Landlord Gets 12 Years for Deed Transfer Fraud

Landlord John Kojo Zi received a sentence of up to 12 years in prison for forging deed transfers on five multifamily buildings on the Upper West Side and Hamilton Heights.

“The defendant executed an elaborate scam using forged deed transfers to steal five buildings from Manhattan property owners,” said Cyrus Vance, Manhattan District Attorney, according to Real Estate Weekly. “John Kojo Zi even had the audacity to attempt to collect rent from the tenants, and threatened them with eviction if payments were withheld.”

The properties in question are mostly townhouses, each subdivided into a handful of apartments. Zi was said to have forged deed transfers with the register’s office, starting in September of 2013.

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