Tennessee swindlers forged the signatures of unsuspecting homeowners on deeds to transfer the property ownership for a measly $10 in a quit-claim scheme.
Stuart Breakstone and his accomplice, Rebecca Tuttle, allegedly played out their ruse on at least two separate residences in Memphis, Tenn., between 2010 and 2025, property records viewed by The Post show.
The duo is accused of faking signatures of the homeowners, buyers and at least one notary on quit-claim forms to transfer the ownership of the properties for $10, WREG reported, citing the Memphis Police Department.
As for most deed transfers, the initial framework acknowledges the placeholder $10 but will later mention the actual sale price for the property.
“That for and in consideration of ten and no/100 Dollars ($10.00) cash in hand paid, and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt of all of which is hereby acknowledged, said party of the first part has bargained and sold does hereby bargain, sell, convey and confirm unto said party of the second part, following described real estate, situated and being in the County of Shelby, State of Tennessee, to wit,” one deed read.
In the case of the stolen homes, Breakstone and Tuttle kept the small payment price in the transfer documents “signed” by the homeowner.
“I, or we, hearby swear or affirm that to the best of affiant’s knowledge, information, and belief, the actual consideration for this transfer is $10,” the fabricated agreement read.
Most deed transfers use $10 as the placeholder for the nominal consideration to fulfill legal requirements while proper negotiations of the property are held.
The homes impacted in the elaborate scheme are located on the 1600 block of Ivy Road in East Memphis and the 800 block of Baltic Street in the Highland Heights neighborhood, approximately seven and a half miles apart.
Breakstone flipped the house again after he successfully got the documents accepted by city officials.
He allegedly sold the Ivy Road home for $82,000 — more than half the price of the home’s value of $157,000, the outlet reported.
The sleazy scheme was only discovered after a homeowner reported to police that she was no longer listed on her house’s property listing.
Stuart Breakstone allegedly used a stolen driver’s license and a Social Security card to set up a bank account where he would deposit the money made off the sale of the property.
Breakstone was arrested and booked into Shelby County Jail on April 16.
He was charged with theft of property greater than $250,000, forgery, identity theft, and unlawfully drawing a property transfer document without an interest in the property.
He is being held on a $110,250 and is scheduled to appear in court on April 21, according to jail records viewed by The Post.
Tuttle has not yet been arrested.
Breakstone is listed on several warranty deeds as a grantor transferring ownership of various properties for $10.
It was unknown if the additional properties were a part of the criminal case against Breakstone
The Post has reached out to the Memphis Police Department.
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