Victims of an alleged real estate fraud scheme worth more than 21 million pesos (roughly $1.1 million USD) are accusing Baja California’s Fiscalía General del Estado (FGE), the state attorney general’s office, of failing to arrest the primary suspect despite holding three active warrants for his detention.
The accused, Sadreme Omar Benjamín Oyarzabal Fernández, allegedly ran the scheme alongside his partner Isamara López Martínez. According to victims who spoke to Tijuana-based investigative outlet Zeta, the couple defrauded multiple property buyers across Baja California.
Victims Say They Provided Suspect’s Location
The victims told Zeta they have repeatedly provided the FGE with information about Oyarzabal Fernández’s whereabouts. Despite this cooperation, prosecutors have not executed any of the three outstanding arrest warrants. The suspect remains free, and the investigation appears stalled.
The case has fueled frustration among those affected, who say the attorney general’s office has shown little urgency in pursuing justice. Real estate fraud is a persistent concern in Baja California, where foreign buyers and Mexican nationals alike can fall prey to fraudulent transactions involving fake titles, phantom developments, or misrepresented ownership.
Broader Concerns About FGE Accountability
The allegations come at a sensitive time for the FGE. The office has faced recent criticism for its refusal to fund victim compensation programs, raising broader questions about prosecutorial priorities in the state. Critics argue that leaving active arrest warrants unserved, particularly in a case involving more than 21 million pesos, erodes public trust in the justice system.
Baja California’s booming real estate market, concentrated in Tijuana, Rosarito, Ensenada, and the broader coastal corridor, attracts significant investment from both Mexican and foreign buyers. Property fraud cases in the region often involve forged documents, unauthorized sales of ejido land (communal agricultural land with restricted sale rights), or outright Ponzi-style schemes that collapse once new buyer money dries up.
For now, Oyarzabal Fernández and López Martínez have not been detained. The victims say they will continue pressuring the FGE to act on the warrants already issued by a judge. The case was first reported by Zeta Tijuana.