EUSTIS, Florida—A Leesburg man is facing several charges for fraudulently selling a mobile home he claimed another man had “abandoned,” according to an arrest affidavit.
In late June, the victim went to Eustis Police Department and reported Michael Anthony Pachetti, 65, sold his mobile home, located in Southern Palms RV Resort in Eustis while he was incarcerated in New York, forging the victim’s name and using an old driver license, according to the affidavit.
The victim told police was arrested in Orange County in September 2022, later transferred to the Lake County Jail and finally extradited to Niagara County, New York and was released in January 2023. He returned to Florida and found out his home had been sold without his knowledge. The relationship between the two men is redacted from the affidavit, due to Marsy’s Law.
The victim said Pachetti put the 1985 mobile home up for sale for $27,000 and a month later received nearly $21,000 from the proceeds of the sale. Pachetti did not have power of attorney and the home was only in the victim’s name, the affidavit states.
Police spoke with Pachetti by phone in June, and he said the victim “abandoned” the home, so he took possession of the home, paid for some repairs and listed the home. Pachetti admitted to signing the victim’s name to the sale paperwork, the arresting officer noted in the affidavit. The officer asked Pachetti where the money from the sale was and he reportedly said he spent it.
Pachetti went to Eustis Police Department Monday to speak with an officer about the case and he was arrested for scheme to defraud, grand theft and uttering forged documents. He was transported to LCJ, where he was released on $6,000 bond.
