A New Scam in Detroit
A serial scammer is allegedly targeting mothers in Detroit who are searching for a new home. The individual at the center of this controversy is Nevin Griffin, a 49-year-old career criminal who recently completed federal parole after being convicted of trafficking teen girls in a prostitution ring in 2012. During that time, he was known to have the girls call him "Moneymaker." His criminal history also includes bank robbery and fraud charges.
Griffin has now allegedly scammed as many as 40 mothers, leaving them without a place to live and thousands of dollars in losses. The victims, mostly single moms, say they were duped by what seemed like a legitimate rental opportunity.
How the Scam Worked
The scam began when families found a house listed on real estate platforms such as Zillow and Redfin. According to the victims, Griffin provided proof that the house was his, which made it seem credible. Many of the families paid security deposits and the first month's rent, expecting to move into the home.
Lasandra Jordan became the face of the scandal when she went public with her story in October, exposing the rental scam that she claims Griffin masterminded. She noted that the situation could have escalated if the women had turned on each other, but instead, they banded together.
"I don’t know if he wanted to see a whole bunch of Black women at each other’s throats because Black women and children and desperate is a dangerous thing, but we all banded together," Jordan said.
The Victims’ Experiences
Jordan described arriving at the house on October 15, only to find another family already moving in. “I pulled up at 1 p.m. and there was a family already moving in. I was turning the corner from 7 Mile and I saw the U-Haul, and my heart sunk. In my gut, I knew that was the house,” she recalled.
Asia Smith, another victim, actually received keys from Griffin and was in the process of moving in with her two children. “So from that point on, I did not stay here the first night because I was in fear for my life,” she said.
Confronting the Scammer
FOX 2 spoke with Griffin on the phone to confront him about the allegations. His response was vague and unconvincing. He claimed that the situation was a misunderstanding and that he was working to return the money to the victims. However, the victims disputed this claim.
Griffin told one of the victims, Briana, that if it was a misunderstanding, she should have the money. “Why don’t you have the money, if it was a misunderstanding and you took all these women’s money… Jessica, I’m not trying to do back and forth with… I’m just saying I need a couple weeks. It sounds like a scam; it doesn’t sound like a misunderstanding because you either have the money or you don’t,” he said before hanging up.
He later called back, but the conversation was off the record.
More Victims Emerge
As FOX 2 wrapped up their interview with Asia, a new pair of victims arrived—Tina Anderson and her daughter. They revealed that Griffin had promised them they could move in, even though they hadn’t paid the full amount. “He said yesterday that he was going to literally let us move in the first, and we would have to pay him the rest of the money by next week. He knew we were investigating this story yesterday. Oh my god, we are $1,500 out,” Anderson said.
Another victim, Ariel Wilson, confirmed that they had spoken to Griffin and that he was aware of the investigation. “He said he didn’t know what was going on. He’s lying; we talked yesterday. He knows very much so we are running a story,” she said.
Despite knowing that the media was onto him and that the Detroit police were investigating, Griffin still offered the victims the choice to move in or get a refund.
What’s Next?
Thirteen people have filed reports with the Detroit Police Department, and an investigation is currently underway. The victims are demanding justice and their money back, but they remain skeptical of Griffin’s promises.
“I don’t think he will follow through,” said one of the victims. “He’s a con artist, and this is just another scam.”
The community is left in shock, with many questioning how someone with such a troubled past could continue to target vulnerable individuals. As the investigation continues, the victims hope for a resolution that brings accountability and justice.
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