Fake Heir Scheme Used To Steal Manhattan Brownstone Worth $1M, Prosecutors Say

HARLEM, NY — Three people and three companies have been charged in an alleged scheme to steal a Harlem brownstone on West 131st Street by posing as heirs to its deceased owner and fraudulently taking out a mortgage and construction loan on the property, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said Wednesday.

According to prosecutors, the defendants worked together to forge documents and transfer ownership of the brownstone, valued at more than $1 million.

The defendants in the case are Angela Jazmin Ramos Malpica, 35; Yuan Kuei Li, 41; Abdur Rahman, 34; and Great Neck Acquisitions Inc., White Lotus Consulting Inc., and Ocean Property and Trading Inc., Bragg said.

Bragg said Ramos posed as a member of the Marrero family, who inherited the property after owner Okryun Marrero died in 2018.

She allegedly sold the brownstone to Li for $950,000 — though no money ever changed hands — before Li turned around and "sold" it to Rahman’s company for $1.5 million, Bragg said.

The deed allegedly included faked signatures of Marrero family members — none of whom actually signed the document or authorized anyone else to do so, Bragg said.

The group then allegedly used the fraudulent deed to secure a $1.6 million mortgage and construction loan, which they began spending, prosecutors said.

The charges include grand larceny, mortgage fraud, criminal possession of stolen property, forgery, and identity theft, Bragg said.

"As alleged, six defendants worked together to take advantage of a grieving family, posing as heirs, and committing deed theft to steal their property. During a time when housing is scarce, I will not stand for fraudsters coming to Harlem to try and perpetrate these pernicious schemes," Bragg said.

"This type of alleged conduct preys on longtime New Yorkers and we will prosecute those who take advantage of homeowners."

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