Authorities are on the lookout for a man named David Lange, 51, who is accused of committing a serious fraud involving the sale of property he did not legally own. Lange, who has an address listed in Blaine, Minnesota, is facing a felony theft charge for reportedly deceiving a couple into buying land in Fulton County. The case has now escalated, with an arrest warrant issued, but there’s more to the story than just a simple misunderstanding. The couple believed they were purchasing property and planning a future home, but what they didn’t know was that the deal was too good to be true.
How the Fraud Began
The incident came to light when a couple reached out to the Cherokee Village Police Department last Wednesday, reporting a suspicious transaction. They told the police that they had purchased a plot of land to build a home, and everything initially seemed legitimate. According to the probable cause affidavit, the male in the couple had been in communication with a man who identified himself as David Joas. This man later revealed to be David Lange, claimed he had access to several pieces of property available for sale.
Lange reportedly showed the couple multiple properties, including a specific site located in the Omaha Center addition of Fulton County. During their interactions, Lange gave them the impression that he was in the process of purchasing the entire property from the city, which would allow him to sell individual lots to buyers like them. This fraud claim made the couple interested, and Lange didn’t stop there—he even went as far as to tell them that he was working with a construction company that could build a home on the lot. This added level of detail made the fraud offer seem more appealing and realistic.
The Down Payment Trap
To move forward with the deal, Lange requested a significant down payment of $58,000, which the couple wired to an account titled Fonce Chevalier Holdings, LLC. This is where things started to look promising for the victims, as Lange kept them updated on the supposed progress of the construction project. He informed them that workers had cleared the lot, laid the foundation, and would begin framing the house soon.
The couple, believing their future home was becoming a reality, had no reason to suspect that something was wrong. They trusted Lange and assumed everything was proceeding as planned. It seemed like a dream come true—the purchase of a building site and the construction of a new home, all arranged by someone who appeared to be knowledgeable and connected in the real estate industry. Unfortunately, this dream was part of an elaborate fraud, as Lange had no legal ownership of the property he was selling.
Discovery of the Fraud
Unfortunately, this dream turned into a nightmare. When the couple contacted the vto check on the progress of their permits and paperwork, they were in for a shock. The department revealed that the city did not own the lot Lange sold to the couple. The land, spanning nearly 11 acres, remained unsubdivided and unapproved for individual sale. Additionally, no one had requested or issued any building permits for construction on that property. This revelation raised serious concerns, prompting the couple to dig deeper into the legitimacy of their purchase.
To confirm their suspicions, the couple reached out to the Fulton County Assessor’s Office to obtain a copy of the deed for the land they thought they had bought. What they found was alarming—the property was owned by a couple currently living in Florida. This couple had not made any attempt to divide the land or sell individual lots, contrary to what Lange had told the victims. Although the Florida couple was in the process of selling the entire 11-acre lot, they were doing so through a realtor, not through any private arrangements with Lange.
Realtor Uncovers More Lies
The realtor representing the Florida couple provided additional crucial evidence in the fraud case. She provided a copy of the real estate contract for the sale of the entire property, signed on January 5. The contract identified David Lange as the buyer, acting on behalf of Fonce Chevalier Holdings, LLC—the same entity that received the couple’s $58,000 down payment. However, the realtor made it clear that Lange had never submitted any security deposit or escrow funds, which are standard requirements in legitimate real estate transactions, further confirming the fraud nature of the deal.
The Cherokee Village Planning and Zoning Department further explained that even if Lange had completed the purchase of the land, he could not sell individual lots because the property did not meet the legal requirements for subdivision. Subdividing land requires legal approval and specific permits, and no one had requested those permits for this property.
David Lange’s Criminal History
As investigators delved deeper into David Lange’s background, they uncovered a troubling pattern. A search of court records in Minnesota revealed that Lange had been convicted multiple times of similar crimes, specifically theft by swindle. He had been using the same tactics to deceive people into thinking they were buying property, only to leave them empty-handed. His previous convictions followed a familiar pattern—promising something that didn’t exist or that he didn’t own, collecting payments, and then disappearing once the money was in his hands.
This time, Lange’s fraud actions have caught up to him again. With a felony charge of theft hanging over him and an arrest warrant issued, authorities are hoping to bring him into custody soon. If arrested, Lange’s bond will be set at $58,000, the same amount he tricked the couple into paying him.
Conclusion: A Cautionary Tale
This case serves as a stark reminder to always verify the legitimacy of property sales and real estate deals before making any financial commitments. Scammers like David Lange can appear professional and convincing, but a few simple checks—such as verifying property ownership with local authorities and ensuring that all legal requirements are met—can help prevent falling victim to fraud. For this couple, the experience was a costly lesson, but it highlights the importance of thorough research and due diligence when making significant purchases like real estate.
