Deed Theft Law
New Law Taking Effect Makes Deed Theft a Crime, Expands AG’s Authority to Prosecute Deed Theft
July 19, 2024
NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James reminded New Yorkers that a new law establishing deed theft as a crime and expanding the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) ability to prosecute deed theft goes into effect today. The legislation which was co-authored by Attorney General James and sponsored by State Senator Zellnor Myrie and Assemblymember Landon C. Dais, establishes deed theft as a crime, amends the statute of limitations to give homeowners and prosecutors more time to seek justice, and grants OAG original criminal jurisdiction to prosecute deed theft. This is Attorney General James’ latest effort to protect New Yorkers from deed theft, a criminal scam that robs New York families of their homes and livelihoods. Last year, Attorney General James championed legislation sponsored by State Senator Brian Kavanagh and Assemblymember Helene Weinstein to enhance civil deed theft protections by empowering the Attorney General and local district attorneys to pause related eviction and ownership dispute proceedings and expand the list of crimes that allow prosecutors to invalidate fraudulent sale and loan documents, among other measures. That law went into effect in December 2023.