Matthew Cox | Inside True Crime Podcast Venezuelan Fraudster Exposes Government Scam!
Jan 29, 2026
Juan Sanchez, a Venezuelan former real estate operator turned convicted fraudster, recounts running large-scale mortgage scams and laundering money for corrupt officials. He describes kidnappings, cooperating with U.S. authorities, helping capture a Venezuelan judge, prison life, and rebuilding after release. Multiple short, gripping stories reveal the chaos behind the scheme.
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Early Life And Immigration Struggles
- Juan recounts being born in Madrid because his father fled Venezuela after a shooting incident and returned to Venezuela later.
- He moved to the U.S. at 14, finished high school in Florida, and worked to support himself early on.
From Timeshare Seller To Real Estate Kingpin
- Juan explains he got his real estate license in the early 1990s and built Spanish-language schools and brokerages.
- He scaled into a large operation and then exploited 2005–2007 lending to fabricate profiles and inflate property values.
How Paperwork Enables Massive Fraud
- Juan describes creating fake credit profiles, manipulated appraisals, and packaging bad loans into securities.
- He scaled the fraud into apartment complexes and reported making about $1.7–$1.8 million per month.
