A man who was able to take advantage of New York City’s housing laws to live rent-free at the iconic New Yorker Hotel has been charged with fraud after claiming to be the hotel’s owner. Peter Morgan—Associated Press
A New York City man was able to live rent-free in a landmark Manhattan hotel for five years by exploiting vague local housing laws.
But prosecutors argued this week that Mickey Barreto went too far when he filed documents claiming ownership of the entire New Yorker hotel building and sought to claim rent from another tenant.
On Wednesday, he was arrested and charged with filing false property records. But Barreto, 48, said he was surprised when police showed up at his boyfriend’s apartment with guns and bulletproof shields. As far as he is concerned, it should be a civil case, not a criminal case.
“I said, ‘Oh, I thought you were doing something to spice up your relationship on Valentine’s Day until you saw the female cop,'” Barreto recalled telling her boyfriend.
Mr. Barreto’s fraud and criminal contempt charges stem from the fact that he and his boyfriend paid about $200 to rent one of more than 1,000 rooms in the towering Art Deco building, built in 1930. It’s just the latest chapter in a long legal saga that began with the
Barrett said she had just moved to New York from Los Angeles when her boyfriend informed her of a loophole that allowed residents of private rooms in buildings built before 1969 to be required to sign a six-month lease. . Barreto was counted as a tenant because she paid for one night in the hotel, she argued.
He asked for a lease, but the hotel quickly kicked him out.
“So I went to court the next day. The judge denied it. I appealed to the (state) Supreme Court and won,” Barrett said, adding that at key points in the case, the building owner’s attorney He added that he did not appear and was granted a walkover.
The judge ordered the hotel to hand over the keys to Barrett. He said he was living there without paying rent until July 2023 because the building owner was unwilling to negotiate a lease, but he could not evict him.
Manhattan prosecutors acknowledged that the housing court had given Barrett “possession” of the room. But they say he didn’t stop there. In 2019, he uploaded a fake deed to the city’s website purporting to transfer ownership of the entire building from the Holy Spirit Society to himself. unification of world Christianity, This church was founded in Korea by a deceased man who claimed to be the Messiah. Pastor Sun Myung Moon.
Barreto then attempted to claim ownership of the building against various parties. “Such as demanding rent from one of the hotel’s tenants, registering the hotel in his name with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection for water and sewer payments, and invoicing the hotel’s bank.” ,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
“As alleged, Mickey Barrett repeatedly and fraudulently claimed ownership of one of the city’s most iconic landmarks, the New Yorker Hotel,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement.
Located one block from Madison Square Garden and Penn Station, the New Yorker has long been one of the city’s largest hotels, even if it hasn’t always been the most glamorous hotel in the city. The giant red “New Yorker” sign is the landmark and is often photographed. Inventor Nikola Tesla lived in this hotel for 10 years. NBC was broadcasting from a hotel terrace room. Boxers, including Muhammad Ali, stayed there when they competed in the garden. It closed as a hotel in 1972 and was used for church purposes for many years until part of the building was reopened as a hotel in 1994.
of unity church sued Barreto in 2019 over deed claims that included representations on LinkedIn as the building’s owner. The case is ongoing, but a judge has ruled that Barrett cannot present himself as an owner for the time being.
A spokesperson for the Unification Church declined to comment on his arrest, citing the ongoing civil litigation.
In that case, Barrett argued that the judge who granted him “possession” of his apartment indirectly gave him the entire building because it was undivided.
“I never intended to commit fraud. I believe I have never committed fraud,” Barrett said. “And I never made a dime from this.”
Barrett said his legal dispute is an effort aimed at denying benefits to the nation. unity church. The church, which is known for holding mass weddings, has been sued over its recruitment methods and has been criticized by some for its friendly relations with North Korea, where President Moon is from.
He said he has never hired a lawyer in civil cases and has always represented himself. On Wednesday, he retained a criminal defense attorney.
