Two Long Island men were indicted for allegedly renting and selling nine New York City homes after illegally transferring the titles in a multi-million-dollar scheme, Brooklyn prosecutors said.
Danny Noble, 45, of Baldwin, and his alleged accomplice, 37-year-old Romelo Grey of Freeport, pleaded not guilty in Brooklyn court to charges of conspiracy, criminal possession of stolen property, grand larceny and falsifying business records.
“It is shocking that this defendant was allegedly able to carry out such a brazen scheme, stealing properties right out from under their owners,” Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson said.
Prosecutors said Noble and Grey falsely transferred titles to seven Brooklyn properties and two more in Queens that the owners did not live in and rarely visited. Five were transferred from the actual homeowners to Noble, three were transferred to 69 Adelphi Street, LLC and one to a third party, authorities said. The company was also charged.
In one case, Noble allegedly rented out two apartments for $1,500 per month in a recently renovated brownstone in Fort Greene, whose actual owner lives outside of the United States, prosecutors said. Noble allegedly filed a fraudulent satisfaction of mortgage for another Brooklyn property.
The alleged scheme unraveled when Noble transferred the title to a house in Canarsie to a third party, Grey told the residents to move out and the buyer began renovating, which caught the attention of the actual owner, who also owns a business directly across the street, according to investigators.
Judge Danny Chun set bail for Noble at $250,000 cash or $500,000 bond. Grey was ordered held on $25,000 bond or $10,000 cash bail. If convicted, Noble faces up to 25 years in prison, Grey faces up to four years and the corporation faces a fine of up to $10,000. They are due back in court Aug. 5.
