(ConservativeSense.com) – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed a lawsuit against housing development Colony Ridge, citing deceptive practices and fraud. Colony Ridge, which is accused of marketing to illegal immigrants, is already immersed in legal problems, including federal investigations and a Department of Justice lawsuit.
In his filing, Mr. Paxton states that Colony Ridge targets foreign born potential buyers with limited access to credit and promises them property opportunities including “financing without proof of income.”
According to a media investigation, Colony Ridge sold plots of land to illegal immigrants for down payments as small as $500 with a 13% interest rate. A subsequent inquiry by the Office of the Attorney General ended with accusations that the development is engaged in “false, misleading, and deceptive sales, marketing, and lending practices.”
Described as the fastest-growing development in the US, Colony Ridge has attracted more than 70,000 illegal immigrants, prompting concerns about cartel activity. The development is located in Liberty County, around 400 miles from the southern border. It is approximately 60 square miles, almost as large as the US capital, Washington, DC.
A Daily Wire investigation of the site revealed half-built homes, piles of trash, roaming dogs, trailers, and tents, all in close proximity to the upmarket Woodlands neighborhood.
The development, owned by William Harris, already faces a federal lawsuit, which US Attorney Alamdar Hamdani said is based on “exploitative practices” and “misleading advertisements.” Federal authorities said the scheme targets Latino immigrants with Spanish adverts, uses high-pressure sales tactics, and makes false promises such as guaranteed water and electricity supply. Minimal down payments are required, but buyers are not warned about often hefty subsequent expenses.
If buyers fall behind on payments, the company purchases the plot and repeats the process. Federal authorities say this happens in almost a quarter of cases.
Colony Ridge chief executive John Harris called the federal allegations “baseless,” “outrageous,” and “inflammatory.” He said landowners are happy, and most of the company’s business comes from customer referrals.
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