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In a dramatic turn of events, a Brooklyn woman embroiled in a scandal involving alleged deed theft has been accused of kidnapping her father and collecting his social security payments. This startling allegation was brought to light by his conservator in Georgia during a court hearing on Thursday.
The woman in question, Carmella Charrington, attended the court session without her father, Allman, who is 84 years old and suffers from Alzheimer’s. Despite the court’s demands and her assurances, Allman was not present in the Brooklyn Supreme Court, where he was supposed to appear before returning to his home state of Georgia. He has been legally recognized as a state ward there since disappearing three years ago.
Instead of Allman, approximately 15 supporters accompanied Charrington to the court. Their behavior became so unruly that several were escorted out by court officers, who were present in increased numbers due to anticipated disruptions.
Previously, Charrington’s failure to produce her father at an earlier court date resulted in her spending five days at Rikers Island. This incarceration ended with her involvement in an anti-eviction demonstration outside the contested Bed-Stuy residence, where local Councilmember Chi Osse was arrested on April 22.
Her stint in lock-up culminated in an anti-eviction protest outside the contested Bed-Stuy home where Councilmember Chi Osse was arrested on April 22.
Osse, who had appeared at prior hearings, was a no-show on Thursday.
His office did not respond to a request for comment.
Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Rachel Freier demanded to know where Allman was, but never got a clear answer from his daughter’s attorney, Tricia Lindsay.
“He’s been living in New York for over two years at 212 Jefferson St.,” Lindsay said.
“Is he there now?” Freier said, cutting her off.
“Well, your honor,” Lindsay replied, “Ms. Charrington is here now, so someone has to be with him.”
While Carmella claims she and her father are victims of deed theft, the state of Georgia says her father is a victim of kidnapping.
“Carmella orchestrated the abduction of Allman Charrington,” said attorney David Laniado, representing the state of Georgia, who demanded the court place her back in custody.
Laniado said sheriffs looking for Allman have been unable to find him, and claimed he “is being ping-pong’d from house to house.”
“She has defied openly and notoriously the Court’s orders and refuses to produce him.”
“I’ve never had a family member abscond with an incapacitated family member before,” claimed Georgia conservator, attorney Luanne Bonnie.
“I’ve never seen it, the state of Georgia’s never seen it.”
But Carmella had no issues producing her pops to the local social security office to collect his checks, Bonnie claimed in court.
“An investigation was started by the Social Security Administration and they found out that Carmella charrington keeps taking him to the Social Security office and picking up his check,” Bonnie said, adding that the SSA had suspended his payments as a result.
Records show the Jefferson Street property has a complicated history, but was ultimately bought by a company, 227 Group LLC, for $1.4 million in a sale that was approved by Bonnie.
But Charrington claims that Bonnie broke the law by signing off on the sale and never filed documents showing where the $1.4 million went.
State Attorney General Letita James said that the case “technically” wasn’t deed theft, and her office’s investigation concluded it was a property dispute between the heirs and relatives of the home’s former co-owners.
After Osse’s arrest last month, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced an office to combat deed theft through the Department of Finance.