Asiana Investment Group, Acting like a buyer then ask the seller to reinvest their real estate sale value to his phony business Austin TX

Bruce Tran texted me on 1/2/2025 wanting to see the restaurant Las Islas, saying he would be in town the next day (1/3/2025), and he called me to request a showing (1/4/2025) at 3 pm. I was in Manor with two kids to care for another rental property that must be ready for rent. Then I headed to South Austin when he texted and called me. The first restaurant is Las Islas, and the owner is Jose Ramirez.  The restaurant's owner was my friend and client since last year, and the chef came out and offered us a plate of seafood to taste. Bruce Tran ordered his plate, and he said he wanted to test the food of the current restaurant to purchase and keep the good employees. He did not pay for me or my boys as he had just eaten at Pho Yes in Manor. It is a lie from Bruce Tran that he paid us lunches and dinners. Actually, he invited us to eat to have a chance to made us believe that he is a successful CEO that he can made a lot of money to spend and willing to take care people around him.

 He got his appointment served immediately on the same day he requested via text. He has my care to the utmost, and he texted me very late and demanded an answer ASAP, saying his company needs to spend $7,000,000 in cash and does not have much time in Austin. The Las Islas restaurant is in Riverside and it was my listing and sold in 12/2024 that I split with Allan Hanson in half my commission check as the requirement of BHHS to be a commercial agent. This year, the current owner-Jose Antonio Ramirez, relist with me to resale for less as he has a family emergency and he is needed to be back in Oregon.

Bruce Tran agreed to buy, but he said he wanted to add a smoke lounge inside the restaurant. I told Bruce that the landlord there would not agree to add that kind of business, plus there is already a smoke shop. So, I told him I had another listing in Cedar Park, and I might ask the seller to let him have a smoke lounge inside the restaurant. I gave the address, and we met at the second restaurant, 315 N.Bell, Cedar Park, TX 78613.

For the verbal agreement to purchase the business assets (freezer, fridge, fixture, cameras, built out of hood and grease trap, license to sell food and permits of 99 seats indoor) of the restaurant at 315 N. Bell, Cedar Park, TX 78613 for $50,000, Bruce Tran skirted the promise to wire that money to seller-Phuong Tran.

For the lease 315 N. Bell restaurant for 5 years at the total rent of $9,000/month, Bruce Tran has never given Linh Nguyen any personal or his LLC’s Financial Statement, SS#, or sign any Rental Application to get the final approval for the lease in which he asked for 4 months free rent to start the 5 years term. He also did not sign the Commercial Lease contract that I drafted for BTT, LLC that he later said he wanted it under rather the original one Asiana Investment Group, LLC. I found out that neither in Florida or Texas has such BTT, LLC registered.

Rather than a verbal agreement to buy business assets at 315 N. Bell for $50,000 (commission for BHHS is 10% of the $50,000) and the $150,000 the seller agreed to reinvest in his phony company for 5% share and to become share holder, Bruce Tran asking her to buy more shares to become “the last board member with 10% invesment at the price $300,000. Bruce Tran agreed to pay all for BHHS the commission (10% of the asset sale and 8% of the total base rent).

I signaled for Phuong not to investing anymore than the bargain of the sale of the restaurant (rather we discount that money anyway). The next morning, Bruce Tran texted me and offered me $5,000 bonus to convince my best friend to wire $300,000 to his company to invest. When I refused, he became upset and berated me like I was too stupid to say no to his $5,000 offer. I said I was happy with real estate and did not want to be involved in a career as a financial advisor. I explained to him that when the investment fails, the clients will be upset and could be violent. I do not want the job. Then I told him I rather to continue with the next project that he wanted to purchase the commercial building and I must meet the owners to make an offer despite it is not listed to sell. He also pushy me to work for him for multiple purchases so that I forgot what I need to do with my listing that he agreed to buy. He bragged he has a house $2,200,000 house in Orlando with a young girl friend 25 years old and he wanted a new home in Austin for $5 million max. He told me he has only a week in Austin and want every done.  He flipt between having wife and no wife as all depending on his purpose of the conversation.

