Two Mexican nationals indicted in real estate fraud and money laundering scheme

Date: Dec. 8, 2025

Contact: newsroom@ci.irs.gov

SAN DIEGO — A federal grand jury has returned a 15-count indictment against Victor Hugo Villalobos Almazan and Nayeli Noemi Montoya Rodriguez, accusing them of orchestrating a complex real estate fraud and money laundering scheme that defrauded victims of more than $930,000 by knowingly selling properties they did not own or have the right to sell.

Villalobos Almazan and Montoya Rodriguez, both Mexican nationals, were taken into custody Nov. 25, 2025, following a criminal complaint upon their arrival from Mexico to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.

According to the indictment, beginning on an unknown date through April 2023, the defendants allegedly impersonated legitimate property owners, forged documents — including notary signatures — and sold vacant lots in Southern California to unsuspecting buyers. The proceeds were then allegedly funneled through U.S. bank accounts and laundered via international wire transfers.

Charges include wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, conspiracy to launder money, and money laundering.

“Villalobos and Montoya’s scheme demonstrates the sophisticated lengths to which fraudsters will go to exploit our real estate markets and financial systems,” said Tyler Hatcher, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Los Angeles Field Office. “By impersonating legitimate property owners and laundering nearly a million dollars through international channels, these defendants not only violated the law, but they also violated the trust of innocent buyers. IRS-CI remains committed to aggressively pursuing those who engage in identity theft and financial fraud, no matter where they operate.”

The indictment also seeks forfeiture of more than $87,000 seized from a US bank account and other assets traceable to the alleged fraud and laundering activities.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Beeler and David Kete. The case is being investigated by IRS-CI and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) is the law enforcement arm of the IRS, responsible for conducting financial crime investigations, including tax fraud, narcotics trafficking, money laundering, public corruption, healthcare fraud, identity theft and more. IRS-CI special agents are the only federal law enforcement agents with investigative jurisdiction over violations of the Internal Revenue Code, obtaining a 90% federal conviction rate. The agency has 19 field offices located across the U.S. and 14 attaché posts abroad.