Four individuals are accused of stealing three valuable homes in Queens, New York, through a fraudulent deed scheme, according to prosecutors per the NY Post.
Autumn Valeri, 41, a real estate agent from Commack, New York, who maintains a lavish presence on Instagram, along with her accomplices, allegedly forged signatures and submitted false documents to the City Register’s office two years ago. They are accused of unlawfully acquiring properties valued at over $3 million, stated Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz.
Elderly Homeowners Targeted by Criminals
Carl Avinger, 42, and Lawrence T. Ray, 38, both from Queens, along with Torey Guice of Roselle, New Jersey, surrendered to authorities on Tuesday. A grand jury has issued a 47-count indictment outlining their extensive crimes, which include charges of grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, conspiracy, identify theft, falsifying business records, and other offenses, the DA’s office said. They each pleaded not guilty during their arraignments in Queens County Supreme Court.
Authorities report that their scheme began on April 10, 2023, when they submitted a fraudulent document to the city’s finance department. They claimed a 76-year-old woman transferred her Jamaica Estates property to a company owned by Ray. They allegedly forged the signature of the woman’s deceased sister and a notary. Weeks later they allegedly targeted a mother and daughter in Kew Garden Hills, fabricating documents to sell the property for $600,000. They reportedly wired about $442,000 to Ray’s bank account, which is now involved in a civil lawsuit on hold due to the investigation.
On May 4, the defendants tried to acquire another Jamaica Estates home owned by an 82-year-old woman. After hearings, Supreme Court Justice Leigh Cheng released them on supervised release, requiring Avinger to wear an electronic monitor due to his criminal history. If convicted, they face prison sentences of five to 25 years.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
