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Joseph Makhani's motion dismissed; AG James continues pursuit on Harlem deed theft case

LEGAL NEWSLINE

Friday, November 22, 2024

Joseph Makhani's motion dismissed; AG James continues pursuit on Harlem deed theft case

State AG
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Attorney General Letitia James | Ballotpedia

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced that the New York County Supreme Court has denied Joseph Makhani’s motion to dismiss the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) case against him for deed theft. Makhani was indicted in July 2023 for allegedly using forged and falsified documents to steal two Harlem homes valued at over $4.7 million.

"Deed theft is a shameful crime that robs New Yorkers of their most important assets – their homes. Our case charges Joseph Makhani for his alleged schemes targeting vulnerable homeowners. Today’s ruling ensures my office can continue our case against him and seek justice. I will always fight to protect New Yorkers’ homes and stop deed thieves who seek to profit from displacing communities," said Attorney General James.

The indictment alleges that in 2012, Makhani stole two brownstones located at 107 West 118th Street and 135 West 131st Street in Harlem through a scheme involving forged documents and shell companies. In state real estate tax filings, he claimed to have paid only $10 for each home, though their combined estimated value exceeded $4.7 million at the time of possession. One building's rightful elderly owner was forced into homelessness due to Makhani’s actions, while tenants in another property faced eviction after he used a forged signature to transfer ownership to a company under his control.

Makhani pleaded not guilty in July 2023 before Judge Michele Rodney on two counts of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the First Degree and one count of Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree. He faces a maximum penalty ranging from eight and a third years to 25 years in state prison if convicted.

Attorney General James has been active in protecting New York homeowners from deed theft and housing scams. She recently announced the sentencing of a disbarred attorney involved in stealing three properties in Queens. In July 2024, legislation co-authored by her established deed theft as a crime and expanded OAG's prosecutorial powers regarding it. The same month, she also announced the conviction and sentencing of Marcus Wilcher for leading a deed theft operation.

In February 2021, Attorney General James allocated an $800,000 grant to combat deed theft in vulnerable neighborhoods. She launched the Protect Our Homes initiative in January 2020 and formed an interagency law enforcement task force addressing deed theft and real estate fraud.

Assistant Attorneys General Nazy Modiri and Matthew Luongo are prosecuting the case under supervision from Real Estate Enforcement Unit Chief Gerard Murphy, Deputy Bureau Chief Kiran Heer, Section Chief Nicholas Batsidis, with assistance from former Legal Support Analysts Grace Koh and Hannah Mueller. The Public Integrity Bureau is part of the Division for Criminal Justice led by Chief Deputy Attorney General José Maldonado and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.

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