2 Men Stole 227k From Eldery Woman Over 6-Month Period: DA

BROOKLYN, NY — Two Brooklyn men stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from an elderly woman over six months, prosecutors announced.

Humberto Nunez, 68, of Clinton Hill and Mahilima Baa, 52, of Stuyvesant Heights, were convicted on second-degree grand larceny and second-degree criminal possession of stolen property charges. Baa was also convicted of two counts of first-degree identity theft.

The two men will be sentenced to a max sentence of three years in prison, prosecutors said.

Between July 19, 2019, and January 7, 2020, the duo stole $52,000 from the 94-year-old victim — who has since passed away, prosecutors said.

They also stole $175,000 from a reverse mortgage line of credit the victim had since 2009. Baa stole another $20,000 by impersonating the victim and opening two credit cards using her name, her address, date of birth and her Social Security number, prosecutors said.

He then added himself to the accounts as an authorized user.

Baa used the funds to pay for various fees and personal expenses, a rental car, furniture for his children, office supplies, alcohol, restaurants and at a nightclub. Nunez also used the funds for his personal expenses, despite telling the reverse mortgage company the money was to be used to make badly needed and extensive repairs to the victim’s house, prosecutors said.

No repairs were made to the property, and the two men withdrew most of the money from the reverse mortgage line of credit in cash, with the rest used to make credit card payments and personal purchases.

"These defendants targeted an individual who is among the most vulnerable of our population -- a 94-year-old woman -- while pretending to be neighborly and helpful. Instead, they stole hundred of thousands of dollars. Fortunately, their scheme was unraveled, and they have now been held accountable. I thank the Secret Service and my prosecutors for their work on this case," District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said in a statement.