Vaughan's neighbors have noticed investigators in area

February 26, 2011

we now know who owns the house where accused swindler doug vaughan was arrested today by federal authorities. and we're getting some interesting details about things going on in the neighborhood prior to his arrest. vaughan is accused of bilking hundreds of investors out of nearly 80 million dollars in a ponzi scheme. joe vigil is here with our big story. where doug vaughan has been staying is certainly quite different from where he is staying tonight. and neighbors in the north valley have quietly been talking to each other ---wondering when this day would come. people in this tucked away community near osuna and edith started seeing strange cars last summer. "and i'll notice as i'm leaving or coming in there's just a car kind of sitting outside the gate. and every now and then i'm temped to say what are you doing here." karen kredel's neighbor was curious too. "the neighbor across the street there was a car parked by the side of her house and she comes out and says, you know, what are you doing here? and he flashed his badge and said fbi. she said what are you here for. he said sorry i can't tell you." the feds were interested in doug vaughan. this is the home where they arrested him. his girlfriend suzie fairchild lives here. we are told vaughan has been around maybe a year or so. kredel says vaughan and fairchild kept to themselves. but she distinctively remembers his cars. "originally he had a nice newer it was a black jag wasn't it? yea. and then he suddenly had this earlier model green one." vaughan is now facing 30 federal charges...accused of swindling 74 million dollars from 600 investors. an unsealed indictment shows vaughan promised people yearly returns between 8 and 40 percent. his alleged victims may find some solace knowing vaughan is so broke he can't even afford an attorney. and faces 400 years in prison if convicted on all counts. "they would rather have their money there's no doubt but short of not having being able to get their money back they would at least like the person that did it to them to pay." vaughan asked a judge for a bail hearing today. that request was denied. that hearing is set for monday...so home until then is a jail cell. we've also learned federal authorities are going after a 130- thousand dollar home doug vaughan owns in las vegas, nevada. u.s. attorney kenneth gonzales couldn't say why the home was not part of vaughan's bankruptcy case. vaughan's albuquerque mansion near tanoan is still up for bid until march 7th. its listed for one point eight million dollars. but when the 68- hundred square foot mansion finally sells -- only about 100- thousand dollars will go to investors. the rest will go to pay off the mortgage.