Missing name's picture

Two Long Island men charged with trying to steal homes from lawful owners

Two Long Island men were indicted Thursday on charges of trying to steal two homes from property owners in Brooklyn and Queens, state Attorney General Letitia James said.

Andy Francis, 62, of Elmont, and Frank Torres, 60, of Dix Hills, submitted fraudulent deeds and supporting documents — never signed by the owners of the homes — with the New York City Register’s Office, James said.

One of the homes is on 95th Street in Brownsville, Brooklyn; the other is on 138th Avenue in Laurelton, Queens, she said, announcing the duo had been indicted on charges of grand larceny and offering a false instrument for filing.

“No homeowner should have to fear theft of their home from scam artists,” said James, who promised her office would do everything possible to hold such criminals accountable. “Too often, we see cases where individuals file false documents, forge signatures, and steal deeds from rightful owners."

The two men fraudulently transferred ownership of the two homes to two companies controlled by Torres between September and December 2017, James said.

"In both instances, the lawful owners never signed the deed nor the supporting documents, and they never gave Francis, Torres, or anyone else, permission to sign on their behalf," she said.

Her spokesman did not immediately identify the defendants' lawyers or say how long they could be sentenced, if found guilty.

Francis is not yet arraigned; Torres was arraigned before Justice Barry Kron in Queens County Supreme Court.

This arrest sends a clear message that the City Register is vigilant in the deed recording process to ensure that it is not compromised by criminals who think they can circumvent the law.

This content has been reproduced from its original source.

Share This Article

More Articles

Loading...

Today's System Isn't Protecting You From Title Theft

"People think there's somebody that's checking your signature. Nobody is checking any of these things. Nobody is looking out for you but you."

— Matthew Cox (Convicted Home Title Thief)

  • County clerk won't call you if someone changes title on your home
  • Homeowners insurance doesn't cover home title theft
  • Credit card or traditional identity protection doesn't cover home title theft

Protect Yourself today, with Home Title Lock.

  • 24/7 monitoring of your Title
  • Instant alerts if we detect tampering with your title or mortgage
  • Access to our team of Title Restoration Experts

How Easily Title Fraud Occurs

EVERYTHING is stored online in the cloud - including your home's title information

  • 1
    Domestic and international thieves scour online records for homes with equity. It could be the home you live in, your vacation home, a home of an elderly relative, or rental property you own.
  • 2
    Once they change your home's ownership from YOU to THEM, they re-file the Quitclaim Deed for your home with the proper authorities so it appears your home has been legally sold.
  • 3
    They take out personal loans through banks and online lenders using all your home's equity. You likely won't know you're a victim until you start receiving late payments or foreclosure notices.
Man with concealed face wearing a dark colored hooded sweater

Click to see if your home's title has been compromised.
Get your FREE TITLE SCAN and COMPREHENSIVE TITLE REPORT(a $100 value FREE with sign up)

Sign Up

Speak to a live agent

(800) 899-6268

Title Fraud is NOT COVERED by

Your Bank

Legal Trust

Homeowners Insurance

Identity Theft Protection

Signing Up Is Easy - Start Your Subscription Today

Title Lock alerts help you detect property fraud before it's too late.
Create your account for only pennies per day.

Sign Up Today

The Leader in Home Title Protection