Elderly woman, 78, loses her $350,000 New York home after her neighbor’s 35-year-old daughter ‘FORGED deed to become legal owner of the property for just $10’

Rosemary Mika, 78, contacted police after Nassau County informed her in October 2022, that the deed to her home had been transferred to her neighbor’s daughter, Aurelia Soogea

Mika paid $850 to a handwriting analyst to examine the signature and her lawyer said the forgery was ‘established to a certainty’. 

Soogea, 35, appeared in court on Friday accused of stealing the Lakeview, Long Island, home of Rosemarie Mika with forged documents

Mika accused Soogea of forging the signatures on the deeds to her $350,000 home, transferring the ownership of the home for just $10

Soogea who arrested Friday for paying $10 to transfer the deed of Mika’s home into her name, has pled not guilty to forgery and theft

Soogea claimed that Mika gave her the deed as a gift for the work she did as a home help, but Mika insists she and Soogea have no relationship at all

Rosemarie Mika, 78 [right], accused Aurelia Soogea, 35, [left], of forging documents to steal her house. Soogea has been charged with forging deed to $350,000 home her neighbor has lived in for seventy years

A 78-year-old woman in New York could lose the home she has lived in due to possible forged documentation that appropriated her title deed. The adult daughter of the embattled homeowner’s neighbor allegedly, is behind the dastardly act.
A 35-year-old New York woman has been arrested on charges of forging a deed to seize ownership of the elderly woman’s house.
Aurelia Soogea appeared in court in Nassau County, on Long Island, on Friday and pleaded not guilty to forgery and theft. Soogea, 35, claims she was given the house as a thanks for caring for her.
She is accused of paying $10 to transfer the deed of her mother’s neighbor’s $350,000 home to her name.
The owner, 78-year-old Rosemarie Mika, claims she only became aware of the deed transfer of the home ownership after receiving a letter from the Nassau County clerk’s office. Mika then called the police. Rosemarie Mika, whose parents bought the Lakeview home in 1953 and where she has lived all her life, branded Aurelia Soogea a ‘vicious psychopath’ for allegedly forging her signature on a deed to transfer ownership of the $350,000 home she’s lived most of her life.
‘We are not going to relent until she is in prison’, Mika said.

The $350,000 home at the center of the dispute where Mika lives. The 78-year-old woman has lived in it for 70 years – ever since her parents bought it in 1973

The home owner said Soogea took the title of her home in October 11, 2022. Two weeks later, she received a letter from the county clerk’s office informing her of the deed transfer. 
‘Stealing the title to people’s homes is the fastest rising crime in America. They target elderly people who are living alone who paid off their mortgage. I paid off my mortgage years ago,’ Mika said. 
Mika then contacted police, and in Soogea was arrested last week Friday. 
The elderly woman also paid $850 to a handwriting analyst to examine the signature – and her lawyer said the forgery was ‘established to a certainty’. 
‘On my client’s behalf, I brought an action to set aside the deed almost immediately after my client became aware of the deed,’ Mark Goidell said. 

The deed was transferred to Soogea on October 11, and Mika claims she found out about it thanks to a letter informing her. Soogea says she and Mika went to the offices together to fill out the paperwork

Mika claims that Soogea ‘wouldn’t leave her alone’ last summer and she refused to let the younger woman into her house.
‘She is a liar and a criminal. I will absolutely get my house back,’ Mika said.
So far, the legal battle to regain ownership of her home have topped $12,000 – and some of her family members are helping her out financially.
When Soogea, who made bail after being arrested last week, was asked about the charges she responded, ‘I don’t know what you are talking about.’

The alleged house deed scammer Aurelia Soogea, 34, lives next door to Rosemary Mika in a home owned by her neighbor

Mika’s attorney said Soogea’s documentation and audio records are fabricated.
Soogea is next due in court on Thursday. Her lawyer, Lawrence Carra says that Soogea was given the house as thanks for being Mika’s care giver.
He allegedly presented the forged documents to the register of deeds to transfer their real property to him. 
Her lawyer, Lawrence Carra, told NBC New York that Mika gave Soogea the house as a gift.
‘We are vehemently contesting it, we’ve entered a plea of not guilty,’ he said.
‘She provided services and she stayed there from time to time as a caring loving aide.’
Carra said there is ‘conflicting evidence’ that will show ‘Soogea did not forge the deed.’

Rosemarie Mika, whose parents bought the Lakeview home in 1953 and where she has lived all her life. She insists she has no relationship with the defendant whom she called a ‘vicious psychopath’ who is now claiming that she gifted the home

Home care aide Aurelia Soogea, 35, [photo], has been charged with property theft and forgery. She was arrested Friday on charges of paying $10 to fraudulently transfer the deed of her elderly neighbor Rosemarie Mika’s home into her name

Soogea said she has recorded conversations between her and Mika confirming the transfer of the home.
She also provided stickers from their visit to the county building on the day the deed was signed over, arguing that Mika was there and willingly handed over the property.
Mika’s attorney said Soogea’s documentation and audio records are fabricated.
Soogea is next due in court on Thursday.
The case continues.

Aurelia Soogea [left], is seen with her lawyer, Lawrence Carra, who claims Soogea was given the house as thanks for being the elderly homeowner’s care giver. His client has been charged with forgery and property theft in Nassau County, NY

According to the indictment, ‘the defendants impersonated the homeowners by using forged driver’s licenses and Social Security cards and closed on the properties with forged signatures on deeds and documents.’
‘No one should face the nightmare of having their home stolen from them without any warning, knowledge, or reason,’ James said in a statement accompanying the announcement of the charges. 
‘Deed theft is a merciless crime that targets seniors, and often people of color, who are asset rich but cash poor, and reliant on their homes as a stabilizing force for their families and loved ones.’