In a bizarre but bold move, Chicago homeowner Marco Velazquez took matters into his own hands when he discovered alleged squatters living in his South Side property. After police said they couldn’t remove the couple without a civil court order, Velazquez decided to move in himself.
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Shermaine Powell-Gillard and Codarro Dorsey, the squatters, claimed that they had legally purchased the home, although public records did not support this claim. In an effort to reclaim the property, Velazquez and his friends set up camp in the living room while the squatters remained in the bedroom.
The next day, the couple demanded $8,000 to leave. After tense negotiations, Velazquez paid them $4,300 in a “cash-for-keys” deal to get them out. Powell-Gillard has since been charged in another squatting case, raising concerns about fraudulent claims and legal loopholes in Illinois’ tenant laws.
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Velazquez’s unconventional strategy sparked national attention—and renewed calls for reform in how the system handles squatters.
