Queens DA claws back two stolen homes in major deed fraud crackdown
Queens, NY – Two families wrongfully stripped of their homes by a brazen deed fraud scheme have had their properties returned after a judge voided fraudulent deeds, marking another courtroom victory for Queens prosecutors targeting real estate theft.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that on January 28, a court order restored ownership of two homes to their rightful owners after the properties were stolen through forged and fraudulent deeds. The homes had been illegally transferred and then sold to third parties as part of a larger deed theft operation.
Prosecutors initiated proceedings under New York State Criminal Procedure Law 420.45 to void the fraudulent deeds following the convictions of those involved. The action marked the 11th time the Queens District Attorney’s Office has used the statute, which it was the first in New York to employ in 2023, to return stolen homes after criminal convictions.
The case involved a scheme in which defendants unlawfully took ownership of three homes located in Kew Gardens Hills, Queens Village, and Jamaica Estates. Four individuals and three companies were ultimately convicted, including one defendant whose true identity remains unknown and who used multiple aliases.
Among those convicted, Torey Guice pleaded guilty to falsifying business records and was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge while consenting to the fraudulent deed being voided. Autumn Valeri pleaded guilty to multiple counts of grand larceny and received five years of probation, surrendered her real estate license, and agreed to void the deeds. Lawrence Ray pleaded guilty to scheme to defraud and was sentenced to probation and forfeiture of more than $403,000. A fourth defendant, identified as John Doe, was sentenced to up to nine years in prison after pleading guilty to grand larceny and identity theft.
Because two of the homes had already been transferred to third parties, prosecutors relied on the state statute to restore ownership. The Housing and Worker Protection Bureau, formed in 2020, has now returned 23 homes to rightful owners, including 11 through use of the statute.
Key Points
- Two Queens homes stolen through deed fraud were returned to their owners
- Prosecutors used a state statute to void fraudulent deeds after convictions
- Four defendants and three companies were convicted in the scheme
