Housing and Tenant Protection Unit

We launched the Office’s first Housing and Tenant Protection Unit because we know that housing is a public safety issue. The Unit targets systemic criminal harassment of tenants and abuse of government programs by landlords and developers. Areas of focus include harassment of rent-regulated tenants, deed fraud, and defrauding of government subsidy programs by landlords and developers. 

“New York City is in the midst of a housing crisis, and that means tenants are particularly vulnerable to unscrupulous landlords,” said District Attorney Bragg. “By taking a targeted approach to complex and pervasive criminal activity, we can root out the bad actors who are seeking to game the system for profit at the expense of ordinary New Yorkers. The creation of this unit represents our firm commitment to fully utilizing the resources of our office to ensure Manhattan residents can exercise the right to live safely and securely.”

In July 2026, we announced the guilty plea of Juan Valoy for stealing approximately $25,000 from three victims through an apartment rental scam.

In March 2026, we announced the guilty pleas of real estate developers for defrauding New York State’s 421-a tax exemption program meant to promote affordable housing. The developers collectively obtained more than $1.6 million in illegal property tax benefits. “Access to affordable housing in Manhattan is scarce. These defendants scammed the system to illegally increase the prices of affordable apartments that were meant for income-qualified tenants,” said D.A. Bragg.

In December 2025, Jerry Genesis was indicted for allegedly stealing over $100,000 from at least eight prospective tenants in a rental scam. “As alleged, Jerry Genesis took advantage of New York’s extremely competitive housing market to steal hard-earned money from eight individuals who trusted him to find them apartments.

In October 2025, D.A. Bragg, State Senator Brian Kavanagh, and Assemblymember Micah Lasher stood with housing advocates to announce legislation that would create new criminal penalties for the systemic harassment of rent-regulated tenants and penalize repeated, recidivist harassment. “Our city is in the middle of a housing crisis, which creates power imbalances between landlords and tenants. While many landlords play by the rules, there are unscrupulous individuals who seek to exploit the lack of affordable housing for financial gain,” said D.A. Bragg.

In October 2025, we announced the indictment of three individuals and three companies for allegedly working together to steal a Harlem brownstone in a deed fraud scheme. “During a time when housing is scarce, I will not stand for fraudsters coming to Harlem to try and perpetrate these pernicious schemes. This type of alleged conduct preys on longtime New Yorkers, and we will prosecute those who take advantage of homeowners,” said D.A. Bragg.

In October 2025, Juan Valoy was indicted for allegedly stealing approximately $25,000 from three victims through an apartment rental scam. “Juan Valoy allegedly preyed on New Yorkers who were simply looking for a stable place to live at a time when affordable housing is scarce. The defendant allegedly exploited these circumstances so he could line his own pockets, all while leaving families with children without a home,” said D.A. Bragg.

In September 2025, we announced the indictment of Meyer Chetrit and his companies for allegedly harassing two older, rent-regulated tenants in Chelsea. “From winters without heat and unrepaired roofs causing leaks and ceiling collapses, these New Yorkers were forced to live in uninhabitable conditions. This is exactly the type of pattern of criminal harassment my Office’s Housing and Tenant Protection Unit was created to stop,” said D.A. Bragg.

In April 2024, Daniel Ohebshalom and his companies were indicted for allegedly harassing rent-regulated tenants with horrific living conditions to induce them to vacate their apartments. “We allege, he forced his tenants to live in unthinkable conditions. Long periods without heat or hot water in the middle of winter – and especially during the holidays,” said D.A. Bragg.

In April 2024, a former property manager for multiple Harlem rent-subsidized apartment buildings was indicted for allegedly stealing $56,000 in rent payments from 60 tenants, including veterans, and elderly and disabled New Yorkers. “Shatina Howell allegedly took advantage of tenants in the buildings she managed by breaking their trust and pocketing the money that was intended for rent,” said D.A. Bragg.

Protecting Workers

In Manhattan, we’re holding accountable companies that line their pockets at the expense of their employees. Whether it’s combatting wage theft or demanding safe worksite conditions, we’re standing up for hard-working New Yorkers.

