{"id":1685,"date":"2021-09-15T10:00:46","date_gmt":"2021-09-15T14:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/?p=1685"},"modified":"2024-04-25T23:19:27","modified_gmt":"2024-04-26T03:19:27","slug":"amid-new-york-citys-rampant-deed-theft-one-victim-wins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/amid-new-york-citys-rampant-deed-theft-one-victim-wins\/","title":{"rendered":"Amid New York City\u2019s Rampant Deed Theft, One Victim Wins"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/new-york-city-deed-theft.jpg\" alt=\"Residential units in New York City\" class=\"wp-image-1686\" width=\"934\" height=\"351\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/new-york-city-deed-theft.jpg 934w, https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/new-york-city-deed-theft-300x113.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/new-york-city-deed-theft-768x289.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 934px) 100vw, 934px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Brooklyn property values are going up. And there are plenty\nof opportunists looking to steal deeds. In the Bedford-Stuyvesant district of\nBrooklyn in New York City, Dairus Griffiths just triumphed over those\nopportunists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the past decade, Brooklyn has lost many of its Black and\nHispanic residents, as gentrification reshapes the district. Serial fraudsters\nand their limited liability companies aren\u2019t making life any easier for\nlongtime residents. They scour public records for the most vulnerable and\nindebted homeowners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Deed cheats use the shell company structure to blur the\nidentities of holders. The manipulators lie to their targets; they forge deeds;\nand they move houses from one LLC to the next. Identifying and charging these\nmanipulators becomes very hard to do. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Tool: The Home Equity Theft Prevention Act<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Griffiths, a retired construction worker, lost the longtime\nfamily home years ago to a development firm. During a period of financial\ndistress, Griffiths signed over the deed of the $1.5 million building for less\nthan half its market value. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Griffiths was fortunate. The borough president, Eric Adams,&nbsp;was\nmoved by the family\u2019s plight. Adams <a href=\"https:\/\/brooklyneagle.com\/articles\/2019\/06\/25\/bp-adams-calls-for-investigation-into-bed-stuy-deed-theft-allegation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">brought the family\u2019s situation to the office of the Kings\nCounty District Attorney<\/a>. And the Sher Tremonte law firm stepped in to\nhandle the case <em>pro bono<\/em>. The firm sued on behalf of Griffiths under the\nHome Equity Theft Prevention Act. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This provision prevents deals involving deceit and unfair\ncontracts with investor buyers: <\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>It directs investor buyers to adhere to a five-day\ncancellation period, during which the sale cannot be deemed final. No deed may\nbe recorded during that time. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Investor buyers are barred from manipulating or\ndeceiving \u201cequity sellers\u201d and may not pretend to be advising and assisting the\nowner in keeping the house or stopping a foreclosure without a good-faith basis\nfor such statements. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The provision also forces the investor buyer to\npay the owner at least 82% of the home\u2019s fair market value, using an official\nform to make a clear accounting of the basis for the price.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The provision further requires the homeowner to\nreceive an official notice in case of foreclosure, warning of parties that may promise\nthey can save the home, and steering owners to real information and assistance sources.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Most notably, there is a two-year rescission period for transactions\ninvolving homes in default or foreclosure, and a six-year period to sue the\nbuyers for damages under the provision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Empty Promises<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/empty-promises.jpg\" alt=\"The word &quot;investigation&quot; typed on paper in an old type writer.\" class=\"wp-image-1687\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/empty-promises.