SAN DIEGO -- A 73-year-old Oceanside woman said her life savings was stolen by a man who claimed he was selling her a house.

Joel Watkins put down a $50,000 down payment on a mobile home. She lost her husband and her home and was only trying to purchase a new one until she met Cecilio Zamora.

Watkins spent her life serving her country as a Marine, and then for 20 years as a nurse in San Diego.

She said her wedding day seemed like it was yesterday, although she recently lost her husband just before their 50th anniversary.

"I told him I have $50,000; it's all I have in the world," said Watkins. "I've never been alone, and now I'm alone and broke."

Watkins said Zamora sold her a mobile home and then took the down payment, but never gave it to the home's real owner. She claimed Zamora pocketed her money.

"How could a man take a 73-year-old woman's last dollar and leave me in a house not knowing what's going to happen to it?" said Watkins.

10News reporter Mitch Blacher visited Zamora at his Oceanside office.

"What happens is I help a lot of folks and things just got mixed up," said Zamora.

Zamora told 10News to talk to his lawyer.

"We're specifically talking about a woman named Joel Watkins, she gave you $50,000," Blacher told Zamora.

"Again, you're going to have to talk to them, because everything's already taken care of," Zamora replied.

"She doesn't think it's taken care of."

"If you can do me a favor just give him a call."

10News contacted Zamora's lawyer, but it turned out he wasn't Zamora's lawyer but an attorney who represents Factory Funding, the group that owns Watkins' home.

"Did he steal their money?" asked Blacher.

"Mr. Zamora took some money from people, yes," said attorney Michael Lusby.

Lusby said Zamora was guilty of misdeeds and that he never had the capitol to run his business legitimately.

Lusby said Factory Funding is willing to let Watkins stay in her home until the situation is sorted out.

Watkins said besides her money, she only wants one thing: "What I'd like to do is take my walking cane and beat the hell out of him."

Zamora still has a legitimate license to sell mobile homes, but the San Diego District Attorney's Office is now investigating his business practices.