EVICTION FROM OUR OWN HOME

Fraudulent Eviction From Our Own Home

18 years ago, my husband died after a brief illness and left a life insurance policy for me and my daughters, who were 2 and 3. A man came into our life during this time who said he did charity work, attached himself to our family and convinced me to purchase a condo in his name with the life insurance policy. He said he would handle the business end of the apartment and I would give him money every month for the mortgage, maintenance and taxes and once the mortgage as paid in full, he would sign over the apartment to my name.

It sounds insane but I was traumatized, living in a new neighborhood, and had nobody to help me. He came to the hospital in the middle of the night to counsel us and stayed in touch after. He loaned me the money for my husband's funeral the next day. I was in agony.

He would tell me for many years that I owed him tens of thousands of dollars, never showing me a bill. When I would protest, he would explode and lose his temper, leaving me too fearful to challenge him. He forced me to post date rent checks years in advance and take loans out on his behalf.

I realized a few months ago that the mortgage was paid in full and he was using my money to subsidize his business. He also started letting the rent checks be cashed twice in a month, leaving me broke.

My lawyer for the restraining order said it's going to be hard to prove and he may try and strike a deal, where I don't have to pay about $24,000 in back rent in exchange for being evicted within a month. My husband's soul cries out in pain for what he thought would secure housing for his wife and children.

I'm afraid if I get a real estate lawyer, I could lose, have to pay back rent that I can't afford and then have no money to start over.

Any help to move forward with legal costs would make a difference and be greatly appreciated.