Notary Public charged with alleged prolific house theft scheme

(WPHL) — District Attorney Larry Krasner has announced charges against a Notary Public for what he is calling a “prolific house scheme”.

According to the DA, 68-year-old Gwendolyn Schell is being charged for her role in the scheme that began in 2017.

Schell and her co-conspirators allegedly fraudulently transferred nearly two dozen properties by forging the names of deceased individuals and unwitting living victims on deed transfers.

Schell was arrested and charged with 31 counts following a lengthy investigation that started in January 2018.

• Criminal Conspiracy (F)
• Corrupt Organizations (F1)
• Theft by Unlawful Taking (F3)
• Theft by Deception (F3)
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• Identity Theft (F3)
• Forgery (F3)
• Tampering with Records (M1)
• Securing Execution (M2)

The investigation began in January 2018, when the Philadelphia Office of Inspector General (OIG) received information from the Philadelphia Department of Public Records about anomalies related to numerous house deed documents.

According to the DA, Schell notarized documents claiming the transfers were approved by a deceased owner to another person. Schell would not reveal that the owner was deceased.

Officials say a majority of Schell’s activity had the following characteristics:

• A backdated execution date to a time when the decedent or grantee was still alive;
• Forged signatures of deceased grantors;
• The utilization of a fraudulent notarial stamp indicating that Schell witnessed the decedent/grantee sign the document;
• A falsified price consideration of the property in order to bypass proper, fair market taxation.

Schell store from the following properties:

• 100 block of West Abbottsford Road
• 2700 block of North 19th Street
• 2100 block of West Clearfield Street
• Two houses on the 4800 block of Ogden Street
• The 10 block of North 50th Street
• 2100 block of Bellevue Street
• 2800 block of North 27th Street
• 2900 block of North Ringgold Street
• 2100 block of West Indiana Avenue
• 1200 block of West Cambria Street
• 2400 block of North Bouviere Street
• 2600 block of North 17th Street
• 5500 block of North Fairhill Street
• 1800 block of North 23rd Street
• 3000 block of North 24th Street
• 1500 block of West Firth Street
• 1300 block of East Lycoming Street
• 600 block of East Stafford Street
• 2900 block of West Susquehanna Avenue
• 1900 block of West Hilton Street

“Our office remains committed to holding accountable anyone involved in the persistent problem of house theft and deed fraud,” said District Attorney Krasner.

” These charges should send a message to anyone contemplating or actively involved in this type of fraud that you will be caught and appropriately prosecuted for this pernicious and outrageous activity.”

“A notary public is someone whose very job is to act as a gatekeeper to prevent fraud. Instead of doing that, Gwendolyn Schell not only allowed for fraud to occur but also actively engaged in and arranged for the theft of multiple properties here in our own communities,” said Assistant District Attorney Kimberly Esack, Supervisor of the DAO’s Economic Crimes Division.

“The system of property transfer in Philadelphia cannot survive if we can no longer trust its participants, who are tasked with safeguarding the process. Gwendolyn Schell has broken that trust and will now be held accountable for that failure.”

“The largest single investment many people in our city make is their homes,” said Councilmember Curtis Jones, Jr. (District 4).

“Unfortunately, unscrupulous individuals are preying upon that dream. I’m glad that the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, the Philadelphia Police Department, the Office of the Inspector General, the Department of Records, and other partners are taking this issue very seriously. These bad actors cannot rob our families’ legacies.”

Members of the public can call the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office House Deed Fraud hotline to report house deed theft at 215-686-9902.