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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 17, 2025

Fort Lauderdale, FL – On April 16, 2025, a formal IRS Whistleblower submission and a Lis Pendens filing were entered in the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit Court following the uncovering of a complex real estate fraud scheme involving misappropriated escrow funds, nominee ownership structures, and suspected money laundering.

The property at the center of this legal action was allegedly purchased using diverted trust funds, in violation of Florida Statutes § 689.071 (Land Trusts) and § 772.11 (Civil Theft). The filing seeks to impose a constructive trust and equitable lien on the asset, freezing any transfers or sales pending further judicial review.

This filing marks a critical milestone in an ongoing enforcement effort tied to the disbarred attorney Justin E. Zeig, formerly of Zeig Law Firm PLLC. The timeline of enforcement actions is as follows:

• January 2024 – Initial complaint filed with the Florida Bar.
   
• September 2024 – Zeig petitions for Disciplinary Revocation, admitting escrow violations.
   
• November 2024 – The Florida Supreme Court formally disbars Zeig.
   
• April 15, 2025 – Lis Pendens entered to halt further title transfers tied to the fraudulent acquisition.
   
• April 16, 2025 – IRS Whistleblower filing details laundering tactics, shell entities, and nominee concealment.
   

The case underscores systemic failures in escrow oversight and highlights the use of nominee-controlled shell companies to launder criminally derived real estate assets. Recovery actions include pursuing claims for fraud, conversion, civil theft, and money laundering under Florida law.

Email: legal@publicwatch.org
Phone: 1-800-555-TRUST