Today, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the sentencing of former mortgage broker Stacie Saunders for her involvement in a Queens deed theft ring. Saunders, as reported by the Attorney General's Office, played a crucial role in swindling over $1 million through the illegal sale of stolen homes in the neighborhoods of Jamaica and St. Albans, Queens. Following a trial in May, Saunders received a sentence of three to nine years on charges that included Grand Larceny and Money Laundering.
The group led by Saunders and her associates preyed on elderly and vulnerable homeowners, using forged documentation to facilitate their crimes. Attorney General James stated, "New Yorkers should never have to fear losing their homes to scammers and thieves like Stacie Saunders and her associates." The extensive investigation by the Office Attorney General's Major Investigations Unit uncovered the intricate methods Saunders and her collaborators employed to perpetrate these fraudulent transactions. Saunders has been convicted on 18 total counts, imposing a significant prison term for a fraud that stands as a stark reminder of the perils facing homeowners.
Marcus Wilcher, the ringleader, identified potential target properties, while disbarred attorney Anyekache Hercules created the forged documents necessary for their scheme. Saunders utilized her knowledge in real estate to connect with investors and arrange swift illicit sales of the properties. The defendants even went to the length of opening bank accounts under the real homeowners’ names to launder the proceeds from the fraudulent sales. Wilcher and Hercules have both been convicted and sentenced in related crimes, with Hercules sentenced last September and Wilcher in July 2024.
This case sits at the culmination of ongoing efforts by Attorney General James to combat deed theft, with previous indictments and legislative measures strengthening homeowners' protections. The Attorney General's Office highlighted the "Protect Our Homes" initiative and the enactment of new laws aimed at curbing real estate fraud.
