Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg Jr. wrote an op-ed in City and State today calling on the New York State Legislature to pass Bill S8559, sponsored by state Senator Brian Kavanagh and Assembly Member Micah Lasher, which will better protect New Yorkers from tenant harassment.
“Tyshaun Watson is facing accountability for viciously attacking a pizzeria manager. This employee, who was just doing his job, suffered significant injuries and had to be placed in a medically induced coma for two weeks,” said District Attorney Bragg. “No worker should ever have to fear for their safety, and my Office will prosecute those who harm them.”
Manhattan is facing a housing crisis. Rising rents and scarcity not only make it difficult for New Yorkers to find safe affordable homes, but create a breeding ground for fraud, scams and harassment.
In just the past few months, my office has indicted a wide range of bad actors who allegedly preyed on homeowners and tenants: four rental scammers defrauded apartment hunters out of thousands of dollars; landlords harassed rent-regulated tenants in Chelsea; and multiple individuals and companies committed deed fraud in Harlem.
It’s not just holiday shoppers who are out in full force — so are thieves and fraudsters.
A 28-year-old man homeless man with 18 prior arrests was indicted recently and charged with being the alleged subway shover who had hurled a 24-year-old off-duty NYPD officer onto the tracts at the Third Ave. L train station in the East Village in September.
