NIGERIAN LAWYER INVESTIGATED BY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE FOR FRAUD/COUNTERSUES FOR DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER - By Chinyere Obinna
A prominent Nigerian lawyer, who has been known as an upstanding pillar of the Nigerian community has become embroiled in a bitter battle that has escalated to accusations of fraud, investigation by the district attorney’s office and counter suits of libel and defamation.
The lawyer, Eric Abakporo, who is also the pastor of the Queens branch of popular Deeper Life Bible Church was recently implicated in a messy headline story that accused him of fraudulently stripping a 78 years old widow of her property worth about $15 million.
According to a Daily News article published on Sunday march 30th, the widow, Ina Mcarthur, a retired school teacher, who has a slew of medical problems was taken advantage of by Mr. Abakporo and his partner, in real estate deals, Ms. Letanya Pierce, who allegedly duped her by hijacking her property from her right under the watchful noses of her real estate lawyer and property agent.
According to the News story, Mr. Abakporo allegedly swindled Ms. Mcarthur by first gaining her trust and then fleecing her of her property, an entire block of buildings located at St Nicholas Avenue and 163rd street.
According to the news story, Ms. Mcarthur entered into an agreement with Mr. Abakporo and his partner to sell the property for $3.1 million. The story goes on to say that Mr. Abakporo and his partner then presented Ms. Mcarthur with a certified Chase Manhattan bank check at the closing for $500,000 as down payment. When the money turned out to be an apparent forgery, the pair convinced Ms. Mcarthur to return the check to them and further convinced her to give Ms Pierces’ corporation a mortgage loan to buy the property.
According to the article, interest and principal for the loan were due in full last year but were never paid. Additionally, Ms. Pierce took out an additional mortgage loan on the property from Washington Mutual in the amount of $1.5 million in addition to collecting more than $500,000 in rent money from tenants in the building. According to the story Ms. Mcarthur only received a total of $20,000, from Mr. Abakporo and his partner.
Triggered by the Daily News story, the Manhattan district attorney’s office has launched an investigation into the activities of Mr. Abakporo and his partner. Dan Castleman, the chief of the District Attorneys’ Investigation Division stated that his office has issued numerous subpoenas on transactions involving the property.
Mr. Abakporo has come back fighting by slapping the Daily News with a lawsuit that claims libel and defamation of character. In an 11 page brief released by courthousenews.com, filed in the county of Kings by Mr. Abakporo against the Daily News, Mr. William Sherman, a staff writer at the Daily News, Mr. Andrew Theodorakis, a Daily News photographer and others. At the crux of the lawsuit was the manner in which the daily news staff gained entry into his office at the pretext of engaging in real estate transactions with him. Mr. Abakporo's suit pointed out that at all times during the transaction, Ms. Mcarthur and her cooperation were fully represented by her attorney as well as two real estate brokers who acted and negotiated the transaction on behalf of the Mcarthur cooperation. Mr. Abakporo is seeking punitive damage totaling $30,000.000.00 from the parties named in the lawsuit
I was unable to contact Mr. Abakporo for his comment on the story; however, the members of his congregation were unanimous in their support of Mr. Abakporo, whom they called “an honest and upstanding man.” A male member of the church who spoke to me on condition of anonymity stated that the daily news story was a mask to discredit a hardworking man who has done so much for his community. He stated that Mr. Abakporo will be exonerated in time. Another congregation member, a woman stated that nobody believes the daily news story and that Mr. Abakporo will be exonerated.
The lawyer, Eric Abakporo, who is also the pastor of the Queens branch of popular Deeper Life Bible Church was recently implicated in a messy headline story that accused him of fraudulently stripping a 78 years old widow of her property worth about $15 million.
According to a Daily News article published on Sunday march 30th, the widow, Ina Mcarthur, a retired school teacher, who has a slew of medical problems was taken advantage of by Mr. Abakporo and his partner, in real estate deals, Ms. Letanya Pierce, who allegedly duped her by hijacking her property from her right under the watchful noses of her real estate lawyer and property agent.
According to the News story, Mr. Abakporo allegedly swindled Ms. Mcarthur by first gaining her trust and then fleecing her of her property, an entire block of buildings located at St Nicholas Avenue and 163rd street.
According to the news story, Ms. Mcarthur entered into an agreement with Mr. Abakporo and his partner to sell the property for $3.1 million. The story goes on to say that Mr. Abakporo and his partner then presented Ms. Mcarthur with a certified Chase Manhattan bank check at the closing for $500,000 as down payment. When the money turned out to be an apparent forgery, the pair convinced Ms. Mcarthur to return the check to them and further convinced her to give Ms Pierces’ corporation a mortgage loan to buy the property.
According to the article, interest and principal for the loan were due in full last year but were never paid. Additionally, Ms. Pierce took out an additional mortgage loan on the property from Washington Mutual in the amount of $1.5 million in addition to collecting more than $500,000 in rent money from tenants in the building. According to the story Ms. Mcarthur only received a total of $20,000, from Mr. Abakporo and his partner.
Triggered by the Daily News story, the Manhattan district attorney’s office has launched an investigation into the activities of Mr. Abakporo and his partner. Dan Castleman, the chief of the District Attorneys’ Investigation Division stated that his office has issued numerous subpoenas on transactions involving the property.
Mr. Abakporo has come back fighting by slapping the Daily News with a lawsuit that claims libel and defamation of character. In an 11 page brief released by courthousenews.com, filed in the county of Kings by Mr. Abakporo against the Daily News, Mr. William Sherman, a staff writer at the Daily News, Mr. Andrew Theodorakis, a Daily News photographer and others. At the crux of the lawsuit was the manner in which the daily news staff gained entry into his office at the pretext of engaging in real estate transactions with him. Mr. Abakporo's suit pointed out that at all times during the transaction, Ms. Mcarthur and her cooperation were fully represented by her attorney as well as two real estate brokers who acted and negotiated the transaction on behalf of the Mcarthur cooperation. Mr. Abakporo is seeking punitive damage totaling $30,000.000.00 from the parties named in the lawsuit
I was unable to contact Mr. Abakporo for his comment on the story; however, the members of his congregation were unanimous in their support of Mr. Abakporo, whom they called “an honest and upstanding man.” A male member of the church who spoke to me on condition of anonymity stated that the daily news story was a mask to discredit a hardworking man who has done so much for his community. He stated that Mr. Abakporo will be exonerated in time. Another congregation member, a woman stated that nobody believes the daily news story and that Mr. Abakporo will be exonerated.
Comments