Couple Cobos allegedly defrauded testifies

A former El Paso County judge faced the Chaparral couple he’s accused of defrauding.

For more than a year, the couple says it made mortgage payments on a home Anthony Cobos sold to them, but Cobos allegedly never deposited those payments to the bank.

Cobos faces one count of fraud of over $20,000.

Maribel Samaniego was first to take the stand and face Cobos.

She told the jury she was devastated after receiving a foreclosure notice. That notice came after she made monthly mortgage payments to Cobos from December 2012 to May 2013. She said it was her understanding Cobos would give those payments to the bank. She also claims she paid him larger lump sum payments so the family could eventually take ownership of the home.

The state showed evidence of the receipts, checks and money orders she gave to him.

Samaniego told the jury it was her understanding the money “would be applied to the mortgage and then potentially the ownership of (their) property.”

But the defense argued it wasn’t written in a signed contract for what Cobos had to use that money. They also argued that the couple was late on making some of the payments.

“The fact is by your own admission, the contract does not say what that money has to be used for and you don’t know what he did with that money correct?” Defense Attorney Joshua Boone said.

“Correct,” Samaniego said.

The jury also heard from Samaniego’s husband Jesus Zamora.