Woman accused of stealing a house under her father's name
6:42 PM EST, November 14, 2023
An unexpected fraud case occurred in New York, where a 35-year-old woman allegedly sold a house she didn't own. She spent the substantial earnings from the sale on jewelry and a car.
The woman, a resident of the Bronx, stands accused of stealing and selling a deceased man's house, according to a report by the New York Post. Interestingly, the deceased man and her late father shared the same names. The woman allegedly made over $350,000 from the illicit property sale, which she used to purchase expensive jewelry and a car.
The Bronx District Attorney, Darcel D. Clark, quoted in the New York Post, indicated that the woman managed to sell the property for several hundreds of thousands of dollars, even though she held no legal rights over the house. Clark added, "She purportedly engaged in a lavish shopping spree, splurging on a luxury car, home decor, jewelry, and artworks."
Court documents show that the woman came into dubious possession of the house on East 219th Street and Bronxwood Avenue in Williamsbridge in April 2020, more than three years after her father's death, and attempted to take control of his estate.
The house itself, situated a mere two miles from New York's Botanic Garden and valued at $675,000, was the property of a recently deceased man who shared the same first and last name as the woman's father, despite no familial relation. She falsely claimed to be the heir of the property and managed to sell it in February 2023 for $480,000, receiving about $350,000 directly into her bank account.
The woman seemingly went on a lavish spending spree using the funds, including the purchase of an Audi Q8 valued at $50,000. Records suggest she gave $10,000 to her brother to act as her driver. Additionally, she apparently planned to spend $17.5 thousand on interior decorations, $17 thousand on pricey jewelry, and $6 thousand on art pieces.
Upon her lawyer's discovery that she held no rights to the house, she was asked to return the money. However, she reportedly refused to do so, according to the prosecutor. Facing criminal charges, the woman was arrested and bail was set at $300,000.
