Kathy McKay was finally able to sell her home this month after fighting for more than four years.
McKay, whose story first appeared on FOX4 Problem Solvers in November, described the situation as “a nightmare, just a horrible nightmare.”
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“I had to hire a new attorney, and we had to go back to court,” said McKay, who has spent more than $12,000 in attorney costs defending two fraudulent liens filed against her property by a former neighbor, Gary Michael Peloza, who claimed to be the rightful owner.
McKay won easily in her second court appearance. Peloza never bothered to show up.
“If he had shown up, he would have gone straight to jail with that warrant that’s out there,” McKay stated.
She’s referring to the felony warrant for Peloza, issued last year for his failure to appear in court on criminal charges related to the bogus liens.
Fake deeds and liens are one of the fastest-rising white-collar crimes in the United States, with major issues in both Kansas and Missouri.
“I can say that we have a broken system because someone can come in with no proof and file a lien that has no standing or bearing on an honest, hardworking woman,” said Platte County Recorder Christopher Wright.
Wright claimed that fraudsters are abusing county recorder offices across the country, with many claiming to be sovereign citizens who feel they are not bound by federal, state, or municipal law.
Wright stated that he has attempted to crack down on the bogus files.
“If it doesn’t meet statutory requirements, I won’t record it,” he stated. “If they don’t have their ID, I won’t record it.”
He noted that simply asking for a driver’s license from a sovereign citizen is often enough to deter them.
However, Wright asserted the need for further action. This year, he collaborated with Platte County State Rep. Ashley Aune (D) on legislation to strengthen public safety measures. The law would make it easier for homeowners and property owners to fight fraudulent filings.
Unfortunately, the bill did not even make it to committee. Rep. Aune said she’ll try again next year and ask members of the Republican Party, which has a super majority, to carry the bill.
“This is one of those pieces of legislation that is super bipartisan, and it’s just about good government,” Aune stated.
