Once the deed was in his name, Jordan tried to sell the property. Luckily for the victim, a suspicious title company would not insure the property and the deal fell through. The interested buyer tried reaching out to the victim’s family and the seniors daughter received a letter from the Department of Finance informing her about the documents filed for the property. At this point, the family involved the Brooklyn DA’s office.
Deed theft has risen in the last few years as the New York market has heated up. According to Patch, “hundreds of Brooklynites have been the victims of deed theft and potentially illegal evictions that rob them of their homes.” Because of this, local politicians are asking for a federal investigation.
Borough President Adams and Council Member Cornegy wrote; “Deed fraud and mortgage foreclosures have reached a crisis moment in Brooklyn. We must do more to ensure that bad actors and government programs are not forcing seniors and low-income residents out of their homes.”