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90-year-old immigrant could lose Brooklyn home after deed theft scam, family says

90-year-old could face eviction after he was scammed out of deed, family says
90-year-old could face eviction after he was scammed out of deed, family says 02:14

NEW YORK — A 90-year-old immigrant is set to lose his Brooklyn home of over 50 years after his family says he was scammed out of the deed.

A mortgage was taken out on the home in 2006 by an alleged fraudster, unbeknownst to resident Ray Cortez. His family found out in 2015 and tried to take action, but could not before the home was foreclosed on and sold to an LLC in 2018 that's currently listed as the righful and legal owner. That LLC now wants him out. 

Government officials, loved ones call to stop eviction proceeding

Cortez, his family, his neighbors and government officials braved the cold Wednesday, calling on action to stop his impending eviction proceeding this Friday.

"We are seeking justice for Mr. Ray Cortez," Assemblymember Jo Ann Simon said. "This is the only home he has had. He wants to stay here, and he was the victim of an egregious deed theft scam."

"The time for promises and silence is over. It's time for action," another person said.

"Like the assemblymember said, it's so many tentacles and things that crisscrossed throughout all these years. This warrants an investigation," Ray Cortez Jr. said.

Wells Fargo, who is listed as a trustee in relation to the home, and who the Cortez's in part point blame towards, released a statement to CBS News New York in response: "While we sympathize with Mr. Cortez's situation, Wells Fargo did not originate the mortgage or make any foreclosure decisions on the property. Our role was administrative in nature as Trustee for the mortgage securitization trust."

"It took a tremendous toll"

In 2023, the New York City Sheriff's Office reported 3,500 deed theft scams dating back to 2013, with a majority of them in Brooklyn and Queens.

Those numbers in part led to the signing of a new bill passed the same year to crack down on deed theft scams in New York, allowing the attorney general and local district attorneys to investigate cases just like Cortez's.

But after years of trying, the Cortez family says there haven't been any tangible results. The emotional baggage, however, sticks around, they say, along with continued calls to find hope in the new law that has so far left the Cortez family hopeless.

"It broke up the family. It broke up the family. And it took a tremendous toll on my father and myself trying to deal with this and rectify it. And it wasn't easy," Ray Cortez Jr. said.

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