A state appeals court has hit pause on the prison term of Sanford Solny, the disbarred Brooklyn lawyer convicted of stealing the deeds to 11 homes, giving him a brief legal lifeline that comes with a hefty price tag. The ruling holds off his November sentence for 120 days while his appeal proceeds, but any release would hinge on sky-high bail and strict home monitoring, a combo that has victims and housing advocates fuming.
According to Leagle, the Appellate Division’s February 11 order grants Solny a stay of judgment if he posts one of three options: a $1.5 million insurance-company bond, a $2 million partially secured bond with 10 percent down, or a $300,000 cash deposit. The court also ordered electronic monitoring, tight home confinement with only limited exceptions, surrender of passports and a waiver of extradition. The stay automatically expires 120 days after the decision unless the appeal is argued, submitted, or the court decides to extend it.
Solny was convicted in June 2025 and, on November 12, 2025, was sentenced to 2.5 to 7 years in prison, with 11 fraudulent deeds wiped out, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office. Prosecutors say that between 2012 and 2022 he targeted homeowners in foreclosure, posed as a financial adviser, shifted titles into companies he controlled and then collected rent, all while leaving the mortgages and property tax burdens strapped to his victims’ names.
The reaction from those victims and their supporters has been anything but calm. Gaoussou Ouedraogo, who says he lost two properties in Solny’s alleged schemes and has filed suit, called the recent developments “fishy.” The People’s Coalition to Stop Deed Theft is gearing up for protests next week, New York Amsterdam News reports. The outlet also reports that a source inside the DA’s office says prosecutors and paralegals are being recruited for a deed-theft unit, although city budget constraints could make it hard to bring in new staff.
Court Orders, Restitution And The Shortfall
Nullifying the deeds clears a legal path for former owners to reclaim their properties, but it does not make them financially whole. The court did not require Solny to return roughly $500,000 in rent that prosecutors say he collected from the homes, a gap that victims argue leaves them far short of justice, according to The Real Deal. Housing advocates warn that even when titles are restored, the fallout from years of alleged fraud can linger in the form of tax liens, eviction histories, battered credit and damage to long-term family wealth.
What Comes Next
Legally, the clock is already ticking. The Appellate Division’s order makes clear that if Solny’s appeal is not argued or submitted within the 120-day window, the stay will vanish and law enforcement is authorized to arrest him to carry out the original sentence. The Brooklyn DA’s office told New York Amsterdam News that it opposes letting Solny ride out the appeal on home confinement, insisting that victims are entitled to full accountability. Solny’s lawyers now have a narrow opening to push their appeal, while organizers say they will keep up protests and civil suits regardless of how the appellate calendar plays out.
