Long Island Man charged in $925,000 Deed Fraud Scheme in Brooklyn and the Bronx

Salome Vega, 46, of Hempstead, New York, was arraigned on charges of grand larceny and criminal impersonation for allegedly transferring and selling titles of properties in Brooklyn and the Bronx, totaling approximately $925,000, according to Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. The charges also include an attempted theft of nearly $300,000 in COVID-19 tax relief payments.

“This defendant allegedly filled his pockets with the ill-gotten gains of two separate real estate transactions in which he stole — then sold — the titles to two New York City properties while also attempting to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in COVID-19 tax relief funds,” Gonzalez said.

Vega is accused of selling a Bronx property once home to Lindbergh baby kidnapper Bruno Richard Hauptmann by having an impersonator pose as the deceased owner during closing. The title was later voided when authorities discovered the real owner had died months prior to the sale.

In a separate case, Vega is alleged to have impersonated the CEO of Merit Homes Inc. to sell a Brooklyn property, requesting the proceeds be made payable to him. He cashed these payments at check-cashing stores in Queens and Long Island.

The indictment also cites an attempted theft of COVID-19 tax relief funds, foiled by an alert bank employee in Bay Ridge. Vega was charged with two counts of second-degree grand larceny, second-degree criminal impersonation, and second-degree attempted grand larceny. He is scheduled to return to court on Dec. 6.