New York – In a shocking case of elder abuse and property theft, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the indictments of Deepa Roy, 68, and Victor Quimis, 39, for stealing the home of Renuka Bherwani, an elderly widow receiving hospice care in Queens. The OAG investigation revealed that Roy and Quimis forged Bherwani’s signature to transfer her property, later transferring it to a corporation owned by Quimis.
The duo’s despicable scheme resulted in over $300,000 being stolen from the home of Mrs. Bherwani, who had owned the property for nearly 40 years. The Attorney General emphasized that such cases underscore the necessity of her office’s new powers under New York’s deed theft law, which she championed to protect homeowners.
Mrs. Bherwani, suffering from dementia, granted her son and daughter-in-law full power of attorney in 2021. In 2022, Roy began visiting Mrs. Bherwani under false pretenses. By summer 2024, the couple had forged a deed transferring ownership to themselves. They then transferred the property to Hunter Studios & Developer Corp., a corporation owned by Quimis, and obtained a mortgage of $552,500.
Quimis used this money to pay off Mrs. Bherwani’s prior mortgage and liens, leaving him with over $300,000. Roy received at least $15,000 for her role in the theft. The discovery of the fraud was made by Mrs. Bherwani’s family in December 2024.
Attorney General James vowed to use the new law as a weapon against such crimes and ensure the Bherwani home is returned to its rightful owners. Both Roy and Quimis face multiple felony charges for their roles in this devastating scheme.
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Agency: NY AG
- Category: Public Corruption|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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