By Black Star News
Photos: YouTube Screenshots
The Office of New York Attorney General Letitia James is announcing the first indictments under a new deed theft law.
Today, Deepa Roy, 68, of Manhattan and Victor Quimis, 39, of Queens, were indicted on multiple charges related to deed theft. The two allegedly stole the deed of Renuka Bherwani, an elderly woman living in the Kew Gardens Hills area, of Queens–while she was said to be in hospice care.
Roy and Quimis are said to have forged Bherwani’s signature on documents and transferred the property to themselves. The pair also allegedly forged other documents to place the home under control of a corporation (Hunter Studios) they owned. Quimis is then said to have obtained a $552,500 mortgage on the home, which allegedly allowed him to pocket $300,000, after he paid off Bherwani’s prior mortgage and liens with his name on them.
Roy and Quimis were charged with numerous felonies in their deed theft racket. The AG’s Office, in a press release, states that “Quimis was arrested on August 4 and charged with four counts of Grand Larceny in the First Degree, two counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, Residential Mortgage Fraud in the Second Degree, Money Laundering in the Second Degree, two counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree, and Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree. Roy remains at large and faces the same charges.”
Attorney General James spoke about the scheme of the two men.
“Deepa Roy and Victor Quimis preyed on an elderly widow in hospice to steal the home she owned for nearly 40 years,” said James. “Cases like this one are exactly why I fought to advance new laws empowering my office to prosecute deed theft and protect New Yorkers’ homes. I will continue to use the law as both a sword and a shield to stop these despicable crimes and ensure this home is returned to the Bherwani family.”
Several New York politicians also commented on the deed theft arrests of Roy and Quimis.
“Whether it’s deed theft or squatter fraud, those who exploit vulnerable homeowners to steal their homes must be met with the full force of the law,” said State Senator John Liu. “These are among the most devastating crimes a homeowner can face, and sadly, that nightmare came true for this elderly widow. Many thanks to Attorney General James for holding these perpetrators accountable and cracking down on property theft wherever it occurs.”
“Deed theft is devastating and I was proud to work with Attorney General James and our colleagues to enact strong civil and criminal laws to prevent it whenever possible and to hold perpetrators accountable,” said Senator Brian Kavanagh. “I commend the Attorney General and her office for following through and taking decisive action to enforce the law and deliver justice. No New Yorker should fear losing their home to fraud, and with this strong enforcement, we’re sending a clear message that these crimes will not be tolerated.”
“Deed theft is a cruel and insidious scam that robs longtime homeowners of their property and wealth,” said Senator Zellnor Myrie. “Far too many New Yorkers have fallen prey to deed theft, which disproportionately impacts lower-income, older or otherwise vulnerable homeowners, especially Black and brown New Yorkers who have spent generations in the same home. The indictments Attorney General James secured today are a testament to the need for strong laws protecting homeowners from deed theft. I was proud to sponsor this law and I am grateful to the Attorney General, her team and my colleagues for supporting it.”
“Deed theft not only hurts those who have their homes stolen, it also robs all homeowners of their peace of mind by instilling fear that the homes they have worked so hard for might be stolen next,” said Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. “That’s why I commend Attorney General James for championing the state’s new anti-deed theft law, and for being diligent and pro-active in its enforcement. Let us continue to work together to make sure no one else in our great state is ever victimized by deed theft.”
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