A Realtor In BC Forged Her Mom’s Dead Boyfriend's Signature So They Could Get His Condo
The proerty is still in her mothers name.
A real estate agent in B.C. was fined for forging her mom's dead boyfriend's signature on a document transferring ownership of his condo.
According to a consent order that was released by the B.C. Financial Services Authority, the realtor is named Renee Genieve Doe Wei Lam but is referred to as Genie Lam.
The order refers to Lam's mother as "CL," and the deceased boyfriend as "HL."
Lam met HL in 2009, and got close enough with him to start to call him "uncle," the order said. In 2016, Lam falsified the signature of HL, as assignor, on an assignment agreement.
This agreement was concerning a unit in a building in Richmond, B.C., and it transferred the property to CL. The property was bought by HL earlier that year.
Although Lam signed the agreement with HL's name in September 2016, HL had actually died in August of 2016.
"Ms. Lam says he was at CL’s residence and was feeling sick. He refused to go to the hospital because he worried his family would discover the relationship with CL. He laid down for a nap and did not wake up," the order explained.
The order did not specify why their relationship was a secret.
Lam was "emotionally distraught" at the time due to the circumstances of her arriving at CL’s property and her close relationship with HL, the order added.
Before his death, Lam said that HL had asked her to transfer to the property in April 2016. Lam said that she had lost this assignment agreement though.
"Ms. Lam says she was distraught and concerned with protecting both HL and CL’s desire to keep their relationship secret, and HL’s desire that CL own the Property, and therefore Ms. Lam emailed the Developer to obtain a new assignment agreement which she completed," the order said.
On this new assignment agreement, Lam forged the signature of HL, despite the fact that he was dead. She also falsely said that she was the dual agent for both parties.
While completing this, she acted like HL was "out of town, implying that he was not deceased," the order said.
In October 2016, because of the September Assignment, the Property was transferred into the name of CL. The property is still in CL's name now.
In 2018, the son of HL filed a complaint against Lam, which resulted in this investigation.
Lam cooperated in the investigation, and she didn't get any commission from the assignment agreement on which she forged the signature. These reasons played a role in the consequences she received.
Her real estate licence, as well as her firm's license, were suspended for a three-month period. Together they also were ordered to pay a $7,500 disciplinary penalty to the BCFSA and enforcement expenses of $1,500.