A self-claimed “sovereign citizen” wanted for "stealing" a $13 million strip mall in Buckhead is now in jail in Florida.
Eliyshuwa Yisrael was arrested in Orange County this week during a traffic stop and will be extradited to the DeKalb County jail, DeKalb's prosecutors said.
Last year, the DeKalb County district attorney issued a warrant for Yisrael on charges of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corruption Organizations Act, mortgage fraud, burglary, theft by taking and false statements.
DeKalb prosecutors allege Yisrael was the leader of a group of sovereign citizens, described as domestic terrorists, that worked together to steal, or take over, vacant homes throughout the metro area. The ring operated out of a stolen home on South Goddard Road near Lithonia, said John Melvin, deputy chief assistant district attorney.
Prosecutors say Yisrael and several other suspects committed mortgage fraud when they illegally moved into the $1 million south DeKalb home and other properties in the metro area. He is also connected to the theft of a shopping center at 2140 Peachtree Road in Buckhead, Melvin said.
“He was staying in the house on South Goddard and we were able to link him to the group of sovereign citizens through his stuff that we found during a search warrant,” Melvin said Wednesday.
Yisrael is one of several local suspects associated with the sovereign citizens, a group of anti-government extremists. Across the country, sovereign citizens have been tied to police shootings, thefts and other crimes.
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