Posted on: November 09, 2026 06:30 AM

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Queens man stole dying widows home prosecutors say

The first conviction under New York's criminal deed theft statute occurred when a Queens man admitted guilt to taking the residence of an elderly widow in hospice care.

New York Attorney General Letitia James' office stated that Victor Quimis, 40, was accused of two counts of first-degree grand larceny and one count of second-degree residential mortgage fraud for forging documents to assume ownership of Renuka Bherwani's home in Kew Gardens Hills.

Quimis and an alleged accomplice transferred the home into their names and then into a company he controlled while Bherwani, who had owned the house with her late husband for over 40 years, remained there and received hospice care.

The deceptive deeds will be canceled as a condition of Quimis's plea deal, and Bherwani's family will have the house back.

Prosecutors will also attempt to have a $552,500 mortgage Quimis secured with the falsified papers deemed void.

Quimis is subject to a 1 1/2 to 4 1/2 year jail sentence.

He is scheduled to appear before the Queens County Supreme Court on January 15 for sentencing.