In June 2026, we announced the indictment of Andrea Marshall, owner of luxury clothing brand Salon 1884, for allegedly exploiting her employees by requiring them to work extensive hours while stealing approximately $54,000 in their wages. “She preyed on the significant power imbalance of her employees who relied on the promised wages for housing and basic living expenses, feared retaliation, and lacked the financial resources to pursue legal recourse,” said D.A. Bragg.

In May 2026, we announced the indictment of two individuals for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars in wages from their employees at La Macarena Restaurant & Sport Bar. “Manhattanites deserve to be paid for their work, and my Office will ensure accountability for bosses who take advantage of their employees,” said D.A. Bragg.

Along with the NYC Department of Investigation, in June 2025, we announced the guilty plea of Anthony Martucci for stealing $36.8k in wages from workers at a city-funded construction site.

In June 2025, Valor Security and Investigation and its president pleaded guilty for operating a sham safety training school. “Valor’s President, Alexander Shaporov, also pleaded guilty to recklessly endangering Ivan Frias, who tragically died when he fell from a construction site without proper training,” said D.A. Bragg.

January 2025, Kendis Paul and his construction company were indicted for allegedly stealing approximately $67,000 from 10 former KEP employees who were working on the Upper West Side. “Workers deserve to be fairly compensated for their labor, and our Office will continue to prosecute those who take advantage of their employees.” D.A. Bragg

In May 2024, we announced the guilty pleas of Grimaldi’s Pizzeria owner and Manhattan manager for stealing $32,080 in wages from 18 employees, many of whom reported the theft to the D.A.’s Office after the indictment was announced. “With today’s guilty plea, 18 hard-working New Yorkers will be made whole and receive the wages stolen from them by their employers at Grimaldi’s Pizzeria,” said D.A. Bragg.

In January 2023, we indicted 24 individuals and 26 companies for engaging in a multi-million-dollar construction industry kickback scheme that undermined fair play in NYC’s construction industry for more than eight years. The defendants allegedly conspired to corrupt the competitive bidding process and stole more than $5 million from developers during this scheme. “When the bidding process is rigged, we all lose. I hope this indictment sends a message that the Manhattan D.A.’s Office and our partners at the NYPD and Department of Investigation will not tolerate bribery, corruption, or fraud,” said D.A. Bragg.

In February 2023, we launched the Office’s first Worker Protection Unit to investigate and prosecute wage theft and other forms of worker exploitation across Manhattan. The Unit will pursue criminal charges against individuals and corporations that jeopardize their workers’ safety and steal their wages. We also announced the creation of a $100,000 Stolen Wage Fund operated in partnership with the New York State Department of Labor. “Again and again, we see companies taking advantage of our most vulnerable populations, including low-income and undocumented New Yorkers, and abusing power imbalances to line their pockets. Together with our partners in law enforcement, the legislature, the community, and beyond, we will make sure workers are treated fairly, and bad faith employers who violate the laws are held accountable for their crimes,” said D.A. Bragg. 

In May 2023, we announced a series of indictments charging eight individuals and six companies with pervasive fraud and corruption within the construction industry. We allege the defendants used cash payrolls, ripping off the New York State Insurance Fund and leaving workers uninsured. They also conspired to use Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise firms solely and explicitly as pass-throughs to land contracts. “When the field is rigged, law-abiding companies and legitimate MWBEs are cheated out of much-needed contracts. And when executives care more about their bottom line than their employees and the law, hard-working New Yorkers suffer. These indictments send the message that the Manhattan D.A.’s Office does not tolerate fraud in any form,” said D.A. Bragg.

In May 2023, we also announced the expansion of our Construction Fraud Task Force, which previously solely city agencies. The Task Force now includes statewide and federal agencies including the New York State Department of Labor, the New York State Insurance Fund, the New York State Office of the Inspector General, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor. “Construction fraud can fleece the public, hurt law-abiding business owners, and endanger the lives of workers. The expansion of the Construction Fraud Task Force demonstrates the seriousness of our commitment to rooting out illegal activity and creating a safe and fair industry,” said D.A. Bragg.

