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To view links in this forum your post count must be 10 or greater. Your post count is 0 momentarily. announced today that his Consumer Protection Unit has obtained a civil judgment in a real estate fraud investigation involving local business owner Robert Janssen and his company Abbey Management, Inc. The judgment concludes the District Attorney’s investigation of the defendants’ role in advertising, marketing and providing services in selling real estate without California licensure. While defendants did not admit liability in agreeing to the judgment, they will pay $100,000 in penalties and victim restitution for their role in the sale of a single Salinas home last August 2006.

According to the District Attorney’s civil complaint, the defendants engaged in false advertising and fraudulent business practices in the provision of real estate services and auction sales. On and after October 1, 2005, defendants Robert Janssen and Abbey Management, Inc. (d.b.a. Abbey Properties) represented themselves to be real estate professionals and claimed that they did not need California licensure in order to solicit, promote and/or sell properties. Additionally, the defendants falsely claimed ownership interests in those properties they marketed for sale and used false pretexts to approach and solicit clients whose homes they could try to sell to the public.

As to defendants’ unlawful business practices, the defendants allegedly acted as real estate sales agents in the marketing of homes, the solicitation of home buyers and the negotiation of sales price, all in violation of the
requirement that such one be licensed to provide such services pursuant to Business & Professions Code section 10130.

Under the judgment, Robert Janssen and Abbey Properties will pay $47,588.00 in civil penalties and refund $52,412 to a former client. In addition, the judgment contains a permanent injunction ordering the defendants to abide by California laws and also imposes monitoring terms which will enable the District Attorney to verify defendants’ compliance with the judgment over the next three (3) years.

The District Attorney asks that anyone having information as to the business activities or advertising of Robert Janssen, Abbey Management, Inc. or Abbey Properties contact its Consumer Protection Unit.

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