2 people charged after allegedly defrauding Volant man out of home

Taylor Spirito
·2 min read
1

A man is facing charges after police say he was hired to help a client out of foreclosure but then took over the deed to his house.

According to Pennsylvania state police, the victim, a 61-year-old man, suffered financial hardships and sought out the legal services of attorney Dustin Cole to help him get out of foreclosure.

The victim told police that Cole didn’t give him any legal assistance or guidance but instead offered to pay off his remaining mortgage balance.

The $259,000 home had $19,000 left on the mortgage, state police said.

The victim said he was then coerced into taking out a loan with a 100% interest rate. Cole provided no other viable option in the matter the day before the house was put up in the sheriff’s sale.

The investigation showed that Cole got the money from the loan and conspired with Jenny Laslow, who owned and operated a title settlement company in Hermitage.

Cole convinced the victim to sign the deed transfer to his house into his name and said he wouldn’t file the transfer but hold it as collateral for the loan.

The victim was unable to pay the alone amount back to Cole, so Cole filed the deed transfer with the Mercer County Recorder’s Office without the homeowner’s knowledge.

State police said Cole filed ejectment orders to have the victim removed from the house.

The investigation also showed that Laslow notarized the documents and forms well after they were signed and without the victim being present.

Cole is facing multiple counts of theft by deception and usury. Laslow is facing one count of conspiracy to commit theft by deception. Both are awaiting preliminary hearings.

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