Falsified Filing

Jim died after a brief illness, leaving bank accounts and real property out-of-state.  Jane, his niece, told the funeral director she was his daughter.  As a result of this misrepresentation, the death certificate listed Jane as Jim's daughter.

Jane used the death certificate to file for Letters of Administration with the Surrogate's Court and forged various documents (with the help of her friend and a stolen notary public stamp).

A few month's later when Jim's elderly father Joef filed a petition for Letters of Administration as the surviving parent and sole distributee of the estate, it was discovered that his granddaughter Jane filed a false application, was appointed as Administrator and collected thousands of dollars from several of Jim's bank accounts.  Jane disappeared and is believed to have fled the country.

Joef filed a petition to revoke Jane's Letters of Administration, proving Jane's falsified documents and forged signatures.  The Surrogate's Court revoked the Letters of Administration issued to Jane and appointed Joef as Admininstrator d.b.n. 

Joef contacted the District Attorney's Office to begin a criminal investigation but will eventually file Surrogate's Court Turnover Proceedings against Jane (see Surrogate's Court Procedure Act section 2103 and Surrogate's Court Procedure Act section 2104)  to begin the process of obtaining a Judgment against Jane (should she ever return to the United States).