FBI: Murrieta Family Unknowingly Buys Stolen Home

A Murrieta family who bought a home more than a year ago is being told the home was stolen and sold to them illegally, ABC7 reported Tuesday.

"We actually got a call from the FBI who said we just wanted to inform you that your house has been part of a deed fraud scheme," Charlie Zahari told the news station.

The Zahari family is a young couple with children. Their address is listed in the Murrieta Oaks neighborhood, off of Clinton Keith Road and west of Interstate 215.

Karen Tappert, the person charged with selling the home illegally to the Zahari family, is currently being tried in federal court in Nevada.

According to Tappert's indictment, found online and filed June 16, 2010, in the United States District Court in Nevada, she was charged with wire fraud and mail fraud for five addresses: one in Corona; two in Las Vegas; one in Henderson, Nev.; and one in Farmington, NM.

The indictment accuses Tappert of running a word-of-mouth "mortgage rescue" between 2007 and 2009 and describes her combined involvement in "squatter schemes."

She is charged with recording fraudulent deeds that conveyed the properties from the true title holder to one that she controlled. At times, she also allegedly charged rent on some of the fraudulently obtained properties.

The Zahari residence in Murrieta does not appear on the original indictment and it is not clear how many additional affected properties officials have uncovered.

The couple told ABC7 they are afraid to stop making their mortgage payments because it would affect their credit, yet they can't move out. They also fear being evicted by law enforcement.

They said they've reached out to First American Title Insurance and Bank of America, the bank and title company who processed the mortgage.

First American wouldn't go into specifics with ABC7 about the Zahari's predicament, except to say the process can be "time consuming and complicated."

Bank of America stated they are a victim, as well, and are working to resolve the matter with the title company.