A Brooklyn family is celebrating their legal victory after Hon. Bernard Graham ordered a stay this week on the eviction of the family from their home at 964 Park Pl. in Crown Heights.
This property has been in the Robinson-Torain family for more than 70 years and is the sole real estate asset of the late Ida Robinson, who passed away on December 28, 2023, according to a press release.
Judge Graham emphasized the need for justice in protecting the estate from irreparable harm. The court acknowledged the ongoing dispute over the property’s title, a matter central to the Robinson-Torain family’s claims of deed forgery. This dispute has been a focal point in concurrent civil litigation in Kings County, where the family argues that a forged deed, dating back to 2015, was used in an attempt to steal their home, the press release said.
The Robinson-Torain family fell victim to a sophisticated deed theft scheme that mirrors the experiences of other vulnerable homeowners in Brooklyn. In 2015, con artists targeted Ida Robinson and transferred the deed of her long-owned home at 964 Park Pl., which has been in the family since 1951. The criminals, several of whom had a history of similar housing crimes, forged Ida’s signature, recorded the deed, and took out substantial equity against the property.
The fraudulent deed, notarized by a corrupt attorney, was recorded in public records, allowing the con artists to claim ownership of the Robinson-Torain family’s home. This forged signature facilitated the theft of the family’s equity and led to significant financial losses, echoing other cases where Black homeowners in Brooklyn have been deceived by similar schemes.
The family is now embroiled in a legal battle to reclaim their home. The recent ruling, issued a stay on the eviction of the Robinson-Torain family, which recognizes the potential merit of their fraud claims. This decision is crucial in safeguarding the family’s home while the legal process unfolds.
Key to Judge Graham’s ruling was the consideration of fraud claims made by the estate, including allegations of “fraud in the inducement.” These claims gained further credibility with the disbarment of one of the attorneys involved in the case and the Brooklyn District Attorney’s announcement of a criminal investigation into the matter. The court recognized the potential merit in the estate’s allegations, particularly given the history of one of the alleged perpetrators, who was indicted by the Queens DA in 2017 for similar deed fraud crimes.
The Surrogate Court’s decision to stay the eviction serves as a critical step in safeguarding the Robinson-Torain family’s home. The court has set a control date for further proceedings on September 26, 2024. This case highlights a broader pattern of equity theft targeting Black families in Brooklyn, where decades of generational wealth are being stripped away through fraudulent schemes.
The Robinson-Torain family, represented by Queen Afua and her daughter, Sherease Torain, expressed profound gratitude to their neighbors, supporters, elected officials, lawyers, tenant unions, and the broader community. “When we fight, we win,” they stated, reflecting on the power of community solidarity in their ongoing battle for justice.
