First conviction under New York's deed theft law: Queens man admits stealing a dying widow's Kew Gardens Hills home

A Queens man has become the first person convicted under New York's criminal deed theft law, admitting he helped steal the Kew Gardens Hills home of an 88-year-old widow while she was receiving end-of-life hospice care inside it, Attorney General Letitia James announced.

Victor Quimis, 40, pleaded guilty Thursday, Nov. 5, in Queens County Supreme Court to two counts of first-degree grand larceny and one count of second-degree residential mortgage fraud. Under the plea, both forged deeds will be vacated and the house returned to the family of the owner, Renuka Bherwani, who died in June 2025.

How the scheme worked

Bherwani had owned the home with her late husband, Mohan, since 1986, and began receiving in-home care in 2020. According to the attorney general's office, a Manhattan woman, Deepa Roy, 69, began visiting around 2022, telling aides she was a friend, and in 2024 tried unsuccessfully to move into a spare room.

In October 2024, prosecutors say, Roy and Quimis forged Bherwani's signature on a deed transferring the house to themselves for nothing, using a forged signature and an incorrectly dated stamp from a Nassau County notary. A second forged deed in December 2024 moved the property to Hunter Studios & Developer Corp., a company owned by Quimis.

Quimis then took out a $552,500 mortgage on the house, paid off Bherwani's existing mortgage and liens, and moved the remaining $312,037.57 into the company's accounts for his own use, the AG said. Roy received at least $15,000 by bank check with the memo line "Per agreement."

A letter from DEP gave it away

Bherwani's son and daughter-in-law, who held power of attorney, found the theft in December 2024 while opening mail at the house: a Department of Environmental Protection letter congratulating Quimis on becoming the "new owner" and explaining how to set up a water billing account, QNS and the AG's office reported. They reported it to the attorney general that month.

What happens next

• Jan. 15, 2027: Quimis is due back for sentencing and will receive 1.5 to 4.5 years in state prison. The deeds will be vacated then, and the AG will also ask the court to void the mortgage.
• Feb. 8, 2027: Roy, who has pleaded not guilty and is presumed innocent, is scheduled for trial.

Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr., state Sen. Leroy Comrie and Council Member James Gennaro all welcomed the plea, with Gennaro noting that deed theft has historically been very hard to prosecute.

If you suspect deed theft

The attorney general's office asks anyone who thinks a deed was transferred without their consent to call 1-800-771-7755, email deedtheft@ag.ny.gov or file a confidential complaint online. For a recent Brooklyn case still playing out in housing court, see our report on 964 Park Place in Crown Heights.