Woman Reveals How Property Was Stolen in Identity Theft Real Estate Scam with Ties to International Crime Ring

Century‑Old Family Property Stolen Through Fraud

A Louisiana woman is fighting to reclaim the title to land that has been in her family for centuries.

The victim, DaNita Batiste, is working to restore clear ownership of the property after fraudsters impersonated her using fake identification. The criminals sold the land for cash to unsuspecting investors. Experts say this type of identity theft real estate scam is becoming more common across the country. Investigators believe this Louisiana case may have ties to an international crime ring.

How the Identity Theft Real Estate Scam Happened

Batiste, a health care administrator in her 50s who lives in Texas, inherited the residential lot in Lake Charles, Louisiana, from her mother in 2020. Her mother passed away shortly after transferring ownership.

“That land’s been in our family for generation after generation, 200 years and maybe further back,” Batiste, who is of French Creole descent, told Realtor.com.

Hurricane Laura destroyed the home that once stood on the property. Batiste planned to rebuild and rent it out as a second source of income.

Until then, she had little involvement with the property. She hired someone to cut the grass twice a month and paid the property taxes every year. Despite receiving purchase offers, she refused to sell. She viewed the land as a legacy she wanted to pass on to her children.

That changed in December, when she went online to pay the taxes. She then discovered that someone had sold the property the month before for $45,000 cash. The deed listed a new corporate owner: Live Oak Insurance Co., based in Louisiana.

“I’m the Real Owner”

Shocked by the discovery, Batiste contacted Live Oak CEO Andrew David Hankins, who had signed the deed. During the call, Hankins realized he had unknowingly purchased the land from an imposter.

“I’m the real DaNita Batiste,” she recalled telling him. “He said, ‘What?’ I told him, ‘I own that property. I did not sell it to you.’”

Batiste and Hankins both reported the incident to police. The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office confirmed an active investigation but declined further comment.

Because Batiste flagged the fraud quickly, officials froze the $45,000 payment and reversed the charges, according to a person familiar with the case.

Title Still Not Restored Months Later

Despite stopping the payout, the property title has not yet returned to Batiste’s name. She has repeatedly contacted the Lake Charles law firm that recorded the fraudulent deed. The firm, Stutes & Lavergne, did not respond to requests for comment from Realtor.com.

Hankins also did not respond to interview requests left at the Lake Charles funeral home where he serves as a funeral director and CEO.

Authorities have not alleged wrongdoing by anyone involved in the transaction, except for the unidentified criminals who impersonated Batiste.

Still, the situation deeply frustrates her. The forged deed passed the review process even though it contained clear errors.

Fake Name and Forged Signatures Raised Red Flags

The fraudsters did not even use Batiste’s correct name on the deed. They signed it as “Danita Leday,” a maiden name she has not used for decades.

The deed also included a stolen Texas notary stamp and two fake witness signatures. Despite these issues, officials accepted and recorded the document.

Batiste now shares her story to raise awareness about identity theft real estate scams. She hopes property owners and industry professionals will pay closer attention.

“What if I had already started building a house on that land?” she said. “Everything would have stopped, because I wouldn’t appear to own it anymore.”

Investigators Suspect Ties to an International Crime Ring

Investigators believe the fraudulent sale fits a nationwide pattern and may connect to an international scam network.

A person familiar with the case told Realtor.com that the sale proceeds traced back to a bank account in the Bronx, New York. Someone opened the account using a passport from Sierra Leone. Investigators believe the passport was fake and tied to a false identity.

Authorities have frozen the account and are reviewing whether it connects to other real estate scams across the United States.

“It’s going nationwide,” the source said. “They look for people who own property but don’t live there or who live in a different city.”

As an out‑of‑state owner of a vacant property with no mortgage, Batiste matched the profile that scammers often target.

How Homeowners Can Protect Against Similar Scams

Marx David Sterbcow, a real estate fraud attorney and managing partner at Sterbcow Law Group in New Orleans, says he has seen a sharp rise in these cases.

“This is an industry‑wide problem,” he said. “Remote closings and digital signatures accelerated it and created serious risks for property owners nationwide.”

Sterbcow says the most important step homeowners can take is to purchase a title insurance policy. This coverage helps pay legal costs if someone challenges ownership.

He also advises higher‑risk property owners—such as elderly individuals and out‑of‑state owners—to consider title lock services. These products alert owners when someone attempts to change ownership records.

Many counties offer free title monitoring as well. Homeowners can sign up for alerts through their local clerk’s office.

Sterbcow warns that absentee owners often miss title fraud for years. That delay makes recovery much harder.

“She’s very fortunate she caught this early,” he said. “I’ve seen people completely devastated by scams like this, including highly sophisticated ones.”