Alleged fraudster Mahender Makhijani left a trail of victims, but few more surprising than respected California landlord Gerald Marcil. Federal agents arrested Makhijani last week for allegedly defrauding Western Alliance Bancorp out of $100 million. While national outlets focused on the Newport Beach investor’s brazen financial fraud, the alleged scheme rested on real estate plays: title policies that could be manipulated, a willing lender and a deep-pocketed investor who could back his loans But for Makhijani’s plan to work, he needed to find a guarantor so banks would have the confidence to lend to him. Enter Marcil, who owns thousands […]

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