Fox’s first appearance — Attorneys for alleged squatter Brett Flores attempt to recover testimony about their client, saying Flores was part of a deal that helped the Landa family slash the price of their New York dream home. he told Fox News Digital.
“The Landa family was purchasing property from Bernie Fernandez’s estate,” Dennis O’Sullivan, an attorney representing Flores in the civil suit, told Fox News Digital. “Mr. and Mrs. Landa were in bed with Brett and asked him to stay on the property because the real estate company selling the property needs to offer a discount to the buyer.”
“After receiving an incredible discount, they attacked Brett and said we won’t give you a dime, and the estate picked up on Brett as they were about to evict him.” he added.
O’Sullivan said the Landa family agreed to pay Flores $140,000 if he stayed in the home and helped lower the price of the home. According to real estate site Redfin, the home was originally listed for $2.69 million, but closed on October 13, 2023, for $2 million.
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According to ABC 7, the Landa family purchased the waterfront home with the intention that their sons would live there and help care for their younger brother, who has Down syndrome, especially after their parents passed away.
Flores lived and worked at the home to care for 80-year-old Bernard Fernandez until Fernandez passed away on January 12, 2023. Anthony Mordente, a lawyer for Landa’s family, said Flores refused to leave the house, claiming Fernandez had given her permission to stay.
O’Sullivan said he had an hour-long video of a conversation between the Landa family and Flores in which they apparently discussed the deal and “delivered the property for such a low price.” Blessed.
Fox News Digital has not heard the recording and could not confirm the content of the conversation. Asked why the recordings had not been made public sooner, Mr O’Sullivan said the recordings had been withheld as part of a “strategic decision” and were likely to be heard in a future court, with the next hearing due in April. He said it was planned.
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“In our first conversation he said, [Joseph Landa’s] The company’s headquarters are in Astoria, Queens, where the men work as decorators. …Brett was in his office for an hour — since January, obviously after Bernie passed away — and he got a tour of the guy’s business, and they worked on this concept where Brett sat tight. The Landa family then negotiated this incredible discount. ” O’Sullivan said.
O’Sullivan said the information first came to light in court last week during the hearing of the harassment lawsuit between Flores and the Landa family, in a frustrating moment for lawyers representing Flores in the case. He said he blurted out this information.
Joseph and Susana Landa interviewed FOX News Digital via Zoom after news broke about their fight to evict Brett Flores. (Fox News Digital)
When asked to respond to the new allegations, Daniel Landa, who has been working with media outlets to arrange interviews and answer questions on behalf of the family, told Fox News Digital, “I’ll have everything covered in the next courtroom.” I hope that it will be resolved.” date. “
When asked to follow up on what, if any, claims he would like to refute, Daniel Landa replied, “We are in litigation.”
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Landa’s family previously told Fox News Digital that they took over the home knowing they would also have to take over the legal process to evict Flores. Mr. Fernandez left his property to his nephew, but with no final remedy for the matter, he went to court several times and finally put his home up for sale on July 24, 2023. did.
Zillow also lists the home’s final closing price as $2 million. The real estate agent involved in the sale of the home did not respond to a Fox News Digital inquiry about the property.
Brett Flores speaks by phone in Queens Criminal Court on March 18, 2024 in New York City. (Fox News Digital Probe Media)
Mr. O’Sullivan does not dispute these facts of the case, but the new twist in the story, which he has repeatedly promised would “turn the narrative on its head,” shows that the Landa family has hired Mr. Flores to reduce prices. It was revealed that he had used . Initially, he claimed he couldn’t bring the house down to $2 million and tried to pressure them into lowering it than they had originally agreed to, but he refused to pay him $140,000 for his efforts.
The Landa family previously told Fox News Digital that they appeared in court with checkbooks in hand and offered to pay Flores the money (which O’Sullivan confirmed), but Flores refused to accept the money. .
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Ms O’Sullivan said that by the time the family relented and tried to pay up, the situation had taken on an “element of defamation” that went beyond the initial compensation, adding that even Ms Flores’ attorney had caused personal problems and had “not given up on the public”. This is how I see it.” It’s different for me. ”
“They said a lot of bad things about him, and it was broadcast all over the United States, it was broadcast in England… and even [former HUD Secretary] “Ben Carson was on TV discussing this incident,” O’Sullivan said.
He also said the Landa family owns at least three other homes in addition to the one in question, all in the same Douglaston neighborhood in Queens, and that they sold their previous home to their son and then moved to another nearby home. He also revealed that he may be moving into a house.
Mr O’Sullivan is still considering whether and when to allow his clients to speak directly to the media. When FOX News Digital spoke with Flores after the assault charge against him was dismissed, he did not comment or answer questions.
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Flores filed for bankruptcy in January, but because she doesn’t own her home, real estate is not considered and she can continue to live there while the stay of litigation lasts.
Anthony Mordente, the Landa family’s attorney, told Fox News Digital this month: “We are in the process of getting automatic bankruptcy lifted so we can go back to court and proceed with the case.” Told. “I think we will be successful. I see no reason for the bankruptcy judge to continue the stay.”
