DA VANCE: THREE PHONY REAL ESTATE BROKERS INDICTED FOR WASHINGTON HEIGHTS HOUSING SCAM TARGETING HISPANIC IMMIGRANTS
Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., recently announced the indictment of JUAN VALOY, 35, ELIZABETH ADRIAN PEREZ, 30, and RICARDO GONZALEZ, 36, for fraudulently collecting thousands of dollars from more than 20 victims of a Washington Heights apartment scam that targeted Hispanic immigrants. The defendants are charged in an indictment in New York State Supreme Court with Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree and Grand Larceny in the Third and Fourth Degrees.[1]
“Scam artists frequently target immigrant communities,” said District Attorney Vance. “Through this scheme, the defendants are accused of stealing thousands of dollars from their victims and, moreover, leaving many without a place to live. I encourage anyone who feels that he or she may have been the victim of a scam to call my Office’s Immigrant Affairs Hotline at 212-335-3600, regardless of immigration status.”
According to documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court, VALOY, ADRIAN PEREZ, and GONZALEZ are accused of fraudulently offering for rent multiple apartments in Washington Heights. Posing as brokers, the defendants showed their victims apartments that they claimed were available to lease, and then accepted payments of as much as $5,500 for supposed applications fees and security deposits. After collecting this money from their victims, the defendants repeatedly delayed move-in dates and ignored victims’ calls. In some cases, the apartments that VALOY, ADRIAN PEREZ, and GONZALEZ showed to their victims were, in fact, already occupied by other residents.
Assistant District Attorney Mayerling Rivera is handling the prosecution of the case, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Judy Salwen and Archana Rao, Deputy Chiefs of the Special Prosecutions Bureau; Assistant District Attorney Michael Sachs, Chief of the Special Prosecutions Bureau; and Executive Assistant District Attorney David Szuchman, Chief of the Investigation Division.
[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court or statements made on the record in court.
Defendant Information:
RICARDO GONZALEZ, D.O.B. 9/24/1977
Bronx, N.Y.
Charges:
- Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class D felony, 2 counts
- Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, a class E felony, 2 counts
- Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a class E felony, 1 count
ELZABETH ADRIAN PEREZ, D.O.B. 2/7/1984
Bronx, N.Y.
Charges:
- Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class D felony, 2 counts
- Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, a class E felony, 2 counts
- Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a class E felony, 1 count
JUAN VALOY, D.O.B. 5/7/1979
Bronx, N.Y.
Charges:
- Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, a class E felony, 2 counts
- Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class D felony, 3 counts
- Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a class E felony, 5 counts