New NY state law makes deed theft criminal

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Imagine owning a multimillion-dollar brownstone in Bedford-Stuyvesant, then learning one day someone illegally sold it right from under your feet. "They gave me a letter for 10 days and told me I had 10 days to move,” said Carmella Charrington, Bed-Stuy resident. Charrington said in January, she was served that notice to vacate her Bed-Stuy brownstone. She said is partially owned by her father and has been maintained by her family since the death of her aunt. She and her family were blindsided. "I went to the district attorney I went to everybody and was like, 'There is some fraud here,'” Charrington said. She soon learned she was not alone in this fight. Several of her neighbors were facing similar circumstances known as deed theft. "I sit out here with my sign here that says stop stealing our brownstones, everyday somebody is talking to me about it,” she said. According to the Attorney General’s Office, from 2014 to April 2023 the NYC Sheriff's Office counted nearly 3,500 complaints of deed theft in New York City. More than 1,500 complaints in Brooklyn. "Deed theft is a serious crime it robs individuals of generational wealth and its critically important that primarily concerns communities of color,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James. She said this is a big problem in Central Brooklyn, where people like Charrington live. James co-authored a bill sponsored by State Sen. Zellnor Myrie and Assemblymember Landon C. Dais that takes effect Friday. The new law makes deed theft a crime, classifying it as felony grand larceny. It also amends the statute of limitations allowing prosecutors more time to seek justice for victims of deed theft. Prosecution must now begin within five years after the theft or two years after the rightful homeowner learns the deed has been stolen, whichever occurs later. The new law also gives the Office of the Attorney General concurrent original jurisdiction to prosecute deed theft alongside district attorneys. "It is a crime, it is grand larceny plain and simple,” said James. Charrington advocated to see the bill passed and hopes this new law will help her stay in her home. If you believe you are a victim of deed theft calls the NY Attorney General at 1-800-771-7755 or email deedtheft@ag.ny.gov or file a complaint online. "