Topline: A Pontiac woman accused of taking money from home buyers for properties she did not own has pleaded no contest to nine charges.
Published: April 21, 2026 12:00 pm ET
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Amanda Escalante-Lopez (via Oakland County Jail)
PONTIAC, MI — Amanda Escalante-Lopez, 28, has pleaded no contest in Oakland County to nine charges tied to a real estate fraud scheme that prosecutors say targeted prospective home buyers in Pontiac.
Authorities said Escalante-Lopez made verbal agreements with would-be buyers for land contracts and ownership of homes she did not actually own. Victims gave her money with the understanding that they would receive the properties, but they later reported they never received keys, access to the homes or title documents after making the agreed-upon down payments.
Escalante-Lopez was originally charged in October with three counts of false pretenses involving $20,000 to $50,000, three counts of false pretenses involving $1,000 to $20,000, one count of larceny by conversion of $20,000 or more and three counts of larceny by conversion of $1,000 to $20,000.
According to court records cited by WDIV ClickOnDetroit, she entered the no contest pleas on April 16 and is scheduled to be sentenced June 11 at 8:30 a.m.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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Amanda Escalante-Lopez Pleads No Contest in Oakland County Real Estate Fraud Case
A Pontiac woman accused of taking money from home buyers for properties she did not own has pleaded no contest to nine charges.
By Staff Reports
Published: April 21, 2026 12:00 pm ET
Amanda Escalante-Lopez (via Oakland County Jail)
PONTIAC, MI — Amanda Escalante-Lopez, 28, has pleaded no contest in Oakland County to nine charges tied to a real estate fraud scheme that prosecutors say targeted prospective home buyers in Pontiac.
Authorities said Escalante-Lopez made verbal agreements with would-be buyers for land contracts and ownership of homes she did not actually own. Victims gave her money with the understanding that they would receive the properties, but they later reported they never received keys, access to the homes or title documents after making the agreed-upon down payments.
Escalante-Lopez was originally charged in October with three counts of false pretenses involving $20,000 to $50,000, three counts of false pretenses involving $1,000 to $20,000, one count of larceny by conversion of $20,000 or more and three counts of larceny by conversion of $1,000 to $20,000.
According to court records cited by WDIV ClickOnDetroit, she entered the no contest pleas on April 16 and is scheduled to be sentenced June 11 at 8:30 a.m.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Amanda Escalante-Lopez Pleads No Contest in Oakland County Real Estate Fraud Case
A Pontiac woman accused of taking money from home buyers for properties she did not own has pleaded no contest to nine charges.
By Staff Reports
Published: April 21, 2026 12:00 pm ET
Amanda Escalante-Lopez (via Oakland County Jail)
PONTIAC, MI — Amanda Escalante-Lopez, 28, has pleaded no contest in Oakland County to nine charges tied to a real estate fraud scheme that prosecutors say targeted prospective home buyers in Pontiac.
Authorities said Escalante-Lopez made verbal agreements with would-be buyers for land contracts and ownership of homes she did not actually own. Victims gave her money with the understanding that they would receive the properties, but they later reported they never received keys, access to the homes or title documents after making the agreed-upon down payments.
Escalante-Lopez was originally charged in October with three counts of false pretenses involving $20,000 to $50,000, three counts of false pretenses involving $1,000 to $20,000, one count of larceny by conversion of $20,000 or more and three counts of larceny by conversion of $1,000 to $20,000.
According to court records cited by WDIV ClickOnDetroit, she entered the no contest pleas on April 16 and is scheduled to be sentenced June 11 at 8:30 a.m.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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