Dekalb Woman Susan Weidman indicted for taking, renting foreclosed homes

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A DeKalb County grand jury indicted a woman on racketeering charges for allegedly stealing foreclosed homes in three counties.

Susan Weidman has been indicted after police investigations in Decatur, Sandy Springs and Cumming.  The grand jury also indicted two of her renters on racketeering charges. The indictments come after a year-long Channel 2 GA Daily News investigation.

Officers raided one of those homes on Champlain Street in Decatur on Tuesday, minutes after the indictments were handed up.

”I haven’t hurt anybody and I’ve taken no money under false pretenses, Weidman told Channel 2 investigative reporter Jodie Fleischer, as police led her away in handcuffs.

Prosecutors said Weidman filed phony documents stating she owned the homes because they were abandoned but they were actually foreclosed properties owned by banks. Investigators say Weidman then bogus leases with tenants who moved into the homes.

"I've asked the bank repeatedly to show that they have clear title of the property and they never have," said Weidman outside the home in September. Fleischer asked, "But how does it, being in legal limbo, make it yours? Weidman replied, ”Then how does it make it theirs?"

Her two renters, Ian Greye and Matthew Lowery, said they were innocent despite racketeering charges lodged against them by the grand jury as well.

Neighbors told Fleischer they were relieved to have the home back in the bank's possession.

""I'm so glad. It's terrifying to live two doors up from people who've just taken over a beautiful home in the neighborhood," said Kay Penter.

The racketeering case includes accusations of burglary, theft by taking and mail fraud.

Weidman was indicted by a Cobb County grand jury in June for allegedly cancelling her own mortgage with her bank. Investigators say she signed her own name to documents posing as a bank official.