A
Ventura County couple, Albino Manuel Mendoza and Maria Antonia Hernandez, have been charged with real estate crimes including mortgage fraud and money laundering. According to the Ventura County District Attorney's Office, in January 2019, Mendoza allegedly made false statements that led a woman to give up her Oxnard home.

    In July 2021, Mendoza and his wife allegedly obtained a mortgage loan by fraud, using it to buy the victim's home from Mendoza. The couple then laundered the proceeds from the sale to pay for personal expenses. In July 2024, Hernandez sold the same Oxnard home to an unrelated third party without compensating the owner.

    The couple was arrested on August 26 after a Real Estate Fraud Unit investigation. Senior Deputy District Attorney Dominic Kardum is prosecuting the case. Mendoza and Hernandez pleaded not guilty to all charges during their first court appearance on August 27 and are due in court for a bail review hearing on August 29. Both remain in custody with bail set at $100,000.