Authorities in Georgia say a man is behind an unusual scheme involving his missing brother’s property, allegedly pretending to be him in order to sell his home.
Kenneth Lee Harris, 62, is accused of taking on the identity of his brother, Ted Harris, to put a house in Powder Springs on the market for $199,000. According to an arrest warrant cited by WSB-TV, the plan worked long enough for the sale to go through on April 7, though the final price was lowered to $185,000.
Concerns were raised just days later, on April 10, when family members discovered the property had been sold. They had not heard from Ted Harris since January, though relatives said it wasn’t unusual for him to be out of contact for extended periods. Still, the sale prompted them to report him missing.
Investigators say Kenneth Harris allegedly convinced both real estate professionals and the buyers that he was his brother, even presenting Ted Harris’s driver’s license during the process.
Neighbors were also misled. Because the two brothers closely resemble each other and kept a low profile, many assumed nothing was out of the ordinary at first. One neighbor said she believed she was seeing Ted, not realizing it was his brother.
Suspicion in the neighborhood began to grow when landscaping crews started maintaining the yard—something Ted Harris had always handled himself. Residents also noted that a “for sale” sign briefly appeared and then disappeared before the deal was completed.
Officials have not said whether the sale has been reversed following the discovery of the alleged fraud. Kenneth Harris has been taken into custody and is facing charges that include identity theft and residential mortgage fraud. He is currently being held in the Cobb County Jail without bond.
Authorities have not provided updates on Ted Harris’s whereabouts or confirmed when he was last seen. No charges related to his disappearance have been announced.