Man returns home to land he bought to find someone's built a $1.5 million house on it
The man claimed to have no idea about the build.
Niamh Shackleton
A man was left understandably befuddled to discover a four-bedroom property sitting on the land he owns.
Dr. Daniel Kenigsberg purchased the land at 51 Sky Top Terrace in Connecticut over 30 years ago, and was alerted by a friend that building work has begun on the half-acre strip.
Dr. Kenigsberg was shocked to hear the news as he claimed to have never sold the plot of land, therefore the house was being erected illegally.
With this in mind, he decided to swing by to see for himself what was going on.
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According to official records, the land was sold to 51 Sky Top Partners LLC for $350,000 back in October 2022.
But Dr. Kenigsberg said he had absolutely nothing to do with the bogus sale and had no idea it was happening.
The home being built was on market with an asking price of $1,475,000 and reportedly had a buyer under contract.
He ultimately decided to sue the local developer, as well as the Trumbull lawyer and firm they worked for who handled the fraudulent closing.
Dr. Kenigsberg is suing them on nine counts including trespass, statutory theft, and unfair trade practices.
The lawsuit, filed in July 2023, was seeking to make the sale of the land void and Dr Kenigsberg is looking for damages in the sum of $2 million.
He also demanded that the company in question removed '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 disgruntled landowner said at the time.
"It's more than obnoxious - it's offensive and wrong."
It was later revealed that the plot of land purchased by the developer was part of a scam, sparking them to also sue the lawyer who closed the deal.
According to court documents, it was the lawyer and firm who were initially contacted by the fraudster.
Speaking on the matter, a statement from 51 Sky Top Partners issued last year read: "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 January 2024, both the developer's and Dr. Kenigsberg's cases were still pending, CT Insider reported.
There is speculation that the ordeal might have been part of a multi-state scheme.