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.deeds.com\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/empty-promises-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Some targets of New York City deed scams believe they will\nget money and replacement housing, and smooth-talking business representatives\ntell them their firm will take care of the mortgage debt. These are usually\nempty promises. Yes, lawyers have to guide New York real estate transactions \u2014\nbut the deed cheats know how to produce lawyers. Some of the deed cheats <em>are\n<\/em>lawyers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In December 2020, Brooklyn D.A. Eric Gonzalez prosecuted a\nlawyer who received deeds to eight homes in Bedford-Stuyvesant, East New York, Flatbush,\nand Cypress Hills from May 2012 to November 2020. The lawyer had been suspended\nfrom law practice in 2012, for fraudulently diverting money from his dying\nuncle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The same lawyer had also been indicted* in 2017 for earlier <a href=\"https:\/\/gothamist.com\/news\/11-indicted-for-allegedly-stealing-houses-out-from-under-people-drowning-in-debt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">deed theft<\/a> activities. In those earlier actions, eleven\npeople, including real estate agents, were charged in connection with a series\nof deed scams. Half of the targets were seniors. All were in severe debt. In\none deed conveyance, people from a development firm allegedly targeted a\nseverely ill and hospitalized veteran. Some of the victims became homeless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the case of the eight stolen homes, the methods were\nsimilar. The defendant promised to avert foreclosures by negotiating short\nsales on the owners\u2019 behalf. Some of these owners thought they had to sign\ntheir deeds over for negotiations to begin. Others misunderstood the papers\nthey were signing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>* Note: An indictment is not proof of guilt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Before and After Deed Theft<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>How does a scammer meet a target? Some simply call. Some get\nowners to call them, by marketing through commercials and websites, offering to\nbuy homes for cash. Postcards and official-looking letters flow from dubious\nsources into Brooklyn mailboxes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once they have a target\u2019s attention, representatives show up\nat the door, promising freedom from loans and bills. Just sign the deed over,\nand everything will be taken care of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once a homeowner signs their rights away, the transferred\nbuildings can be rented out for profit, while the manipulator puts off the\nvictims\u2019 queries about how the negotiations are proceeding. The scammer has\nrights of ownership but is free to ignore the mortgage. These manipulators can\nrent out houses for years, raking in hundreds of thousands of dollars before\nthe foreclosure process plays out. As the deed holder on record, they could\neven profit from the buildings\u2019 appreciation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The victim, meanwhile, can\u2019t stop the foreclosure, sell the\nproperty, benefit from appreciation, or use the building for income. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How New Yorkers Can Protect Their Deeds<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If anyone claims to help the homeowner save a home from\nforeclosure, pay bills, and so forth, the owner should check with the state Department&nbsp;of\nFinancial Services&nbsp;to verify the firm\u2019s\nauthenticity. The NYC Department of Finance urges homeowners to take several\nsteps if they believe they have been <em>already <\/em>exploited by a deed scam:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Immediately complete a deed fraud complaint form and submit it to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www1.nyc.gov\/site\/finance\/about\/contact-by-email\/contact-online-complaint-form.page\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Sherriff\u2019s Office<\/a>.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Contact the <a href=\"https:\/\/www1.nyc.gov\/site\/finance\/about\/contact-us-by-visit.page\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">City Register<\/a> to request a certified copy of the documents used to convey title to the house. (For Staten Island, the <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.richmondcountyclerk.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">Richmond County Clerk<\/a> is the relevant contact point.)<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Report\nthe incident as a crime. Call the District Attorney\u2019s office in the home\u2019s\nborough.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s also a good idea to consult an attorney or local legal services that handle deed fraud cases. Homeowners can get more information about scams at <a href=\"https:\/\/homeownerhelpny.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">HomeownerHelpNY<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The best remedy, of course, is prevention. \u201cI urge anyone\nconsidering selling their property to be prudent about with whom they do\nbusiness,\u201d District Attorney Gonzalez has stated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBe wary of any unsolicited offers of help with your\nproperty and do not sign any documents unless you consult with an independently\nretained attorney.