$17m scammed by identity thief

An Orange County real estate broker has been found guilty of using stolen identities to buy 35 properties and intentionally defaulting on the loans to steal more than $17 million. A Superior Court jury found Kathy Chen guilty Tuesday of 136 felony counts, including conspiracy, grand theft, forgery and identity theft. Chen faces 111 years in prison when she is sentenced in July.

News cutting from Mercury News