May 24, 2006 11:25 pm US/Eastern
I-Team Uncovers Lawyer's Questionable Land Deals
by Kathy Curran
BOSTON (CBS4) ―
He's a man sworn to uphold the law but the I-team has caught Eric Levine in a web of misdeeds and lies. Levine was suspended from practicing law in the state in 2003 after charging a poor client an illegal fee.
"He's not supposed to be doing anything by way of practicing law...He can't be a secretary, paralegal, can't even sweep the floors in a law office," said Dan Crane, Office of the Bar Counsel.
The I-team has discovered not only has Levine been doing legal work from this downtown office since that suspension, he's been involved in questionable real estate deals. Sometimes buying, quickly selling and over-inflating the value of homes and land in Boston and the suburbs and ripping off clients along the way.
"It's clear fraud, fraud on the buyer, fraud often on the public, fraud on the lenders," said Paul Kelly, a former federal prosecutor.
Levine denies any wrongdoing.
We spoke to 5 people who say they've been victimized by Levine and lost thousands of dollars in the process. They're too afraid to be identified.
In some of the deals the broker was Roslindale realtor Bobby Odimegwu.
"We trust him that's why we went to him," said one victim.
When asked if he mislead anyone, Odimegwu said, "It's not true."
93 Normandy Street in Dorchester is just one example:
A business acquaintance of Eric Levine's bought this house and adjacent lot for $375,000. On the same day the house was flipped to levine for $495,000 and the land for $100. Two months later Levine sold the house for $525,000 and the land for 50,000 cash. That's an increase of $200,000.
Former federal prosecutor Paul Kelly looked over the paper trail left behind.
"That's a classic property flip no question about it," said Kelly.
Not only was the price inflated we discovered some of the documents in this deal were changed. When Eric Levine bought this lot for $100 the deed clearly stated the land wasn't buildable, it could only be used for open space.
But when he sold it for $50,000 that section was missing from the deed.
"She's getting for 50,000 cash a piece of property which is largely useless to her," said Kelly.
Levine denies changing the deeds.
Odimegwu won't comment on Levine's business deals.
The FBI is interested in Levine's business transacations but its spokesperson can't confirm or deny an investigation. Levine already faces a larceny charge in one case but denies any wrongdoing. Levine's lawyer tells the I-team his client is now working as a real estate developer and his transactions are legal and also says the alleged victims knew what they were getting into.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
