An FBI Boston warning about a rise in quitclaim deed fraud closely resembles a civil case involving a Boston Water and Sewer Commission HR director who is alleged to have worked with relatives to swindle her elderly uncle out of his home.

The similarity has not gone unnoticed, according to Ricardo Arroyo, an ex-Boston city councilor and attorney representing the elderly man who filed suit against Marie Theodat, chief human resource officer at the Water and Sewer Commission, and three other relatives who are alleged to have been involved in the scheme.

“We did see it, and we do believe that the facts of this case fit squarely into what is described in that release by the FBI,” Arroyo told the Herald.

One of three scenarios highlighted by the FBI is “family members, often the elderly, targeted by their own relatives and close associates who convince them to transfer the property into their own name for their own financial gain.”

The family of Rodolphe St. Cloud, the elderly man who alleged that he fell victim to a similar scheme in an August 2024 civil lawsuit, is considering filing a formal complaint with the FBI for quitclaim deed fraud — as a result of the release that was sent out by the federal agency this week, the Herald has learned.

“In keeping with DOJ policy, we cannot comment on specific cases or even confirm/deny existence of investigations,” FBI Boston spokesperson Kristen Setera said in a statement to the Herald.

The FBI Boston release warned of a rise in such fraud which it said is also known as home title theft and “involves fraudsters who forge documents to record a phony transfer of ownership.”

“Criminals can then sell either the vacant land or home, take out a mortgage on it, or even rent it out to make a profit, forcing the real owners to head to court to reclaim their property,” the FBI release states.

Of the four states included in the FBI Boston Division, Massachusetts had far more reported victims —1,576 who lost roughly $46.26 million — than Maine, New Hampshire and Rhode Island.

“Folks across the region are having their roots literally pulled out from under them and are being left with no place to call home,” Jodi Cohen, special agent in charge of the FBI Boston Division, said in a statement. “They’re suffering deeply personal losses that have inflicted a significant financial and emotional toll, including shock, anger, and even embarrassment.

“We are urging the public to heed this warning and to take proactive steps to avoid losing your property,” Cohen added. “Anyone who is a victim of this type of fraud should report it to us.”

The Suffolk Superior Court lawsuit filed by St. Cloud’s attorney alleges that Theodat worked with relatives, including her sister Danny Levy to swindle their elderly and dementia-ridden uncle, St. Cloud, out of his $1.1 million Dorchester home.

The complaint alleges that Theodat, who made $202,873 with the Boston Water and Sewer Commission last year and is on paid administrative leave, “fraudulently induced” the nearly 90-year-old St. Cloud to sign over the deed to his longtime home under the “guise” that he was signing documents related to his medical care.

The property was conveyed for “less than $100” to 144 Fuller LLC, an entity named after the address of the home and managed, per the lawsuit, by Theodat; her sister Danny Levy, chief customer and employee experience officer for the MBTA; Levy’s husband Wayne Levy, chief of staff at the quasi-public agency Massachusetts Life Sciences Center; and another relative Harcher Batrival.

“Rodolphe St. Cloud does not read or speak English and as such relied on Marie A. Theodat to translate and interpret for him,” the 2024 lawsuit states. “Mr. St. Cloud was also afflicted with dementia at the time of the signing and did not have the mental capacity to understand or execute a transfer.”

Of the listed defendants, only Batrival responded to a Herald request for comment on the potential of a formal fraud complaint being lodged with the FBI.

“Given that this is an ongoing legal case, I’m not able to comment at this time,” Batrival said in a text message. “I do want to emphasize that I take the situation seriously and intend to address the allegations appropriately through the legal process.”

Theodat described the lawsuit as “fraudulent” in a brief phone call with the Herald last year, while Danny and Wayne Levy have denied at least part of the allegations in separate court filings.

If St. Cloud’s family were to refer a complaint to the FBI, it would be at least the third referral in the civil case, according to the lawsuit, which states that the offices of Massachusetts Attorney General and the Suffolk County District Attorney are “investigating these criminal acts.”

The AG’s office has previously said that it would not confirm, deny, nor comment on the existence of an investigation, while the Suffolk DA’s office said it doesn’t handle civil cases.

