A Malibu real estate agent cautioned California homeowners to defend themselves after a serial squatter allegedly targeted the seaside community for years, an issue she claimed could worsen following the Los Angeles wildfires.
“I don’t know how she got away with it for so long in Malibu with the amount of people that she did,” Liz Benichou, a Malibu real estate agent and lifelong resident of the neighborhood, told Fox News Digital about the allegations against Ellie Mae McNulty. “It is a really small, close-knit community. You see the same individuals. You sense this familiarity. You believe that everyone is like you because we are all doing the same thing, so you gain their trust. “You live in this bubble in Malibu.”
According to her biography, McNulty, an actor and playwright, allegedly duped hundreds of Malibu homeowners over the last decade, charming her way into their life before becoming a nightmare roommate, as first reported by Vanity Fair.
“First and foremost, I believe her ability to go so long without being caught is due to her general appeal. “I believe she is a predator who seeks out vulnerable people to prey on,” Benichou said.
According to Vanity Fair, McNulty met 65-year-old Alden Marin in 2021 on a beach in Point Dume, where the two had a pleasant conversation until Marin extended his home to her, claiming she was “waiting for her new place to get ready.”
But days swiftly turned into weeks, then a month, then two, and Marin’s sister reported that McNulty had changed, and she was still making excuses for why she couldn’t pay rent.
“People believe it is a very tight-knit, secure community. Why would you want to take advantage of that? But again, people do. And it’s virtually easier to get away with if you’re constantly flashing your face, like this predator appeared to do,” Benichou explained.
“People in Los Angeles prefer to see people who appear extraordinary. And she portrayed that distinct quality. She’s like, ‘OK, I’m an actor. I know these people. I have these relationships. So that kind of blinds you. And this is coming from someone who attended Beverly Hills High School. I grew up in Los Angeles, so I’ve witnessed this my entire life.”
Marin’s family alleged that McNulty “unleashed a campaign of psychological terror” on him, landing him in a hospital. While he was in care, the family reported that McNulty changed all of the locks on the house and discovered that Marin was not her first victim, according to Vanity Fair.
The family brought the case to court, and a judge eventually ordered McNulty to vacate the property, according to Vanity Fair. Fox News Digital contacted McNulty for comment.
According to Benichou, this is not the first time someone has pulled off a plan like this in California. She predicted that there would be more scams like this in response to the wildfires.
“I feel like it’s something that, unfortunately, we see a lot of, especially out here in California, because people do have really big hearts and they want to help, and they want to see the best in people,” Benichou told me.
“It’s such a mental illness that they don’t realize what they’re doing.” It’s really pathological,” Benichou remarked of those who run these types of squatter operations. “They don’t realize what they’ve done is bad at all. So, it appears that she feels entitled to it. Even if she is getting poor coverage, she is still receiving attention.”
California, known as one of the most tenant-friendly states in the country, shields tenants from certain rent hikes, as well as some types of evictions.
“If you’re in a place for more than 14 days, I think within six months, you can claim it as your own,” Benichou added, alluding to California’s tenancy laws.
State law further states that guests who use a room in a residence, even if they do not pay and have no contract, are considered “tenants at will.”
The state’s rules were enacted to keep landlords from unfairly evicting tenants.
According to a representative for the California Department of Justice, not paying rent, being a “nuisance” and “engaging in criminal activity on the premises” are all “just cause for eviction” under state law.
As Benichou pointed out, evictions can take months or even years, and police are not permitted to physically remove a resident, but may “persuade” the person to leave the residence.
“California is a state known for being lenient on crime, and squatting is a felony. It doesn’t appear that anything will change, especially after the fires, when so many people have lost their homes. “You can’t just throw people out on the streets,” Benichou explained.
Benichou noted that because California is a sanctuary state, she feels it will require significant effort to amend the tenancy laws.
“It will take a lot of work to modify these regulations so that they are more favorable to homeowners. This is something I see again and over again. So, unless homeowners band together and try to make these reforms happen, California will favor the tenant because it is a sanctuary state,” Benichou said.
“And this isn’t limited to immigrants. It kind of carries over into housing. And this is why we have a housing problem, which has worsened recently. So it’s only going to grow more tough after the fires, regrettably.”
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