Man renting home impersonates owner, applies for mortgage, takes funds: Toronto police

A man renting a home impersonated the owner, applied for a mortgage and then took the funds, Toronto police allege, and officers say the suspect may have committed other similar crimes.

Toronto police said in a news release Thursday that beginning in May 2021, the suspect rented a home using an online rental application.

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While renting, the suspect allegedly obtained identity information on the homeowner.

The suspect then impersonated the homeowner, applied for a mortgage on the property, and collected the proceeds, police said.

On May 25, Toronto resident Jay Allen MacDougall, 42, was arrested.

He’s been charged with five counts of fraud over $5,000 and laundering proceeds of crime.

MacDougall is scheduled to appear in court on June 6.

“Investigators believe he may have committed other similar crimes and are requesting the public to contact them with any information,” police said.