AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man who is promising free housing for those willing to move to a rural part of West Texas now faces a lawsuit from the state’s attorney general. According to a press release from Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office, Malcolm Tanner is accused of orchestrating an “illegal scheme” to take political control of Loving County, the least-populated county in Texas. Paxton is also requesting a temporary restraining order to stop him.
In videos posted on social media, Tanner claims he’s building 100 free homes and he’s offering $5,000 a month to people willing to move to the area.
According to the lawsuit, Tanner owns two undeveloped five-acre plots in Loving County. Investigative reporting from the Houston Chronicle reveals that roughly three dozen people have already moved to