Dr. Daniel Kenigsberg purchased the half-acre property at 51 Sky Top Terrace in Connecticut in 1991.
The location, just outside of New Haven, was near his boyhood home, which his father purchased for $5,000 in 1953.
But what began as a seemingly benign purchase quickly turned into an unmitigated nightmare when he was informed by a close friend that construction work had started on the tract of property.
He recalled the chat, saying that he owned that and never sold it. He was taken aback.
Dr. Kenigsberg decided to drop by and observe what was going on during a vacation to Long Island, intrigued by what was going on.
When he arrived, he saw a massive home under construction.
The property was sold to 51 Sky Top Partners LLC for $350,000 in October 2022, according to public documents.
Dr. Kenigsberg claims he had nothing to do with the fake transaction and had no awareness that it was taking place.
He is now suing the company on nine charges, including trespass, statutory theft, and unfair business practices.
The lawsuit seeks to declare the property deal null and invalid, and Dr. Kenigsberg seeks $2 million in damages.
He further demands that the corporation remove ‘any constructions and/or materials from the Property and return the Property to the state that it was in previous to the Defendants’ trespass onto it’.
According to a listing, the $1.45 million, four-bedroom, 4,000-square-foot property was subject to an offer when it was listed in March.
Dr. Kenigsberg commented on the strange situation, saying that he is furious that so many individuals were so irresponsible that this could have occurred. It’s more than just obnoxious; it’s offensive and incorrect.
According to the complaint, a ‘Daniel Kenigsberg’ from Johannesburg, South Africa, faked a power of attorney in order to steal real property.
Anthony Monelli of Trumbull, Connecticut, it is said, gave the power of attorney.
Gina Leto and Greg Bugaj of 51 Sky Top Partners have now admitted to being victims of fraud as wel
They discovered to their astonishment and disbelief that Kenigsberg had not, in fact, sold the property to them, 51 Sky Top Partners said in a statement.
Rather, a third party impersonated Kenigsberg and managed to list, market, and sell the property without anyone noticing due to the negligence and carelessness of the various real estate professionals engaged in the transaction.