Astoria landlord allegedly scams tenants with conversions

DA Richard Brown and 31-70 Crescent Street
DA Richard Brown and 31-70 Crescent Street

An Astoria landlord has been charged with scamming his tenants, the second such case this month.

Hinyoung Limtung cheated 10 renters out of more than $44,000 at a building located at 31-70 Crescent Street that was uninhabitable, said Queens District Attorney Richard Brown. The city’s Department of Buildings had ordered Limtung to clear the house last year after finding that it had been illegally converted from a two-family home into a five-family home. But Limtung persevered, and even cut the space into nine residences while continuing to pocket rents.

“This is a serious matter and the defendant, if guilty, must face the consequences of his actions,” Brown said in a statement Monday cited by the New York Daily News.

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Limtung is being held on $20,000 bail on multiple counts of grand larceny, fraud and reckless endangerment among other charges, according to the newspaper.

Earlier this month in Astoria, self-styled community leader Mario Lalicata was arrested for stealing $17,000 using Craigslist to scam would-be renters, as reported. [NYDN]  – Hiten Samtani