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n a brazen scheme to pilfer properties from unsuspecting homeowners, four individuals and three companies have been indicted for orchestrating a massive deed fraud operation in Queens. The alleged ringleaders, including two men from southeast Queens, one from Long Island, and another from New Jersey, used forged documents and fake signatures to steal homes in Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens Hills, and Queens Village.
According to the indictment, Carl Avinger, 42, of St. Albans, Lawrence T. Ray, 38, of Jamaica, Autumn Valeri, 41, of Commack, and Torey Guice, 40, of Roselle, NJ, worked together to file false documents with the NYC Department of Finance, recording deed transfers that were never authorized by the rightful owners.
The scheme began on April 10, 2023, when Avinger and Valeri, a licensed real estate agent, filed a fake document transferring ownership of a home in Jamaica Estates from a 76-year-old woman to Shuler Management LLC, owned by Ray. The signature of a deceased co-owner was forged, and the notary signature was also found to be fraudulent.
Over the next few weeks, the defendants continued their scheme, filing false documents that recorded deed transfers for two more homes in Kew Gardens Hills and Jamaica Estates. In each case, the signatures were forged, and the notary signatures were fake. The homes were eventually sold to third parties, with the defendants pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales proceeds.
Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz vowed to protect property owners from such scams, saying, "Property ownership is a fundamental right, and my office will do everything in its power to safeguard that right." Katz praised her team for their work on the case, which utilized a new law signed into effect in November 2023 to stay a civil proceeding related to one of the properties.
The defendants face serious charges, including grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, and conspiracy. If convicted, they could face significant prison time: Ray and Valeri up to 8 ⅓ to 25 years, Avinger up to 12 ½ to 25 years, and Guice up to five to 15 years.
