A new report reveals that Fox News host Sean Hannity’s shady $90 million real estate empire was built with help from a property dealer who in 2016 pleaded guilty to rigging foreclosure auctions.
The Guardian, which originally broke the story on Hannity’s vast real estate holdings, now reports that one of Hannity’s real estate shell companies in 2012 bought 11 foreclosed homes from property dealer Jeff Brock, who four years later would be convicted on charges of bank fraud and conspiracy.
“Some of the houses sold on to the Hannity-linked firm in 2012 had been acquired by Brock from banks later named by prosecutors among his victims,” the publication reports. “But the Justice Department declined to identify specific properties sold in the rigged auctions.”
There is no evidence to suggest that Hannity knew of Brock’s fraudulent activities, and an attorney for the Fox News host tells the Guardian that Hannity didn’t have “any knowledge regarding Mr. Brock’s wrongdoing” while purchasing the homes.
After his massive real estate holdings were reported by the Guardian on Sunday, Hannity framed his investments as gifts of charity to poor communities who were desperate for influxes of capital.
“The fact is, these are investments that I do not individually select, control, or know the details about; except that obviously I believe in putting my money to work in communities that otherwise struggle to receive such support,” Hannity said.
Image by Gage Skidmore via Flickr and a CC license