State Attorney General Dave Sunday announced a lawsuit Thursday, Oct. 15, against two Western Pennsylvania men, including one from Cranberry Township, following an alleged rent-to-own scheme.

A news release identified Charles Spencer, of Cranberry Township, and Sean Walters, of Wexford, alongside several affiliated businesses, as subjects of the lawsuit seeking restitution for harmed consumers.

According to the attorney general, the two men agreed to take over mortgage payments on properties before “selling” the homes under land installment contracts to new buyers who were unaware the men did not actually own them.

Sunday said the two men signed contracts to purchase the homes by taking over mortgage payments, but then defaulted on the mortgages, ruining the credit of the real owners and causing mortgage foreclosure and evictions against the buyers.

Sunday said the scheme targeted homeowners looking to sell homes quickly and first-time buyers who were unaware of red flags during purchase.

According to the news release, the Attorney General’s office also requested an ex parte preliminary injunction granted by Allegheny County Common Pleas Court that requires the defendants to pay impacted sellers’ mortgages and homeowner association payments while halting evictions and legal proceedings.

Businesses named in the lawsuit include CSW Financial, LLC; W Group Holdings, LLC; RS Capital, LLC; Marlin Holdings, LLC; Alpha Realty Investment, LLC; and NSX Property Group, LLC.

Consumers who have been impacted by this scheme but have not yet been in contact with the attorney general’s office are asked to call 1-800-441-2555.