Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Queens Home
Victor Quimis admitted to forging deeds that transferred a Kew Gardens Hills house from its owner, who died before the indictment.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Financial Crime
Victor Quimis pleaded guilty to two counts of grand larceny and one count of residential mortgage fraud for stealing the home of Renuka Bherwani in Kew Gardens Hills, Queens. Quimis and a co-conspirator forged Bherwani's signature on transfer documents and obtained a $552,000 mortgage on the property.
Why it matters
The case shows how forged property deeds can strip homeowners of their property, and it was made possible by a 2023 state law that extended the statute of limitations and gave the attorney general authority to prosecute directly. A companion measure allows prosecutors to halt court proceedings where possession of a property is in dispute.
Quimis pleaded guilty to two counts of grand larceny and one count of residential mortgage fraud and is set to be sentenced in January 2027 under guidelines calling for one and a half to four and a half years in state prison. Co-defendant Deepa Roy entered a not guilty plea, and her trial is scheduled to begin in February 2027.
The players
Victor Quimis
Quimis is the Queens man who pleaded guilty to stealing the home through forged deeds and mortgage fraud.
Deepa Roy
Roy is the alleged co-conspirator who has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for trial in February 2027.
The details
Quimis and a co-conspirator forged Renuka Bherwani's signature on documents transferring her home to themselves, then forged further documents moving ownership to a company Quimis controlled. After paying off prior mortgages and liens, Quimis pocketed more than $300,000 from the $552,000 mortgage he obtained on the property.
Timeline
August 2025: Quimis and his co-conspirator were indicted, two months after Bherwani died.
January 2027: Quimis is scheduled to be sentenced and the forged deeds will be vacated, allowing the home to return to Bherwani's family.
February 2027: Deepa Roy's trial is scheduled to begin.
Legal Context
The conviction was made possible by a 2023 New York law that extended the statute of limitations and gave the attorney general authority to prosecute directly. A companion measure lets the attorney general and local prosecutors halt court proceedings when possession of a disputed property is at issue.
Homeowners in New York can be exposed to forged deed schemes that transfer property without their knowledge, especially after an owner's death. The case shows that victims' families may recover property through court-ordered vacating of fraudulent deeds.
The takeaway
Property owners and heirs should check public records for unexpected deed transfers, particularly after a death, since forged documents can be used to take title. Early review of land records can help catch fraud before a mortgage is placed on the property.
What happens next
Quimis will be sentenced in January 2027, when the forged deeds will be vacated, and Deepa Roy's trial is scheduled to begin in February 2027.
Further reading
Explore more New York City financial crime coverage for context on similar cases.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Real Deal New York.
