SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio man with a previous federal conviction for embezzlement is being investigated for possibly stealing more than $20,000 from a local family who thought the money would be used for a down payment on a home, the San Antonio Police Department said.
Christopher Haff, 49, is accused of telling a family he would provide them a hard money loan to purchase a 3,300-square-foot home in the 7900 block of Vista Montan Drive, near Leon Springs.
After the family contributed $22,000 to an account it believed would be used to cover the down payment, a real estate agent representing the seller informed them in March no account existed, according to an SAPD theft report.
"How do you do that to people who it's a dream for them to buy a house? I mean really, I wish someone would prosecute him," said Aurora Ciui, who hoped to buy the home so she and her large family could all be under one roof.
Ciui said past credit issues prevented her from getting traditional mortgage financing, so she sought out a hard money loan.
"Most of the people that are funding these are private investors," said Miguel Segura, Better Business Bureau regional director. "Instead of basing the risk off your credit history or credit score, they base it off the collateral you can present."
Segura said these types of loans have more risk, typically have a higher interest rate and are often used by people who flip homes.
Text message records provided by Ciui show Haff encouraging her to make deposits in the account.
At one point, Haff texted her, "We are running behind schedule."
Bexar Appraisal records show the home was sold to another family on April 7.
Ciui said she made several deposits into an account, including $7,000 she got after her mother in her native Romania used her car as collateral for a loan.
When Ciui asked Haff to refund her family's money, Haff told her "if she went to police she would never see her money again," according to an SAPD report.
The alleged threat is similar to one Haff was accused of making to a woman in late 2004.
Bexar County court records for a 2005 telephone harassment charge against Haff indicate he threatened "to exact revenge against the complainant because (Haff) believed the complainant cooperated with law enforcement against him" around Christmas 2004.
Records show the case was dismissed 18 months later for insufficient evidence.
Haff also avoided conviction in 2009 after being charged with forging checks in his father's name, according to district court records.
Haff had the charge dismissed after paying back more than $4,300, according to a dismissal order from the case.
Federal court records indicate Haff was convicted in 2001 of embezzling money from a pension plan belonging to a Dallas law firm.
Specific details of the conviction remain sealed by order of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas.
A spokesperson for the law firm confirmed last week that Haff took around $47,000 from an office pension fund.
Haff has had several other cases against him in Bexar County later dismissed, including multiple theft charges and a 2003 driving while intoxicated charge.
Bexar County Jail records indicate Haff has been booked there at least eights times since 1987.
Haff has also been the subject of at least three federal tax liens, according to Bexar County records.
One of the liens remains active.
The KSAT 12 Defenders made several attempts to track down Haff for this story.
Two phone numbers listed for him are disconnected.
A family member living at one of Haff's last known addresses said Haff has been in and out of a hospital with failing health.
The Defenders have confirmed at least one other local family is pursuing legal action against Haff, including sending demand letters for repayment after working with him on a hard money loan.
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