While his scheme ran during the pandemic, Merryman went as far as to forge the signatures of some of his tenants, all while threatening to evict them, when the federal and state governments systemically released relief funds for renters.
The renter’s properties that Merryman targeted were intentionally located in low-income areas, and he mostly focused on poor Black tenants who were vulnerable to his schemes as they had nowhere else to live. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia reported that many of the homes were in abysmal condition and often had holes in the ceiling, leaks, and rodents or pests in the home.
While committing fraud on different families, Merryman, who is a white man, also racially harassed his Black tenants and forced them to pay repeated and constructed security deposits under the pretense of making repairs that he never completed.
In another more recent incident, Merryman and a group of several other men walked onto a tenant’s property uninvited. When the renting tenant exited the home to confront the landlord, Merryman threatened them with a brick and potentially a firearm. While the incident occurred, Merryman called the tenant a “Black motherf***** and a “f***ing n******” repeatedly.
U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Jessica Aber, stated in a press release, “David Merryman deliberately targeted families of color with limited means and housing options. Landlords have a responsibility under the law to uphold housing rights and protect the human dignity of the people to whom they rent. Mr. Merryman failed to uphold that responsibility and is paying a heavy price for his racial discrimination and fraud.”
RELATED CONTENT: Nick Cannon Opens Up About Narcissistic Personality Disorder Diagnosis, Highlights Mental Health Advocacy
Source: Black Enterprise
