Queens Man Pleads Guilty in First Case Under New York's Criminal Deed Theft Law; Co-Defendant Faces Trial

Published Nov. 10, 2026. Case status is current as of that date.

An elderly woman was receiving end-of-life hospice care in the Queens home she had owned since 1986. According to the New York Attorney General's office, two people forged her signature on a deed and took the house while she was still living in it. On Nov. 5, 2026, Attorney General Letitia James announced that Victor Quimis, 40, of Queens, had pleaded guilty, which her office called the first conviction under New York's criminal deed theft law [1].

Status: Quimis pleaded guilty to two counts of Grand Larceny in the First Degree and one count of Residential Mortgage Fraud in the Second Degree before Judge Leigh Cheng in Queens County Supreme Court. He is due back for sentencing on Jan. 15, 2027, and, according to the AG, will be sentenced to one and a half to four and a half years in state prison. His co-defendant, Deepa Roy, 69, of Manhattan, has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for trial on Feb. 8, 2027 [1].

Presumption of innocence: The AG's office states that "the charges against Roy are accusations to which she has pleaded not guilty, and she is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty" [1].

The AG's release names the homeowner and her family. Under our policy we do not name victims, and we refer to her only as the homeowner.

How the scheme worked, according to the AG

According to the Office of the Attorney General's investigation [1]:

1. Getting close. Around 2022, Roy allegedly began visiting the homeowner, telling her home health aides she was a friend. In summer 2024, Roy allegedly tried to persuade the aides to let her live in a spare room; the homeowner's family, who held power of attorney, said no.
2. The first forged deed. In October 2024, Roy and Quimis allegedly forged a deed with the homeowner's signature transferring the home to themselves for free. The notarization used a forged signature and an incorrectly dated stamp from a Nassau County notary. They also used her forged signature on other transfer documents, including a water and sewer billing form for the city's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
3. The second forged deed. In December 2024, they allegedly used a second forged deed to move the home to Hunter Studios & Developer Corp., a corporation owned by Quimis.
4. Cashing out. Quimis used the second deed to obtain a $552,500 mortgage, paid off the homeowner's remaining mortgage and liens, and moved the remaining $312,037.57 to Hunter Studios' bank accounts for his personal benefit. Roy allegedly received at least $15,000 by bank check with the memo line "Per agreement."
5. Discovery. In December 2024, the family found a DEP letter at the home congratulating Quimis on becoming the "new owner" and reported it to the AG's office. The homeowner died in June 2025.

Both were charged on Aug. 7, 2025 [1].

What the plea means for the home

According to the AG, both deeds will be vacated at Quimis's sentencing and the home will be returned to the family. The AG's office will also seek to void the mortgage on the home at sentencing [1].

Attorney General James said: "Deed theft is a malicious crime that robs families of their homes, their community, and their financial security" [1].

The people charged and their status

• Victor Quimis, 40, Queens, N.Y. Pleaded guilty Nov. 5, 2026, to two counts of first-degree grand larceny and one count of second-degree residential mortgage fraud (Queens County Supreme Court); sentencing Jan. 15, 2027, with an expected sentence of 1½ to 4½ years, per the AG.
• Deepa Roy, 69, Manhattan, N.Y. Charged Aug. 7, 2025, with multiple felonies; pleaded not guilty; trial set for Feb. 8, 2027. Presumed innocent.

The release says Hunter Studios & Developer Corp. is owned by Quimis; it does not say the corporation itself was charged.

Red flags

General warning signs, not claims about any person beyond what the AG alleges:

• Mail at a property addressed to a stranger as the "new owner", or utility, tax or water bills in someone else's name.
• A new acquaintance who takes a close interest in an older or ill person's home, asks to move in, or wants access to papers.
• Notices of a new mortgage, lien or loan on a home you own outright or nearly so.
• A deed or transfer document with an unfamiliar notary or one from another county.

What to do

• Check your property records. In New York City, deeds and mortgages are searchable on ACRIS (nyc.gov/acris); elsewhere, check your county clerk or recorder.
• Sign up for property fraud alerts if your county offers them. New York City offers a free alert through the Department of Finance.
• Protect older relatives by watching their mail and limiting who has access to their documents.
• Report suspected deed theft in New York to the AG's office at 1-800-771-7755 or deedtheft@ag.ny.gov, which the AG lists in its release [1]. Elsewhere, contact your local police and district attorney.

Case status (as of Nov. 10, 2026)

Defendant	Court	Status	Source
Victor Quimis, 40, Queens	Queens County Supreme Court (Judge Leigh Cheng)	Charged Aug. 7, 2025; pleaded guilty Nov. 5, 2026, to 2 counts Grand Larceny 1st Degree and 1 count Residential Mortgage Fraud 2nd Degree; sentencing Jan. 15, 2027 (1½–4½ years expected, per AG)	[1]
Deepa Roy, 69, Manhattan	Queens County Supreme Court	Charged Aug. 7, 2025; pleaded not guilty; trial set Feb. 8, 2027; presumed innocent	[1]

Statuses can change. The AG release does not give an indictment number.

Sources

1. New York State Office of the Attorney General, "Attorney General James Secures Conviction of Queens Deed Thief Who Stole Elderly Widow's Home," Nov. 5, 2026. https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-secures-conviction-queens-deed-thief-who-stole-elderly

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