Defendant May Have Defrauded Dozens More; She Allegedly Threatened Some Victims with Deportation
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx woman has been indicted on Grand Larceny, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property and additional charges for taking thousands of dollars in deposits for rent-stabilized apartments she did not deliver.
District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant allegedly took deposits from people seeking housing, and never delivered a key and finalized lease. Our investigation found she allegedly threatened several prospective tenants by saying she would call immigration authorities to have them deported. It is believed she preyed on dozens of other people, and we are asking anyone who may have been victimized to contact our Civilian Complaint Unit at (718) 838-7040.”
District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Stephanie Antonio, 27, of East 182nd Street, was arraigned today before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Efrain Alvarado on six counts of thirddegree Grand Larceny, six counts of third-degree Criminal Possession of Stolen Property, nine counts of fourth-degree Grand Larceny, nine counts of fourth-degree Criminal Possession of Stolen Property, first-degree Scheme to Defraud, nine counts of Petit Larceny, nine counts of fifth-degree Criminal Possession of Stolen Property, second-degree Scheme to Defraud, and second-degree Criminal Impersonation. She is due back in court on February 28, 2022.
According to the investigation, between May 17, 2019 and September 30, 2019, the defendant told victims she was an employee of a property management company and had a real estate license. Although she was briefly employed by the property management company, it was only to take photos for its Instagram page. The defendant allegedly used that position to gain access to keys for apartments used in the scam. She allegedly took thousands of dollars from victims in deposits for apartments she could not and was unlicensed to deliver.
According to the investigation, the defendant intimidated multiple victims by threatening to call the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and have them deported if they were to go to police. In one instance, she filed an assault case against one victim that was later dropped when the victim showed proof that she was working at the time.
District Attorney Clark also thanked the NYPD Bronx Grand Larceny Squad, specifically Detective Kenneth Hines.
An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.
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