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a lesson many of Brooklyn\u2019s unfairly displaced families\nwould surely endorse. As for the Griffiths family, a happy ending finally came\nin the summer of 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-large is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\"><p><em>On May 27, 2021, Dairus Griffiths entered into a confidential settlement agreement with August West Development LLC, pursuant to which Mr. Griffiths regained ownership of his longtime family home at 650 Halsey Street in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn. The transaction closed on July 20, 2021.<\/em><\/p><cite><a href=\"https:\/\/shertremonte.com\/sher-tremonte-helps-dairus-griffiths-regain-ownership-of-his-brooklyn-home\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Sher Tremonte<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Supporting References<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">New York Real Property Law: <a href=\"https:\/\/law.justia.com\/codes\/new-york\/2015\/rpp\/article-8\/265-a\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">\u00a0Art. 8, \u00a7 265-a: Home Equity Theft Prevention<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">NYC Department of Finance: <a href=\"https:\/\/www1.nyc.gov\/site\/finance\/taxes\/deed-fraud.page\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Deed Fraud Alert! Protect Your Property From Deed Fraud<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Ben Verde for <em>Brooklyn Paper<\/em>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brooklynpaper.com\/bedford-stuyvesant-family-can-stay-in-their-home-after-deed-theft-case-settled\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Bedford-Stuyvesant Family Can Stay in Their Home After Deed Theft Case Settled<\/a> (Aug. 24, 2021).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Press Release from the Office of Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez (Kings County, New York): <a href=\"http:\/\/www.brooklynda.org\/2020\/12\/09\/brooklyn-attorney-indicted-for-real-estate-fraud-in-connection-with-eight-properties-valued-at-nearly-8-million\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Brooklyn Attorney Indicted for Real Estate Fraud in Connection With Eight Properties Valued at Nearly $8 Million<\/a> (Dec. 7, 2020).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Aidan Graham for <em>Brooklyn Paper<\/em>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brooklynpaper.com\/district-attorney-midwood-deed-theft\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Midwood Attorney Indicted for Alleged Deed Theft<\/a> (Dec. 7, 2020). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Noah Goldberg for the <em>Brooklyn Daily Eagle<\/em>: <a href=\"https:\/\/brooklyneagle.com\/articles\/2019\/06\/25\/bp-adams-calls-for-investigation-into-bed-stuy-deed-theft-allegation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">BP Adams Calls for Investigation Into Bed-Stuy Deed Theft Allegation<\/a> (Jun. 25, 2019). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Nathan Tempey for <em>Gothamist:<\/em> <a href=\"https:\/\/gothamist.com\/news\/11-indicted-for-allegedly-stealing-houses-out-from-under-people-drowning-in-debt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">11 Indicted for Allegedly Stealing Houses Out From Under People Drowning in Debt<\/a> (updated Mar. 3, 2017).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Stephanie Saul for <em>The New York Times<\/em>: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2015\/11\/08\/nyregion\/real-estate-shell-companies-scheme-to-defraud-owners-out-of-their-homes.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">The New York Times: Real Estate Shell Companies Scheme to Defraud Owners Out of Their Homes<\/a> (Nov. 7, 2015).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Hannah Frishberg for <em>Brownstoner.com<\/em>: <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.brownstoner.com\/blog\/2015\/10\/brooklyn-housing-scams-and-brooklyns-affordability-crisis\/\" target=\"_blank\">BP Adams Holds Homeowner Forum on Avoiding Mortgage Scams<\/a> (Oct. 23, 2015).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-small-font-size\">Photo credits: <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/brown-concrete-structure-under-sunny-sky-404173\/\" target=\"_blank\">Brandon Nickerson<\/a>, via Pexels, and <a href=\"https:\/\/unsplash.com\/photos\/cS2eQHB7wE4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\">Markus Winkler<\/a>, via Unsplash. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Brooklyn property values are going up. And there are plenty of opportunists looking to steal deeds. In the Bedford-Stuyvesant district of Brooklyn in New York City, Dairus Griffiths just triumphed over those opportunists. In the past decade, Brooklyn has lost many of its Black and Hispanic residents, as gentrification reshapes the district. Serial fraudsters and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[119,126],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-deed-fraud","category-new-york"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Amid New York City\u2019s Rampant Deed Theft, One Victim Wins - Deeds.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Brooklyn property values are going up. And there are plenty of opportunists looking to steal deeds. 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