The lawsuit outlines a series of events where all relatives listed in the suit benefited from the “fraudulent scheme,” which deprived St. Cloud and his roughly 90-year-old life partner, Marthe Jeudi, of “record ownership of the property” and divested them of “hundreds of thousands of dollars in equity.”

Jeudi has “advanced mental deficiency due to Alzheimer’s” and resides in an assisted care facility. St. Cloud was listed as the record owner of the Dorchester home, 144 Fuller St., since March of 1989, and is now facing eviction proceedings in Massachusetts Land Court, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit states that on the same day Theodat obtained the “quitclaim deed fraudulently conveying the property to 144 Fuller LLC,” Boston Trust Finance LLC, a subsidiary of the private lender Boston Trust, granted a commercial mortgage and security agreement worth more than $2 million against the property to 144 Fuller LLC.

The mortgage secured by Theodat using 144 Fuller St. was used to secure the mortgage on 1806 Beacon St., a Waban home owned by Danny and Wayne Levy, “which had been foreclosed, then purchased at a subsequent foreclosure sale, by Theodat around the same time, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuit is slowly making its way through the court system. The last docket movement was a motion to dismiss filed on March 28 by Theodat. The filing states St. Cloud “does not have the legal capacity to bring this action on his own behalf.”

“It was filed improperly and has no merit,” Arroyo said. “We intend to have an opposition filed through the proper channels to address that.”

Originally Published: April 4, 2025 at 5:44 PM EDT

Sunshine and upper 60s. Sounds like a super way to kick off the season at Fenway Park this afternoon. Any early clouds will scatter as the sun pokes out and a steady northwest breeze keeps the sea breeze away. As a result, warmest temperatures will be found along the coast this afternoon, including Boston where we’re aiming for a high around 67 or 68. This will be the warmest opening day since 2022 when we hit 67.

When will it rain on Saturday in Boston?

Clouds will tighten up tonight as the next round of rain kicks off tomorrow by mid-morning. Once established, it will stay wet through the remainder of the day. Temps nosedive back to the mid and upper 40s – yikes. Not the best way to start the weekend.

Will it rain on Sunday in Boston?

Sunday isn’t much better, but it is warmer…by a smidge. We sneak into the milder air for a few hours around midday. There will still be a few passing showers, with a trend toward drying in the afternoon. Temperatures will fall back through the 40s and 50s as some rays of sun poke out late.

We still might have a couple of leftover showers (can’t get a break!) early on Monday, but this is a much cooler day. Ditto for Tuesday, with a lot more wind. Overall, the pattern stays cool into the middle of next week – think 40s here – before we recover late week.

Have a great weekend!

A woman tried to steal chips from a Boston pizza shop, then assaulted the owner when she was asked to leave, according to the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office.

At about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 1, police received a call from Pizza Stop at 851 Harrison Ave. The owner told officers that the woman, later identified as Nina Benoit, 33, of Quincy, had been “causing a disturbance” in the store and not purchasing anything. After being asked multiple times to leave, the owner told police Benoit tried to steal multiple bags of chips from the front counter.

According to the district attorney’s office, the owner then confronted Benoit and she pulled out a silver multi-tool knife and waved it at the owner, who received a cut about 4 to 6 inches long on his right forearm.

Benoit, who was sitting outside when police arrived, told officers she had defending herself because someone in the store was choking her.

Multiple witnesses backed up the owner’s story, police said.

The shop owner was treated by emergency medical staff at the scene.

“It is always frightening to see a disturbance or altercation escalate and rise to violence,” Kevin Hayden, the district attorney, said in a statement. “Everyone deserves to feel safe in their workplaces, and our business owners and their customers should be able to go about their daily lives without encountering dangerous situations.”

Benoit was charged with armed robbery and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. She was arraigned Wednesday, ordered held on $2,500 bail and told to stay away from the restaurant. She will return to court on April 17.

According to the district attorney’s office, Benoit was convicted in 2017 of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and in 2018 of assault and battery on a police officer causing serious bodily injury and served prison time for both convictions.