HOUSTON, Texas —
A couple accused of orchestrating one of the most egregious real estate scams in Harris County history has been ordered to repay $1.2 million after fraudulently selling 40 properties they didn’t own.
Alba and Jarin Martinez are at the center of a scheme involving forged deeds, falsified ownership affidavits, and illegal transfers of property titles in North Houston and New Caney. According to County Attorney Christian Menefee, who brought the civil suit earlier this year, the couple targeted mostly non-English-speaking buyers, offering land far below market value.
The court order, signed in late July by District Judge Christine Weems, not only mandates $1.2 million in restitution but also imposes an additional $1.38 million in civil penalties. The judge also nullified all fraudulent property claims tied to the scam.
Despite the ruling, Menefee noted that it’s still unclear whether the Martinezes have the funds to repay the victims. “We will use every single resource we have to collect it,” he said at a recent press conference.
The Martinezes are not currently represented by a defense attorney, according to court records.
Victims of the scam described devastating financial losses, with some losing tens of thousands of dollars. Menefee shared one case in which a family discovered a stranger living in their grandmother’s house a year after her death, falsely claiming ownership. Nearly half the properties involved were tied to deceased owners, and many victims were legally entitled to inherit them.
“These scams didn’t just take people’s property — they shattered trust, disrupted families, and stole dreams,” Menefee said. “No one in Harris County should have to endure this kind of fraud.”
Real estate agent Tracy Brandon, who worked with one of the victims, said the stolen properties were worth nearly $10 million in total. She helped local artist Mike Scranton reclaim his land after discovering that someone had fraudulently transferred the title. Scranton had owned the vacant lot in Independence Heights for 15 years and was planning to sell it.
Brandon warned that real estate fraud is becoming increasingly common in the region, especially targeting seniors, vacant properties, and buyers with language barriers. “They forge signatures, fake IDs, and file fraudulent deeds,” she said. “Victims are then forced into expensive legal battles just to reclaim their own land.”
New Texas state laws, effective this month, are now in place to help prevent future fraud. These include:
Waived court fees for victims challenging fraudulent deeds
Notification requirements for property owners when documents are filed
Enhanced authority for county clerks to reject suspicious documents
Stricter protections against notary fraud
“These are the toughest protections Texas homeowners have ever had against deed theft,” Brandon said. “And this wouldn’t be possible without people who refused to stay silent.”
