It appears Russell and Linda Callahan are at it again.

The couple’s 20-year pattern of behavior was the focus of an NBC10 investigation last year. We documented how the “professional tenants” scammed small property owners in Worcester County and lived in homes without paying rent.

In the wake of our reporting, authorities charged the Callahans with several felonies, which are pending in Westborough District Court.

When we last caught up to the couple in February, they were being evicted from a large complex after racking up more than $12,000 in unpaid rent, according to housing court records.

The question was: Where would the Callahans land next?

We now have that answer.

Earlier this month, a property owner in Worcester, Jimmy, rented his newly constructed duplex to the couple. Jimmy did not want to use his full name because of his job and embarrassment about not doing more due diligence prior to signing the lease.

“I gave them the keys. I trusted them,” Jimmy said. “They looked professional.”

The Callahans are professionals, just not the type that Jimmy had hoped for as tenants.

Our investigation found they have been evicted more than 20 times in Massachusetts and Florida, with unpaid rent judgments surpassing well over $100,000.

Russell and Linda Callahan have an extensive record of evictions.

Victims we spoke with include a single mom, a couple saving to have their first child, and a veteran who was overseas on his first deployment with the Navy.

Our investigation also found the legal system repeatedly brushed aside the alleged crimes as “housing court matters.”

Jimmy said the Callahans told him they were in the process of buying a new house. Instead of running a background check that could affect their credit score, they asked if their mortgage broker could send Jimmy their financial records.

The documents arrived via secure message and Jimmy said they appeared to be legit.

“Everything looked really good,” Jimmy said. “Great background check. Great credit history. There was pretty substantial income between both of them.”

However, like other landlords we interviewed, Jimmy would later learn the documents were fake.
By the time the Callahans were already inside the Worcester property, nearly $10,000 in rental checks bounced.

After repeated excuses about why the funds weren’t available, Jimmy said he got suspicious and decided to Google the Callahans. He was horrified to see a slew of NBC10 headlines about the “professional tenants.”

“I could not believe what had happened,” Jimmy said.

After speaking with Jimmy, the NBC10 Investigators checked out the property and saw Linda Callahan behind the wheel of a moving van.

Even though Jimmy said the couple had told him they would move out when he threatened to go to the police, we watched as Linda made herself at home, directing her adult son where to put the furniture.

Jimmy eventually went to the police to file a report. The case has been assigned to a detective who is investigating to see if criminal charges should be pursued, according to a Worcester police spokesperson.

New charges could have a potential impact on the Callahans’ pending case in Westborough District Court. Their next scheduled hearing is slated for June.

The Callahans did not respond to our questions about their new address when we approached them outside of court.

Advertisement

NBC10 Boston

NBC10 Boston

For now, Jimmy knows he is at the mercy of the housing court system in Massachusetts. He is in the process of filing an eviction, but knows that process can drag out for months.

The landlord said he has offered to pay for their move and get them housing for a week, just to get them out of his property.

“They keep promising they will move out,” Jimmy said. “It doesn’t look like they are going anywhere.”