He agreed to make the necessary steps the ensure im left with the property i invest in.  

Welcome to BP - you've definitely come to the right place - I'd recommend some of the books in the BP bookstore for next steps - particularly the BRRRR Method book by David Greene which is great and might be perfect for your situation

But the steps are the same, just find a property where you ca make the numbers work and that has good upside and go for it. repeat that as soon as you have the downpayment for the next one and keep going. 

A closing attorney almost just fell victim to Justin and was able to reach the bank in time recalling the wire before losing his money, which then led the bank to contacting me and now maybe the arrest.More charges are being filed against him since his bank has stepped in, law enforcement and maybe now the FBI are on it. 

We have been saving up for a down payment on an investment property, but we are at a bit of a crossroads with what step to take next.On one hand, we want to get in the game as soon as possible and have considered getting an LTR property first, so we can begin to learn about the ins and outs of REI.

As a final step, they requested an in-person appraisal to confirm the value of my current residence.

I would strongly recommend to join several syndications as an LP for your next step. 

You stepped on a land mine there.

I'm definitely out of my comfort zone and I'm afraid to take the first step. 

Could someone please advise an actionable step or game plan I can follow to tap into my equity correctly (if that makes sense here) whether that's HELOC, Cash-Out or another strategy?