Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
CBS San Francisco
Woman sentenced in Silicon Valley property scam that allowed her to live rent-free
By Carlos Castañeda,
7 hours ago
PIX Now - Morning Edition 7/3/24 10:31
A woman who lived in pricey Silicon Valley properties rent-free for years by repeatedly scamming landlords and refusing to pay rent was sentenced to 28 months in jail, prosecutors said Wednesday.
The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office said 62-year-old Menlo Park resident Rebecca Violette, aka Rebekah Violette, posed as an affluent investor while filling out rental applications, lying about her income and her prior history of evictions.
Violette wrote bad checks to cover the first and last month's rent payments. Once she gained possession of the property she refused to pay rent, forcing landlords to go through a lengthy and expensive process to evict her, the DA's Office said.
Violette used the scam over the past decade on several properties and has been previously prosecuted, convicted and sent to jail because of her actions.
She pleaded to three counts of grand theft, three counts of passing bad checks, and one count of attempted theft, the latter count coming after a prospective landlord Googled her name and learned of her previous scams before turning over the property, according to the DA's office.
"Renters and landlords should all be cautious. Anyone could fall victim to a well-honed scheme," District Attorney Jeff Rosen said in a prepared statement. "We encourage careful background checks before renting to anyone."
On June 26, a judge sentenced Violette to two years and four months in jail. She will serve one year in jail, followed by one year and four months of mandatory supervision.
Get updates delivered to you daily. Free and customizable.
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.
Comments / 0