Monday, December 4, 2017

City getting away with filing fraudulent deed


From the Daily News:

A man who swiped an elderly woman’s house with phony documents did time for the crime — but an appellate court is letting the city off the hook for processing the paperwork that let the ex-con make himself at home.

A Brooklyn appeals court has ruled that a judge was right to toss a lawsuit brought against the city by Jennifer Merin — whose Queens abode was filched by a criminal who filed a fraudulent deed.

Merin, 74, had sued the city for not catching the forgery when the paperwork was first filed, but lost on appeal when the court backed a judge who said she couldn’t prove the city was negligent.

The feisty homeowner is fuming and has vowed to fight the decision.

“I find it absolutely astonishing and sickening that the city that gave away my property without due process by registering an obviously fraudulent deed, while it was still charging me for taxes on that property and water usage on that property, is now insisting that it has no accountability for those actions,” Merin told the Daily News.

The city said Merin was suing over a missed “needle in a haystack,” according to court papers.

The phony deed that started all the problems was one of almost 1,400 deeds recorded that week, city lawyers noted.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't get it. You can sue the city for every little thing, even when the city is not at fault or negligent and they pay out millions.

In this case the city is at fault for this nonsense they allowed to happen, and not a dime is payed out.

Anonymous said...

So does the City have any obligation to process these things correctly and with due diligence?

Anonymous said...

A city employee be responsible for their work? Hahahahahahahaha!

Anonymous said...

paul vallone has been fighting this fight against albany for years for our seniors who get taken advantage of! now we need albany to act

Anonymous said...

What is the perpetrators's name and where is his photograph?

Her first mistake was not calling 911 and screaming elder abuse, she should have gone inside and say that they had drugs on them and where beating her up.

I really hope she wins on the appeal. Bastards.

Why isn't she suing NYPD for not arresting them for trespassing months ago?

Anonymous said...

She has to make complaints against the judges.

(sarc) said...

This but just another travesty of justice!

Anonymous said...

I would hire someone to take all the windows and doors off of the house and then call the Police standing in my house shouting I am getting raped and attacked by 3 black men. F these jackasses you can't play nice with these sort of people. Feel sorry for her thousands of dollars spent in the courts. For what? The guy got 1 year in jail and he only did 6 months if I am not mistaken. Darn shame.

Anonymous said...

Nonsense. The City needs to take responsibility, but that will never happen under this regime.