A DISBARRED LAWYER AND HIS ASSOCIATE HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN CONNECTION WITH FRAUDULENT REAL ESTATE SCHEMES

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today that a disbarred lawyer, 43, and his associate, 39, have been arrested and charged with grand larceny and other offenses for the alleged fraudulent sale and attempted sale of two Bronx homes.

Rafael Pantoja, of 2 Richard Terrace, Hartsdale NY, and co-defendant Hector Marcucci, of 173 East 117th Street, Manhattan, have each been charged with 1 count of Grand Larceny in the 2nd degree, 3 counts of Offering False Instrument For Filing in the 1st degree, 3 counts of Criminal Possession of False Instrument in the 2nd degree, and 1 count Attempted Grand Larceny in the 2nd degree. If convicted of the most serious offense of Grand Larceny, the defendants face a maximum term of up to 15 years imprisonment.

Their arrests concluded a seven month long investigation in which Detective Investigators from the Bronx District Attorney’s Office uncovered the alleged fraudulent real estate scam. The investigation was initiated following a complaint from the defendant’s first victim, Alice Soto-Rodriguez, who discovered that her parents home had been fraudulently sold without her permission or authority in March 2001. It is alleged that Pantoja, acted as an attorney, and Marcucci, acted as a real estate broker, obtained and filed a false deed, then sold the victim’s home to a Queens development company for $53,000.

The second incident occurred in May 2002, when Lloyd and Winefred Mathieson alleged that a fraudulent power of attorney and deed to their house had been submitted in their name turning over custody and control of the property to Marcucci. The attempted sale was prevented.

Mr. Johnson thanked Detective Investigators Bureau Deputy Chief Frank Chiara, Senior Detective Investigators Vincent Cantarella, Joseph Iodice, and Peter Moro for their contribution in apprehending these defendants.

Assistant District Attorney Pamela Brown of the Arson /Auto / Economic Crime Bureau will be prosecuting this case.