Two Southeast Queens residents were indicted in a deed theft and forgery scam that stole more than $1.5 million from a vulnerable and elderly man in South Ozone Park, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced last week.
Satwattie Martinez, 58, of South Ozone Park, and her co-defendant Joseph Uwagba, 68, of Jamaica, were arraigned in Queens Supreme Court on Wednesday, Feb. 26, for their roles in stealing the home and personal funds of Martinez’s neighbor, a senior who lived across the street from Martinez at 133-12 128th Street in South Ozone Park.
According to the indictment, Martinez used forged documents notarized by Uwagba to steal her neighbor’s home and approximately $790,000 of the neighbor’s personal funds. Martinez then used the stolen funds for personal expenditures, including paying off credit card balances, shopping, travel, and remodeling the home that she stole. Martinez and Uwagba were each charged with forging documents and Martinez was separately charged with additional crimes for stealing her neighbor’s home and money.
“Deed theft is a heartless, terrible crime that robs innocent people of their most valuable possession: their home,” James said. “No one should ever have to fear their home being stolen out from under them, especially not from their own neighbor.”
The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) investigation found that starting in November 2021, Martinez preyed upon her neighbor, who had been hospitalized and was residing at a nursing home prior to his death.
Martinez allegedly forged a deed and filed falsified documents, which were notarized by Uwagba, to transfer her neighbor’s home to herself as the sole owner. In addition to forging the deed and stealing the home, Martinez also falsified a power of attorney and appointed herself as the legal agent for her neighbor by forging the names of unsuspecting friends as witnesses. Martinez then used that power of attorney to steal more than $790,000 from her neighbor’s investment account and unsuccessfully attempted to steal additional funds from his bank accounts and other accounts. Martinez used part of the stolen funds to remodel the stolen home, which her daughter and son-in-law moved into and currently reside in.
Martinez also created a joint bank account using her neighbor’s personal information to steal additional funds. She deposited checks that were payable to her elderly neighbor and used these stolen funds for personal expenses.
Upon discovery of Martinez’s thefts by a concerned citizen who reported the suspected crimes to the New York City Sheriff’s Office, Martinez tried to move her neighbor to a different nursing home and directed nursing home staff not to let anyone visit him.
After forging the deed to her neighbor’s home and stealing his personal finances, Martinez also falsified a last will and testament for him by forging the siUpon discovery of Martinez’s thefts by a concerned citizen who reported the suspected crimes to the New York City Sheriff’s Office, Martinez tried to move her neighbor to a different nursing home and directed nursing home staff not to let anyone visit him. gnatures of the same two unsuspecting friends. In the will, Martinez falsely indicated that her neighbor had no family and that all his property was bequeathed to her. Martinez was communicating with her neighbor’s brother, who resides outside the United States and represented herself as his caregiver and friend.
Uwagba, a notary qualified in Queens County, falsely notarized the deed, power of attorney, last will and testament, and other forged documents.
Martinez and Uwagba were arrested and arraigned before Queens Supreme Court Justice Leigh Chung. Martinez was charged with felony grand larceny and forgery and other related crimes, including criminal possession of stolen property, burglary, money laundering, and identity theft. The top count against her carries a maximum sentence of 25 years. Uwagba faces a maximum of seven years for his role in forging documents.
Martinez was ordered to surrender her passports and was given supervised release. Uwagba was released on his own recognizance.
“Satwattie Martinez targeted her elderly neighbor to steal generational wealth that he built for himself and his family,” James said. “I will continue to fight for New York homeowners and do everything in my power to keep them in their homes.”
This is the latest action in the AG’s efforts to protect Queens homeowners from deed theft and other housing-related crimes. In July 2024, James announced the conviction and sentencing of the leader of a Queens deed theft ring that stole homes in Jamaica and St. Albans.
