A man found himself in disbelief after returning to his land to find a newly constructed four-bedroom house taking up space.
Dr. Daniel Kenigsberg had owned the land at 51 Sky Top Terrace, Connecticut, for over 30 years. Despite its vacancy, he always had plans for it.
Everything seemed fine for decades until a friend informed him that construction was underway on his half-acre property.
Dr. Kenigsberg was stunned, as he insisted he never sold the land, indicating that the structure was put up illegally.
With this surprising news, he decided to visit the site to see what was happening.
He discovered a large, newly completed house, yet to be occupied.
Official records showed that the land had been sold to 51 Sky Top Partners LLC for $350,000 in October 2022, a fact unknown to Dr. Kenigsberg.
He claimed he was not involved in the sale and was unaware of it. The home was listed with a price tag of $1,475,000 and already had a buyer under contract.
Dr. Kenigsberg chose to take legal action against the developer, the Trumbull lawyer, and the firm involved in the fraudulent transaction.
He filed a lawsuit on nine counts, including trespass, statutory theft, and unfair trade practices.
The lawsuit, submitted in July 2023, aimed to nullify the land sale, and Dr. Kenigsberg sought damages of $2 million.
He also insisted that the company remove ‘any structures and/or materials from the Property and restore the Property to the condition that it was in prior to Defendants’ trespass upon it’.
“I’m angry that so many people were so negligent that this could have happened,” the upset property owner stated at the time.
“It’s more than obnoxious – it’s offensive and wrong.”
It was later disclosed that the developer had been deceived in a scam, prompting them to sue the lawyer who closed the deal.
Court documents showed the lawyer and firm were first contacted by the fraudster. A statement from 51 Sky Top Partners explained: “We learned to our shock and dismay that Kenigsberg, had not, in fact, sold the property to us.
“Rather, a third-party had impersonated Kenigsberg and – through the carelessness and neglect of the various real estate professionals involved in the transaction – managed to list, market, and sell the property without anyone ever catching on.”
As of 2024, there has been a development.
Dr. Kenigsberg brought a lawsuit against Anthony Monelli, the Trumbull lawyer involved in the land sale, and the builders.
The builders, in response, sued Monelli, their attorney, along with the real estate company and agent that listed the land for sale in 2022, according to CT Insider.
After a brief legal conflict, a settlement was reached in the spring that awarded Dr. Kenigsberg an undisclosed sum, allowed Sky Top Partners to gain the title to the land, enabling them to complete the house and sell the four-bedroom property.
The house was eventually sold for $1.45 million, which was below the original asking price, just a year after Dr. Kenigsberg initiated his lawsuit.
Regarding the investigation into the scammer, the Fairfield Police have handed the case over to the FBI, which remains unresolved.