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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Rachel Ciprian, Member of the Public, on Deed Theft
2:15:05
·
3 min
Rachel Ciprian, a lifelong New Yorker, passionately testifies about her 14-year struggle to reclaim her stolen deed. She expresses frustration with the current system, including ineffective legal services and a lack of tangible help for victims of deed theft.
- Ciprian purchased her home legally in 1997 but fell victim to deed theft by individuals from her own community
- She criticizes the effectiveness of free legal services and questions the allocation of funds for these programs
- Ciprian calls for immediate, concrete action to help victims like herself and Vyra Jones, rather than more discussions and meetings
Rachel Ciprian
2:15:05
Yes.
2:15:06
Unlike her, I'm not going to disclose my age.
2:15:11
But, like her, I I also am a lifelong New Yorker.
2:15:15
And I am outraged about this deed theft, and I am sick and tired of hearings and meetings and town hall meetings.
2:15:26
Tired.
2:15:27
I've been fighting for my deed to get my deed back for 14 years.
2:15:31
That is beyond ridiculous.
2:15:34
And today, I'm going to hold everyone accountable because I'm I've called it out into the universe.
2:15:39
This year, I want my deed back.
2:15:41
My father and I purchased our home in 1997 legally and legitimately.
2:15:48
And I saw a hearing last year held by Letitia James and Catherine Hochul, at which point they brought a couple in, Jacqueline Knight and Joseph Clark, from my neighborhood who were also victims of deed theft.
2:16:01
They were a victim of deed theft.
2:16:03
They are from Guyana.
2:16:05
My people, from the slave ships of Africa to Haiti to Brooklyn.
2:16:09
The people that coerced me or conned me out of my deed were Haitian because they always need people that you're familiar with.
2:16:16
You trust them, so you you listen what they're telling you.
2:16:20
And if I listen to Jacqueline Knight and Joseph Clark's story, it was mirrored to mine.
2:16:25
And, Catherine Hochul and, the attorney general, Letitia James, helped them.
2:16:31
They used Brooklyn Legal Services.
2:16:34
And we were talking about these free legal services, which I have found to be really useless and and just a big fat waste of time.
2:16:43
Where's this money coming from that they're getting?
2:16:45
And every time you call them or I call them, it's always we've had enough clients.
2:16:49
We don't have enough funding.
2:16:51
So that we need to get through that.
2:16:53
The other day, I'm glad, this man, he was here, Daniel Bruno from, the borough president.
2:17:00
Because the, borough president did have a meeting at Medgar Evers, which I attended, and was told by this woman, her name is, Blair Zuleiman Blair.
2:17:11
I forget.
2:17:11
She's a professor or something.
Crystal Hudson
2:17:13
Doctor Zulima Blair.
Rachel Ciprian
2:17:14
Zulima Blair.
2:17:15
She said she was given funds to help us get attorneys.
2:17:19
She got me an attorney that never called me, had me sign a retainer fee or retainer, but never helped me.
2:17:26
And I've met with the bureau president office last week, Wednesday, and I'm going back tomorrow because I if money was allocated for us to get help legally, to get lawyers to help us, then I should have an axe I should have access to an attorney, not a bogus attorney who's not answering my call.
2:17:44
And that's the problem.
2:17:45
All these programs that are put in place, and when we don't know who to call and who to find out and who to hold accountable, nothing gets done.
2:17:53
And then people are coming to meetings like this and saying, we're helping.
2:17:56
We were at Medgar Evers.
2:17:58
We were here.
2:17:59
No.
2:17:59
We want real help.
2:18:00
And just like Vyra Jones was just here, she sat and she's going through this.
2:18:04
Why can't this is what I wanna understand.
2:18:05
When we're in these rooms and we're talking, why can't we have someone say, okay.
2:18:06
When we're in these rooms and we're talking, why can't we have someone say, okay, miss Jones.
2:18:11
Come.
2:18:12
Let's rectify this.
2:18:13
What's all this talking, talking, collecting cards, emailing to hear the same stuff again?
2:18:18
If I sound upset and if I sound frustrated, it's because I am.
2:18:22
And to piggyback off of the man that was here, councilman Salaam
UNKNOWN
2:18:26
Mhmm.
Rachel Ciprian
2:18:27
When he says when you're closest to the pain this is how I am.
2:18:30
I'm close to the pain because this is my home.
2:18:32
I've been in my home for 27 years and had someone try to evict me the other day and tell me that this is their deed.
2:18:38
This is my home, my legacy.
2:18:40
My father and I purchased this home.
2:18:42
I have 2 daughters, a nephew, and a sister.
2:18:44
God forbid I die, that home should go to them, not to a con artist.
2:18:48
And we need real help.
2:18:49
We enough of the talking.
2:18:51
Real, real help.
2:18:53
Please.
2:18:54
Next person.
2:18:55
I'm sorry.
Crystal Hudson
2:18:56
Thank you.