In August 2023, we announced the first-ever repayment of wages from our Office’s Stolen Wage Fund, created in partnership with the New York State Department of Labor, returning $50,000 to seven workers of the now-defunct Ampak Electrical Services. “All workers deserve to be fairly compensated for the labor they provide. When workers are taken advantage of by unscrupulous employers, we are fiercely committed to making them whole,” said D.A. Bragg.

Notable cases:

• January 2026: With MTA Inspector General Daniel G. Cort, we announced the wage theft indictment of MTA HVAC contractor Rocco Mechanical, Inc., its president, and its treasurer for allegedly stealing approximately $339,000 from 13 employees.
•  January 2024: We will not tolerate fraud in the construction industry, particularly at the expense of New York’s workers. We announced the guilty pleas of two executives and their companies for engaging in a wide-ranging construction fraud scheme. “By corrupting the market, Lawrence Wecker and Joseph Guinta robbed legitimate MWBEs and smaller contractors of the chance to do business in New York,” said D.A. Bragg.
• October 2023: A licensed master rigger allegedly stole $170k in wages from his workers over nearly 18 months as they performed dangerous work – all while uninsured. “These workers performed extremely dangerous rigging work from the top of landmark skyscrapers, a job that requires both extreme skill and nerves of steel,” said D.A. Bragg.
• April 2023: We announced the guilty pleas of SAMCO Electrical Corporation and three employees for stealing more than $1 million in wages from workers on School Construction Authority and NYCHA projects. “It is unacceptable to steal from employees. New Yorkers work hard to provide for their families, and they should get paid what they are owed,” said D.A. Bragg.
• January 2023: We announced the indictment of Oneteam Restoration Inc, its owner, and a Certified Public Accountant for defrauding the New York State Insurance Fund of more than $7 million in workers’ compensation insurance premium payments. “NYSIF provides critical insurance coverage to injured workers, including those in some of our most dangerous industries like construction and manufacturing. By intentionally underreporting payrolls, scammers save millions in premiums at the expense of hardworking New Yorkers who put their physical safety on the line,” said D.A Bragg.
• August 2022: We indicted an electrical company, its principals, and project foreman for stealing more than $1.7 million in wages from workers on School Construction Authority and New York City Housing Authority projects. We allege company supplied non-union, unqualified labor through two shell companies – pocketing the difference in wages – and bribed an investigator in an attempt to cover up the scheme.
• October 2022: We secured the guilty plea of Dragonetti Brothers Landscaping, a longtime city contractor, for evading more than $1 million in insurance premiums by misclassifying workers for financial gain. “New Yorkers who do dangerous work deserve every protection possible to ensure that they go home safely to their families,” said D.A. Bragg.

Enhancing our Cyber Crime Practice

In January 2026, we announced the introduction of the CRYPTO Act, with State Senator Zellnor Myrie, to create a new law that makes operating a virtual currency business without a license a crime in New York State. “Crypto is the go-to means for bad actors to move and hide the proceeds of crime. It is long past time for businesses that operate without a virtual currency license and flout due diligence requirements to face criminal penalties,” said D.A. Bragg.

In September 2024, we announced the creation of the Cyber Crime Bureau, an evolution of the Office’s longstanding cyber-crime practice, tasked with the prosecution of computer crimes and cyber-enabled crimes. CCB utilizes complex investigative techniques and focuses on technically sophisticated and other cutting-edge crimes, such as the theft of cryptocurrency, SIM-swapping, computer and network intrusions, business email compromises, malware attacks, illicit dark-web vendors, and the use of Artificial Intelligence to facilitate criminal activity. CCB also works to seize and return stolen crypto and take down websites which enable illicit activity that occurs in New York and targets New Yorkers. “Our ability to conduct blockchain analysis, perform forensic analysis on mobile devices and much more is unique for a local prosecutor’s office and critical to many of our investigations and prosecutions,” said D.A. Bragg.