OAKLAND -- Shortly after Oakland reporter Chauncey Bailey was shot dead in August, a team of journalists banded together to finish the work he started and may have died for.

Bailey reportedly was working on stories about Your Black Muslim Bakery, which police say was deeply involved in crime including real estate fraud.

An investigation by the Chauncey Bailey Project -- which KTVU is a part of -- recently focused on the alleged real estate swindles. Carried out by people associated with the now closed bakery

61-year-old Donald Taylor grew up in Berkeley. He inherited his childhood home and hoped to bequeath to his daughter upon his death.

Instead, Faylor finds himself dead broke with no property, seriously ill and living in a Stockton long-term care facility.

Taylor is one of a growing number of people in the bay area who claim Antron Thurman -- a.k.a. Tony Donald -- and his real estate agent wife swindled them out of their homes.

His wife Esperanza Johnson -- also known as Noor Jehan Bey -- has been involved with Your Black Muslim Bakery.

An investigation by the Chauncey Bailey Project into the real estate dealings of Thurman and his wife has documented case after case of questionable transactions in which people have lost their savings and their homes.

The transactions are documented in federal and state court files as well as real estate and other public records. These records also show Thurman and Johnson owe more than $1 million in unpaid taxes and penalties to the I.R.S. in addition more than $100,000 to an East Bay credit union in loans and on credit cards.

Through her real estate business, Johnson is representing a prospective buyer of the shut-down bakery's Oakland headquarters scheduled for a hearing in federal bankruptcy court at the end of this month.

The couple has steadfastly refused to respond to questions.

Some of their dealings have led to lawsuits. But so far, there has been no criminal prosecution.

Law enforcement officials are not commenting about specific cases.

Eric Forster, a real estate fraud expert based in Los Angeles, is broadly familiar with the cases in question.

"As more and more fraudulent transactions are being unearthed, the banks are going to turn more of them over to the FBI and the respective U.S. Attorneys for prosecution," says Forster. "There is an obligation to identify people who propagate these types of scams and basically segregate them. Keep them away from the public."

Taylor successfully sued Thurman and his wife after losing his home and another property in Lake County he had inherited. Taylor walked away from court with just $55,000. That money is all gone now.

Today Taylor is being cared for at the Elm Haven Care Center in Stockton. His bills are paid by general assistance and Medi-Cal. Though he may not have any further recourse under the law, the continuing investigations by the Chauncey Bailey Project will hopefully prevent further scams by real estate agents affiliated with Your Black Muslim Bakery.