Riverside Teen Accused of Fraudulent Home Sale

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A 19-year-old Riverside, Illinois resident has been accused of fraudulently selling a home in Burbank that he did not own. Police say the teen forged a deed to the property, which was still owned by the previous owner who had died in 2019, and then sold the home online through a realty firm he had registered in his own name.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing problem of real estate fraud, where criminals exploit vulnerabilities in property ownership records to illegally profit from the sale of homes they do not rightfully own. It also raises concerns about the ease with which someone can set up a fake realty business to facilitate such schemes.

The details

According to police, the teen forged the deed to the Burbank property in April 2025, transferring ownership from the deceased previous owner to a realty firm called Gold Coast Realty LLC that he had registered. He then sold the home online, and the title company transferred around $72,000 to bank accounts in the teen's name before realizing the deed was fraudulent.

• In November 2025, a title company manager reported the incident to Palos Heights police after learning the deed may have been forged.
• The teen turned himself in to Palos Heights police on February 5, 2026.
• The Cook County State's Attorney's Office has approved felony charges against the teen for forgery and theft between $10,000 and $100,000.

What’s next

The judge will decide on the teen's bail at a hearing on February 28.