A federal real‑estate fraud case offers powerful lessons for investors seeking to protect their capital. In Choi v. 37 Parsons Realty LLC , an investor lost $500,000 after wiring funds into an escrow account controlled by a fraudster, Anthony Wong. The court emphasized two key failures: no written escrow agreement and allowing Wong to direct the funds—mistakes that made the loss possible. Here’s how investors can protect themselves from similar schemes. 1. Always Use a Writte

Businesses use escrow services to reduce risk, create certainty, and ensure funds are released only when defined conditions are met. But not all escrow arrangements—and not all court decisions—treat escrow agents the same way. Some recent cases show a divide between courts that expand escrow agent duties beyond the contract and courts that correctly recognize that an escrow agent’s role is defined by the escrow agreement itself. For businesses, that distinction matters. Escro

When businesses use escrow services, they are placing significant trust—and often substantial funds—in an escrow agent’s hands. The expectation is simple: escrow funds will not be released unless the conditions in the escrow agreement are met. A recent federal court decision underscores why choosing the right  escrow agent—and the right  escrow agreement—matters more than many businesses realize. Escrow Services Are About More Than Holding Funds Escrow agents do more than saf

Escrow accounts are designed to protect buyers and sellers by holding funds neutrally until contractual conditions are met. But what happens when the escrow agent steals money—the very person entrusted to safeguard the money? Unfortunately, New York courts have addressed this scenario more than once, and the answer often surprises clients: someone still bears the loss, even though neither party committed the wrongdoing. A recent Brooklyn real estate dispute, Herman v. 818 Woo