Brooklyn, NY – A disbarred attorney was sentenced Wednesday to an indeterminate term of two and a half to seven years in prison for stealing deeds tied to 11 Brooklyn properties.
The sentencing followed his conviction on 17 counts connected to a decade-long fraudulent real estate scheme.
Corporations he controls were also ordered to pay $120,000 in fines.
Key Points
- A disbarred attorney was sentenced for stealing deeds to 11 Brooklyn properties
- The scheme targeted homeowners in financial distress facing foreclosure
- Fraudulent deeds were nullified by the court at sentencing
The defendant was identified as 68-year-old Sanford Solny of Midwood, who was convicted in June after a bench trial.
The court simultaneously nullified the deeds, which had been held by corporations he controlled during the scheme.
Evidence showed that from 2012 to 2022 Solny presented himself as a financial expert who could negotiate short sales for homeowners facing foreclosure.
He used false statements to induce victims into signing over their deeds, later transferring ownership to his companies.
Many of the 15 victims had limited legal or financial literacy.
In several cases Solny collected rent from existing tenants while foreclosure issues remained unresolved.
The 11 properties included locations in Bedford-Stuyvesant, East Flatbush, Canarsie, East New York and Ocean Hill.
Victims suffered loss of homes, equity, and credit damage as foreclosure proceedings continued in their names.
Solny was convicted of third-degree criminal possession of stolen property, first-degree scheme to defraud, and third-degree grand larceny.
Twelve corporations he owns were also convicted of related possession and larceny charges.
Prosecutors acknowledged the sentence reflected a commitment made by the court when rendering the verdict.
They stated they would have otherwise recommended a term of seven to 18 years.
The District Attorney’s Office noted it has obtained 30 indictments against 42 defendants in deed theft cases since 2017.
Officials reported that these convictions have contributed to a decline in deed fraud complaints made to the city’s Department of Finance.
The office reiterated its ongoing commitment to protecting homeowners from predatory real estate schemes.
