Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced on Monday, Nov. 15, that a Bronx woman was indicted on charges of 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.

 

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.” She added, “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.”

 

According to the district attorney, the defendant, Stephanie Antonio, 27, of East 182^nd Street, was arraigned on Monday before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Efrain Alvarado on six counts of third-degree 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.

 

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 a property management company, her role 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 not, licensed 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 went to the 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 of the alleged assault.

 

The case is being prosecuted by assistant district attorney, Samantha Sizemore, of the economic crimes bureau, under the supervision of Michelle Milanes, supervisor of the economic crimes bureau; W. Dyer Halpern, deputy chief of the bureau; and Herman Wun, chief of the bureau, and under the overall supervision of Denise Kodjo, deputy chief of the investigations division; and Wanda Perez-Maldonado, chief of the investigations division.

 

Clark thanked Bronx district attorney chief investigator, Frank J. Chiara, deputy chief investigator, Terence Mulderrig, Lieutenant Vincent Cantarella, detective investigator, Anai Tamarez, and forensic accountant, Julio Santiago, for their assistance in the investigation. She also thanked the NYPD Bronx grand larceny squad, specifically Detective Kenneth Hines.

 

A person charged with a crime is innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

 

The defendant is due back in court on February 28, 2022.