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$1.8M Grand Theft, ID Theft alleged. Suspects include Elek Andrade, and John Wesley Martynec
Suspect Elek Andrade
Suspect John Wesley Martynec
By Brian Hews
Two Norwalk real estate agents have been arrested on 102-felony counts of grand theft and criminal fraud on Thursday afternoon.
John Wesley Martynec, 38, of Long Beach, is a licensed real estate broker. Elek Andrade, 27, of Downey, is a licensed real estate salesperson. In a case investigated by the Commercial Crimes Bureau of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Law enforcement officials, including the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office charged Martynec and Andrade with102 felony counts of Grand Theft and Identity Theft each, in connection with a complex and sophisticated fraud scheme resulting in the theft of nearly $1.8 million from their employer.
According to a press statement, JTR Real Estate in Norwalk was in the business of purchasing residential real estate properties, fixing them up, and reselling them for profit.
“This is a practice commonly known as flipping,” officials said in the press statement.
Results Mortgage, also located in Norwalk, was formed to provide financing for the properties owned by JTR Real Estate.
It is alleged that between November, 2003, and July, 2008, Martynec and Andrade were employed by JTR Real Estate and Results Mortgage. While employed there, it is alleged that Martynec and Andrade committed theft in the following ways:
JTR Real Estate purchased residential properties which were often occupied by renters. In order to avoid a lengthy eviction process, the company would offer cash pay outs to renters as incentive to move out voluntarily. It is alleged that Martynec and Andrade submitted false “move out” invoices to the company, claiming that cash pay outs were offered to renters, when in fact they were not. The identities of actual persons were stolen and placed on the fraudulent “move out” invoices. The suspects then diverted the money to themselves.
It is alleged that Martynec and Andrade submitted false invoices to their employer for contractor costs associated with the rehabilitation of properties, when in fact the work was never done, and then diverted the funds to themselves.
It is alleged that Martynec embezzled funds by creating false entries in financial ledgers and diverting funds to a company he controlled named JWM Enterprises.
On June 27, 2012, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested Martynec at his home in Long Beach, and arrested Andrade at his home in Downey. Both are being held on $1,789,949 bail.
The investigation was conducted by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Commercial Crimes Bureau.
If you have any information about this incident, please contact Detective Rodney Barton at Commercial Crimes Bureau, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at (562)619-6351. Or, if you wish to remain anonymous, call “Crime Stoppers” by dialing 800-222-TIPS (8477), texting the letters TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or using the websitehttp://lacrimestoppers.org
