A Queens man is facing a long list of charges after state prosecutors say he used forged paperwork to steal the home of a 92-year-old East Flatbush woman while she was in dementia care. A grand jury indicted 58-year-old Mark Salkey on 23 counts, including grand larceny, forgery and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Investigators say he gave himself title to the house, moved in unauthorized tenants and drained money from the homeowner’s accounts.
What Prosecutors Say Happened
The Attorney General’s Office says Salkey allegedly used forged documents between 2022 and 2024 to transfer ownership of 162 East 95th Street in East Flatbush to his company, Salkey Salkey & Associate, Inc., and to modify the mortgage, according to the Attorney General’s Office. Investigators say Salkey liquidated roughly $148,000 from the homeowner’s bank accounts and diverted about $20,000 of the woman’s ex-husband’s pension while collecting approximately $70,000 in rent from people he allowed to live at the house. The arrest was announced after Salkey was taken into custody on June 23.
How Investigators Say The Scheme Worked
Investigators contend Salkey forged a deed and other paperwork to place title in his company’s name, then allowed several people, including a relative, to move in and pay rent. “Mark Salkey took advantage of an elderly woman suffering from advanced dementia and stole the home she has owned and lived in for 47 years,” Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement. Prosecutors also allege Salkey wrote forged checks and used electronic transfers to move the victim’s savings into accounts he controlled, according to the Attorney General’s Office.
Charges And Potential Penalties
The indictment lists 23 counts, including grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, criminal possession of a forged instrument, forgery, offering a false instrument for filing and falsifying business records. If convicted on the top count, Salkey faces a maximum sentence of roughly eight and one-third to 25 years in prison, as reported by Brooklyn Eagle.
Why Deed Theft Still Matters Here
Advocates say deed theft disproportionately targets seniors and immigrant homeowners and strips families of generational wealth. New York strengthened protections in 2023 when Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation that gives prosecutors new tools to pause evictions and void fraudulent transfers, as outlined by the Governor’s office. The arrest follows other prosecutions under the newer law that other prosecutions have documented.
City Response And Next Steps
The case comes as New York City recently created a Mayor’s Office of Deed Theft Prevention to flag suspicious property filings and coordinate enforcement across agencies. That office launched in April and is led by attorney Peter White, Brick Underground reported. State auditors and prosecutors will continue reviewing property records and bank transfers as the matter proceeds toward arraignment and, potentially, trial…