losing my voice, I’m losing my health. It’s really hard. This is traumatic,” he said.
Why property theft can be surprisingly easy
The lead attorney at Vestige Law says it doesn’t take much to file a new deed in Harris County. In fact, it can be as simple as walking into the county office with a document and a notary stamp.
“You pay a small fee — $10 or $20 — and you can record a new deed,” the attorney explained.
Because of this, they stress that regular monitoring is critical.
“The public has access to property records online. Every six months, just check to make sure your property is still in your name,” the attorney advised. “One other thing that I would recommend is drive around your property from time to time. At least once a year or once in six months, go take a drive around the property because there are people who are keeping an eye, there may be squatters or people who see if the property is left vacant, then they can take action."
What’s next?
Houston Police confirm that the case has been fully investigated. Charges are expected to be presented to the District Attorney’s Office as early as tomorrow.
There’s also a pending civil case against the lender who facilitated the disputed loan.