Because Bruce Tran  demanded to view too many properties and in a short time, I asked him to go one car so that we could talk and I can show him the city with mall, population density, business activities…ect to invest. I asked him to drop my truck at my home and use his car to see the guest room he wanted to rent. It was a rental listing with the same owner-Phuong Tran. She has a house I helped her to buy last year $1,250,000 and she has the guest room separately with the house and want to find a tenant to rent it for $1,000/month. As a result, he knows my house, my car, and my kids. For my friend and seller-Phuong Tran, he scammed her out of her identity: resident and business addresses, bank account, SS#, and driver license and knowing her mom.

Bruce Tran did not sign any written contract but using a phony “Maria Santiego” and forced me to communicate with her. When I called her, I got no answer. When I emailed her, there were 2 days without response. Bruce Tran explained that she must do the tax for 340 employees, then the next day he said 300 employees (and I wonder where the 40 employees go).

The third day afer my request to fullfill the rental and purchase folder on dotloop, she answered but slammed me that I did not have the right to ask for company tax return, or ID. Either I must accept her company way or no deal! She also secretly email to the seller and landlord_Phuong Tran, asking her to send her SS#, ID, cancel check, current address…etc. Phuong Tran was freak out and called me. I told her I have zero of his or her SS# and I cannot run a credit check on these individuals. The seller -Phuong Tran wants me to be soft to keep the deal, so I told her if you say so, you do whatever you want to follow Maria Santiego request, so she did.

For my part, I sent out the dotloop folder and Bruce Tran did not sign. All forms sent to him got returned. After 3 days of verbal agreement, I got only a signature of Maria Santiego. I asked Bruce Tran that if she represent him, I need to see the company formation, management formation. In addition, if Maria Santiego is to sign all document on Bruce Tran behalf, I need to have her ID and Power of Attorney. I called Maria and she did not answer. I asked for a Zoom meeting and Bruce Tran said he banned board members to talk directly to any one but him to prevent failure in customer relations. I told him I could not work like that. The paperwork must match who did want because it is a liability for long-term. In addition, Bruce Tran promised to wire money and send contract from his lawyer for seller laywer to review and we (listing agent and seller) received nothing.

When he could not force my best friend another $300,000 to invest in his phony company, he said he must go to Oklamaha for another appointment and will come back in a week. I told him we could wait. Contract must be sign and the money must be wired or no deal. He was supper upset and berated me. I then told him I found out he is a very good scammer but no money and no house, he threaten to report to Texas Real Estate Commission, my broker, and sue me for defamation. I told him “Go for it,” and do not contact me any more. He kepts emailing till almost 3 am on 01/09/2025. I told him I will report to police and FBI because this is an interstate crime and he is repeated offender. I told him I do not approve for him to rent my best friend home because I am a property manager and listing broker under the broker Berkshire Hathaway HS TX Realty.

He then using a phony character -“Maria Santiego” to email my broker multiple times. I went to see my supervisor in person and show proof of a scammer and that God helped me to see the true color he is and how good he can scam people. I have a lists of his victims and unless he can be a sworm to live under the mud, he would be found.

I kept all of his text to file the police report, which I called on 01/10/2020, and an assigned police officer had already called me back, but I was showing another client in Leander for a smoke shop, and I did not have time to respond to the police. When Rick Ellis called me, I saw Rick Ellis first instead of the police.

After talking with Rick Ellis, he emailed back to the phony character -Maria Santiego, that we did not have a signed contract with Bruce Tran or the company that was closed and illegally using the name to do business in multiple states, mainly to scam people saving then run away, Rich Ellis terminate the request to give another agent to serve this scammer on 01/10/2025. 

I am even want him to show up in court with me, so that I can see his final arrested and justice can be done for mulplie people who got scammed from him.