A Malibu real estate agent warns of an increase in serial squatting cases after a woman allegedly swindled dozens of homeowners over the last decade. California's tenant laws, which are known to be very favorable to tenants, make it difficult for homeowners to evict squatters.
A Malibu real estate agent warned California homeowners about the need to protect themselves after a serial squatter reportedly targeted the beachfront community for years, a problem she said could become worse after the Los Angeles wildfires. Liz Benichou, a Malibu real estate agent and lifelong resident of the area, explained to Fox News Digital about the accusations against Ellie Mae McNulty.
\'I don't know how she got away with it for so long in Malibu with the amount of people that she did,' she said. 'It's a very small, tight-knit community. You see the same people. You get this familiarity. You think that everyone's like you because we're all doing the same thing, so you kind of gain that trust. You live in this bubble in Malibu.' \McNulty, an actor and screenwriter, according to her biography, allegedly swindled dozens of Malibu homeowners over the last decade, charming her way into their lives before becoming a nightmare roommate, Vanity Fair first reported. 'First of all, how she's been able to do this for so many years without getting caught, I think that just has to do with her overall charm,' Benichou said. 'I think she's a predator, and she finds people that are weak that she can prey on,' she added. According to Vanity Fair, McNulty met 65-year-old Alden Marin in 2021 at a beach at Point Dume, where the two shared a pleasant exchange, before Marin opened his home to her, as she claimed she was 'waiting for her new place to get ready.' But days quickly turned to weeks, then a month, then two, and Marin's sister reported a change in McNulty's demeanor, and she continued to make excuses about why she could not provide rent. \'People really feel as though it's a very tight-knit, secure community. Why would anyone want to take advantage of that? But again, people do. And it's almost easy to get away with if you're consistently showing your face, like this predator seemed to do,' Benichou said. 'People in L.A. want to see people who seem special. And she portrayed that special thing. She's like, 'OK, I'm an actor. I know these people. I have these connections.' So you kind of get blinded by that. And this is coming from someone who went to Beverly Hills High School. I grew up in L.A. so I've seen this throughout my entire life.' Marin's family claimed that McNulty 'unleashed a campaign of psychological terror' on him that landed him in a medical facility. While he was in care, the family reported that McNulty changed all the locks on the home and uncovered that Marin was not her first victim, according to Vanity Fair's report. The family took the matter to court and a judge eventually ordered McNulty to leave the property, Vanity Fair reported. Fox News Digital reached out to McNulty for comment.
SERIAL SQUATTER MALIBU CALIFORNIA TENANT LAWS HOMESTEADS CRIME
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