Seller’s remorse: Bed-Stuy family claims they were duped into selling home at far below its value

A Bedford-Stuyvesant family is fighting back against a deal that could cost them their home of 30 years.

Homeowner Dairus Griffiths says he was tricked into selling his house on Halsey Street by real estate speculators, and he has been fighting to hold onto it for almost five years, according to the Daily News.

Griffiths fell behind on his mortgage payments and told the News that Eli Mashieh of August West Development approached him on the street in 2014 to persuade him to sell the property, which he did. Court documents show that he signed a contract to sell it for $630,000, although the city’s Finance Department values the property at about $1.5 million.

Griffiths later went back to Mashieh to tell him the deal was off, but he responded that Griffiths had signed the contract and was going to sell.

The matter went to court in November 2014, and a judge ruled against Griffiths for failing to respond to the case. Griffiths is now trying to reverse the court’s decision, but his family is struggling to afford the legal costs.

Convicted fraudster Raj Maddiwar is listed as Griffiths’ attorney on the contract, but his role in the deal is unclear. Griffiths has been inconsistent when it comes to describing Maddiwar’s involvement.

Doris Briggs, Griffiths’ daughter, told the News she was concerned they would soon be evicted.

“Where are we supposed to go?” she said. [NYDN] — Eddie Small