Mark Salkey Committed Deed Theft When He Stole an Elderly Woman’s East Flatbush Home While Allowing Illegal Squatters to Take Over Her House
NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the arrest and indictment of Mark Salkey, 58, of Queens, for stealing the home of Althea Garrick, an elderly woman living in East Flatbush, Brooklyn, while she was receiving dementia care in her home. An investigation by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) found that between 2022 and 2024, Salkey forged documents to transfer ownership of Ms. Garrick’s home to himself and allowed unauthorized people to move into the home, requiring some to pay rent to his company. In addition to stealing the home, Salkey stole approximately $148,000 from Ms. Garrick and approximately $20,000 from her ex-husband’s pension. Salkey was charged with 23 crimes for his deed theft and financial fraud scheme.
“Mark Salkey took advantage of an elderly woman suffering from advanced dementia and stole the home she has owned and lived in for 47 years,” said Attorney General James. “No one deserves to have their home stolen and their bank account drained. Deed theft is a heartless crime, and my office will do everything in our power to return this home to its rightful owner and hold Mark Salkey accountable for his despicable actions.”
In 1976, Ms. Garrick and her husband at the time, Reginald Kelly, purchased 162 East 95th Street in East Flatbush, Brooklyn. In 1998, following her divorce from Mr. Kelly, Ms. Garrick became the sole owner of the property. In 2022, Salkey was introduced to Ms. Garrick, and between 2022 and 2024, he allegedly used forged documents, including a forged deed, to modify the terms of her mortgage and steal her home and savings. Salkey transferred ownership of the property from Ms. Garrick to his company, Salkey Salkey & Associate, Inc. Once he gave himself ownership of the property, Salkey allowed several other tenants, including his sister, to move into the home and pay rent to him, while Ms. Garrick and Mr. Kelly have been forced to live in just a small bedroom in their own home. Salkey charges the tenants a monthly rent between $2,000 to $2,200, and in total, he has collected approximately $70,000 in rent. When the property was stolen in 2023, it was worth approximately $950,000. The property is now worth over $1 million.
In addition to stealing Ms. Garrick’s home, Salkey stole approximately $148,000 of her savings by liquidating her bank accounts using forged checks. Salkey wrote personal checks to himself and to his companies and used electronic, internet, or phone payments to distribute money to other accounts in his name. Salkey also stole approximately $20,000 of Mr. Kelly’s pension that was directly deposited into Ms. Garrick’s bank accounts. He used the money for personal expenses, including credit card bills, a child’s college tuition, luxury purchases at Hermès and a jewelry store, rental cars, clothing purchases, nail salon visits, and airfare.
Salkey was arrested on June 23 and charged with 23 crimes, including Grand Larceny, Criminal Possession of a Stolen Property, Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument, Forgery, Offering a False Instrument for Filing, and Falsifying Business Records. If convicted on the top count, Salkey faces a maximum sentence of eight and one-third to 25 years in prison.
These charges are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
“The scourge of deed theft is displacing our longtime neighbors, deepening our housing crisis and robbing families of generational wealth,” said Senator Zellnor Myrie. “The crisis is especially acute in Black and brown communities like those I represent in Central Brooklyn. I’m grateful to Attorney General James for using the laws we passed to prosecute those responsible for their heinous crime and ensure justice is served.”
“In the last decade alone, there have been thousands of complaints of deed theft and deed fraud, particularly in communities of color in Brooklyn and Queens,” said Assembly Member Latrice Walker. “These are cases in which predators target homeowners, especially seniors and immigrants. These criminals steal homes and deny New York families their rightful opportunities for generational wealth. I commend Attorney General James for her commitment to this particular investigation and to her leadership on the issue of deed theft. I encourage all of our partners in law enforcement to aggressively enforce the laws already on the books, as my colleagues and I work to strengthen the penalties for this heinous crime. It is my sincere hope that all victims of deed theft receive the justice they deserve, including the recovery of their homes.”
“A home represents security, stability, and generational opportunity for New York families, and no one should lose their home because of deception,” said Assembly Member Monique Chandler-Waterman. “Deed theft disproportionately impacts Black and Caribbean immigrant homeowners, stripping families of their homes through fraud and forgery. I commend Attorney General James for her critical work to investigate deed theft, prosecute bad actors, and help homeowners recover property stolen through fraud. We remain committed to protecting homeowners, holding scammers accountable, and ensuring every New Yorker has the tools and resources needed to safeguard their property and build generational wealth.”
“Deed theft is a scourge in Black and brown communities, and the conduct charged here is reprehensible,” said New York City Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams. “I applaud the Attorney General for her work on this case and her longtime focus on this issue, and I am proud to partner with both her office and the city to help provide homeowners the resources they need to stand against predatory actors.”
“Deed theft perpetrators are malicious actors who prey on our most vulnerable neighbors to cheat them of their homes in broad daylight,” said Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso. “Thanks to the advocacy of Attorney General James, deed theft is officially a crime that can be prosecuted in New York state, and today we are here to underscore that there is zero tolerance for deed theft in Brooklyn. My sympathy goes out to Ms. Garrick and her family during these difficult times. I hope they may find justice soon.”
Attorney General James is a leader in stopping deed theft and educating New Yorkers about how to protect their homes from scammers. In September 2025, Attorney General James secured the guilty plea of former Rockland County real estate agent for forging the signature of a homeowner to steal her property without her knowledge. In August 2025, Attorney General James announced the indictments of two people who stole the home of an elderly widow living in Queens while she was receiving end-of-life hospice care in her home. In February 2025, Attorney General James announced charges against a woman in Queens for stealing the home and funds of her elderly neighbor. In October 2024, Attorney General James and Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark announced the arrests of three real estate scammers for stealing over $250,000 from New Yorkers and for their roles in a deed theft scheme to steal the childhood home of a Bronx resident.
New Yorkers who believe they are a victim of deed theft are encouraged to contact OAG by calling 1(800) 771-7755, emailing deedtheft@ag.ny.gov, or filing a confidential complaint.
The case was investigated by Detective Teresa Russo under the direction of Supervising Detective Anna Ospanova, all under the supervision of Deputy Chief Juanita Bright of the Investigation Bureau. The Investigations Bureau is led by Chief Oliver Pu-Folkes.
Assistant Attorneys General Joy Kieras and Lauren Sass handled the prosecution in this matter under the supervision of Public Integrity Bureau Chief Gerard Murphy, Deputy Bureau Chief Mary Gorman, and Real Estate Enforcement Unit Section Chief Nicholas Batsidis, with assistance from Legal Support Analyst Thomas Hutto. The audit was undertaken by Auditor Bashiri Kirven, under the supervision of Deputy Chief Auditor Sandy Bizzarro and Forensic Audit Section Chief Kristen Fabbri. This case was referred to OAG by Peter S. White II, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Deed Theft Prevention and formerly of Access Justice Brooklyn. Both the Investigations Bureau and the Public Integrity Bureau are part of the Division for Criminal Justice. The Division for Criminal Justice is led by Chief Deputy Attorney General José Maldonado and overseen by First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.
