East New York

Man scams family in Brooklyn mortgage scheme, leaves them homeless

October 3, 2017 By Paul Frangipane Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Ravin Lakhram, accused of stealing from a family in a mortgage scheme, being escorted by police officers into a Brooklyn Supreme Courtroom. Eagle photo by Paul Frangipane
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A Queens man pleaded not guilty to grand larceny Tuesday for allegedly stealing almost $100,000 from an East New York mother and son, causing them to lose their home.

“The victim and her son are now homeless,” Assistant District Attorney Joseph DiBenedetto said at Ravin Lakhram’s arraignment.

The 56-year-old woman who was in fear of losing her New Jersey Avenue home hired Lakhram, a former mortgage broker at Universal Modification Service, to lower her $2,500 monthly mortgage.

Lakhram, 45, allegedly told the family that he could reduce their bill to $1,567 a month, according to court documents.

When the woman agreed on the reduced amount, Lakhram allegedly pocketed more than $90,000 from her and never paid the mortgage between June 25, 2010 to Dec. 31, 2015.

Although receipts show $30,000 in fees to Lakhram from the family, the defendant told police that his fees were actually closer to $5,000, court documents show.

Lakhram said he kept the records of the transactions in his garage.

The mother is now sleeping on a friend’s couch and her son is living with a relative, prosecutors said.

Lakhram faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted on the top charge.

DiBenedetto requested a $150,000 bail, but with three previous felony convictions, including Lakhram’s involvement in a currency exchange scheme, Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun said that was too low.

Chun ordered Lakhram be held on a $250,000 bond or $100,000 cash bail.

“When the victim in this case hired the defendant to help save her house she had no idea he was allegedly a heartless crook who was pocketing her hard earned cash,” Acting Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez said in a statement. “She’s now lost her home, but we hope to get justice for her by holding this defendant accountable.”

In beltless blue jeans loosely tucked around his grey sweater, Lakhram was escorted by court officers into the back of the courtroom to be sent to jail.

He is set to appear back in court on Dec. 6.

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