Thread: Man uses Mexican Army to evict US citizens in Mexico

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Man Responsible For Evicting Seniors In 2000

POSTED: 4:57 pm PST February 7, 2006
UPDATED: 9:13 pm PST February 7, 2006

SAN DIEGO -- 10News first started tracking Steven Carlos Pedroarena in 2002 just two years after the evictions at Punta Banda near Ensenada.

Pedroarena used the help of the Mexican military to make evictions.

"They seemed quite adamant about just taking the homes," said one retiree.

"This was our retirement home to spend our golden years," said another retiree.

10News Investigative Reporter Thom Jensen to Pedroarena: "Can you tell me what you had to do with Punta Banda?"

Pedroarena: "I'm busy right now."

Mexican law is clear. It states no Americans can own coastal property like Punta Banda. They can only lease it.

So how was an American citizen able to toss other Americans off of the Baja home sites with the help of the Mexican army?

During the course of its investigation, 10News discovered Pedroarena was born at Mercy Hospital in San Diego on July 4, 1951.

10News researchers also uncovered a 1955 newspaper article showing Pedroarena and his sister inherited the family's land in Punta Banda, Mexico, and an 1,800 acre ranch in Tecate, Mexico.

10News learned more about Pedroarena in U.S. bankruptcy court records.

Pedroarena filed bankruptcy and told a court trustee that he didn't own or control the Tecate ranch.

Trustee: "You never had any ownership interest or equity interest in it?"

Pendroarena: "Nothing."

He also said the Punta Bunda property had no value.

Ralph Nieders is listed as a creditor in the bankruptcy case.

"He always identified himself as the proprietor," Nieders said.

Now Pedroarena is charged with bribing Nieders to stay quiet about the Mexican properties and something much more serious.

"This guy has two different identities," Nieders told 10News.

Two identities, because according to a Mexican birth certificate that 10News obtained, Pedroarena was born in Mexico.

An affidavit signed by family members said the 54-year-old Pedroarena was born at home on the Tecate ranch and was named Esteban Carlos Pedroarena Toomey.

Jensen confronted Pedroarena: "We found two birth certificates for you. Do you go by Stevan or Esteban?"

Pedroarena did not respond.

It's the Mexican birth certificate that gives "Pedroarena Toomey" title to the expansive Tecate ranch and Punta Banda property.

Outside the federal courthouse, 10News once again tried to get a comment.

Jensen: "Are you an American citizen or a Mexican citizen? Mr. Pedroarena?"

Again, Pedroarena did not respond.

Financially, the Mexican citizen Pedroarena cleaned up when Americans were tossed off of his property. 10News discovered a check deposited to his account from a San Diego retiree to lease back his Punta Banda home.

Sources told 10News, "Esteban Pedroarena" received approximately $1 million in cash from the evicted retirees who leased their homes back.

10News also uncovered visas and passports for Pedroarena using his Mexican identity.

But the investigation does not end there.

Tune in Wednesday to 10News Live At 11 p.m. -- you might be suprised by who else has dual identities and how many people have been keeping this secret of living with two names.

For information how to buy real estate in Mexico, click here.

Shoot...living with more than one or two or three identities is the usual thing, isn't it??

RR