Texas resident Mayela Saby Cantu has been sentenced to 24 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release for coordinating a scheme that involved falsified lien payoff statements, fraudulent warranty deeds and deceptive emails to mislead lenders, title companies and property buyers.
According to the charges brought against her, Cantu defrauded buyers and lenders in multiple property transactions while working at Sierra Title in McAllen, Texas, from November 2020 until the time of her arrest. Cantu was accused of facilitating closings backed by falsified documents – most notably in a case where she directed others to create a fraudulent email address resembling that of a legitimate lienholder. Cantu then used the fake account to send false payoff amounts via interstate wires, leading a title company to improperly disburse more than $350,000.
Cantu facilitated additional fraudulent property transactions, including arranging closing on properties that had already been sold and accepting undisclosed cash payments.
Cantu pleaded guilty Dec. 20, 2024. In addition to her prison term, she was also ordered to pay $350,000 in restitution. She was permitted to remain on bond pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
