Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced Monday that Svetlana Katsevman was charged with advertising a Gravesend apartment complex in a Russian-language newspaper and charging tenants between $700 and $2,300 in deposits and rent. did.
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A Brooklyn woman has been charged with defrauding potential tenants out of thousands of dollars in rental contracts, The Real Deal reported Tuesday. The victims, including Ukrainian refugees, paid a deposit and rent, but when they arrived at the facility they found the door locked.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez announced Monday that Svetlana Katsevman was charged with advertising a Gravesend apartment complex in a Russian-language newspaper and charging tenants between $700 and $2,300 in deposits and rent. did. Katsevman collected nearly $16,000 from victims between January 2022 and July 2024.
Gonzalez said many victims claimed that Katsevman offered them discounts as fellow Ukrainians.
When the renters arrived at the complex at 1800 Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn, they were unable to access the units or contact Katsevman. Gonzalez claimed that even though Katsevman himself lived in the complex, he did not offer tenants a lease.
“This defendant is accused of exploiting the trust and vulnerability of his neighbors, many of whom are newly arrived seeking stability in their new country,” Gonzalez said in a statement obtained by The Real Deal. I’m an immigrant,” he said.
Among the victims were a 38-year-old man who paid a $1,400 deposit and first month’s rent, a 40-year-old who handed over $1,600 in cash, and a 65-year-old woman who paid a $2,300 deposit in April. It was included. .
The case highlights a broader problem of increasing rental-related fraud. Fraud charges against five Cincinnati landlords reached an all-time high in July. Hartford, Connecticut. The Little Rock, Ark., man pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges in January.
To prevent rental fraud, software company 100 partnered with identity verification platform CLEAR in October to introduce the Verified Renter Network. The system simplifies and secures rental applications by integrating advanced screening processes and identity verification.
Meanwhile, landlords also face increased scrutiny when it comes to maintaining their properties. In March, a New York landlord was issued a warrant for unsafe conditions at his property and could face up to 60 days in jail for failing to address issues such as lead paint, mold and pest infestation. There was.