Evil couple 'took over' man's life and tried to sell his house on Zoopla
A scheming couple moved into a vulnerable man's home and attempted to sell it on Zoopla for more than £200,000.
Somaia Bahumaid, 35, and Mahamet Hoxha, 34, "took over the man's life", impersonating him during phone calls and email exchanges with estate agents, a court heard. The duo even coerced the man into signing a will that left the house to them. Bahumaid first encountered the victim, Allan Moulton, in Cardiff in 2020. After a seemingly innocent exchange of phone numbers, she saw an opportunity for exploitation and moved into his Pontprennau home without his consent, claiming one of the bedrooms as her own.
During a sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court yesterday, it was heard how Bahumaid "took over" Mr Moulton's life, intercepting his mail and assuming control of his documentation and utilities. She later brought her boyfriend, Hoxha, into the house.
Mahamet Hoxha, 34, was jailed for five years and four months (Media Wales)Last year, the defendants took their scheme a step further by putting Mr Moulton's house on the market without his knowledge, reports Wales Online. They liaised with Zoopla and met with estate agents, with Hoxha impersonating the victim on the phone and providing his email address as a point of contact. Bahumaid also produced a handwritten note, which she had forced the victim to sign, falsely claiming it gave her rights to the house upon his death.
The judge, Recorder Andrew Hammond, condemned the defendants, stating: "This was clearly a dishonest scheme to sell the victim's house from under him in which you were full and willing participants.... So prepared you were to sell a vulnerable man's home from under him, leading him to obvious and serious emotional harm that would follow. Whether there was a realistic prospect of your efforts to sell the house succeeding, you were both prepared to let this happen."
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The house, valued at £220,000, fortunately received no offers. The plot was foiled when a neighbour spotted a 'For Sale' sign outside the property and contacted the police. The accused, Bahumaid of Pentwyn, and Hoxha of Leeds, were arrested soon afterwards. Initially, they denied a count of fraud by false representation, but as the trial progressed, they changed their plea to guilty. The court was informed of Bahumaid's 16 previous convictions, including offences of dishonesty, theft and fraud, while Hoxha had 20 previous convictions, primarily for theft.
The victim, Mr Moulton, was described as particularly vulnerable due to his physical, mental and learning difficulties, coupled with communication struggles. As events unfolded, he was left feeling "helpless, confused and worried". Recorder Hammond commended Mr Moulton for his patience in giving evidence at the trial.
Bahumaid wept over video-link from HMP Eastwood Parkas she was jailed for five years. Hoxha was handed a slightly steeper sentence of five years and four months. Recorder Hammond reduced the sentence by 3%, acknowledging the defendants' late guilty plea.
* This article was crafted with the help of an AI tool, which speeds up The Mirror's editorial research. An editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to [email protected]
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