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Man returned home to land he bought in 1991 to find someone built a $1.5 million house on it - Expert shares theory on how it was allowed to happen
A Connecticut man who purchased a piece of land more than three decades ago returned to find something shocking - a large home had been built on it without his knowledge or consent.
Dr. Daniel Kenigsberg bought the half-acre plot next to his childhood home in Fairfield in 1991. He never developed the property, holding onto it with the plan of eventually passing it down through his family. Over the years, he had received several offers, including a $400,000 in 2022, but he declined each one.
Then, in 2023, Kenigsberg visited the land and discovered construction already underway on what would become a $1.5 million home.
A fraudulent sale and a forged signature
The lot had been “sold” in October 2022 to 51 Sky Top Partners LLC for $350,000. But Kenigsberg never authorized the transaction. A fraudulent power of attorney had been used to falsely give someone the right to act on his behalf. That document, allegedly signed in South Africa, was submitted as if it came from him.
According to Kenigsberg, he had no knowledge of the sale. The new owners, believing they had legally purchased the land, began building a luxury property.
A lawyer and TikTok creator, Kevin Kneupper, broke down how the scheme may have worked. “So they forge a document that claims (to be) from the owner, this Daniel Kenigsberg guy, someone in South Africa forged it, and then goes around to a property company and, you know, sells them the land, showing them the document claiming that they have the legal right from the owner of the land to sell it to them.”
Kenigsberg later filed a lawsuit against the company, seeking up to $2 million in damages. The lawsuit demanded the developers vacate the land and restore it to its original state.
Settlement ends the dispute but questions remain
By spring 2024, the legal battle ended in a private settlement. While the terms were not disclosed, reports confirmed that Kenigsberg received a payout and the company retained the right to finish the home, which eventually sold for around $2 million.
Law enforcement has not made any arrests. Investigators believe a scammer impersonated Kenigsberg using forged documents to carry out the fake sale. The individual behind the fraud is suspected to be operating out of South Africa, but their identity remains unknown.
A man found a house had been built on his land. Credit: Google Maps
Kenigsberg, reflecting on the situation, told CTInsider: “I’m angry that so many people were so negligent that this could have happened. It’s more than obnoxious - it’s offensive and wrong.”
This case has become a warning for property owners and buyers alike to be cautious and verify all legal documents involved in land sales, especially when power of attorney is claimed.