Sean Ludwick, the self-destructive developer who went to prison five years ago for a drunken-driving fatality in the Hamptons, has been released on parole.
And as he returns to a life marred by controversy, Ludwick’s long-stalled project in the Hudson Yards area may be turning a page as well.
The 49-year-old BlackHouse Development founder was released in January from the Otisville Correctional Facility in Orange County, according to state prison records. He was paroled after serving five years of a three-to-nine-year sentence for the fatal crash that killed his friend, Douglas Elliman real estate broker Paul Hansen, in the summer of 2015.
Barring any major disciplinary problems, Ludwick was automatically eligible for parole once he served two-thirds of his sentence, a state Department of Corrections spokesperson said. Ludwick could not be reached for comment.
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The hard-partying developer was drunk when he crashed his Porsche 911 into a utility pole outside Hansen’s Sag Harbor home. The driver-side airbag deployed and Ludwick survived, but Hansen’s body was ejected from the car and hit the pole.
Ludwick left Hansen on the side of the road and drove away from the scene before he was stopped and arrested by police.
But the developer — who already had a rap sheet that included charges he assaulted his girlfriend and harassed a former flame — couldn’t get out of his own way.
At one court hearing, the developer reportedly counted stacks of cash, showing little concern for the grieving members of Hansen’s family in attendance.
After posting a $1 million bond, Ludwick appeared to plan to flee justice by buying a boat in Puerto Rico that could sail to South America. His sailing instructor tipped off the FBI and Ludwick was arrested again.
He pleaded guilty in 2017 to aggravated vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of a fatal accident. Only then did he take responsibility for Hansen’s death and apologize to the victim’s family. “I own the problem,” he said in court.
Court records show he applied for parole in 2018 but was denied. A report from the parole board said that Ludwick showed a lack of remorse for his actions, explaining he gave inconsistent answers regarding his role in Hansen’s death. The report noted that while in prison, Ludwick was cited for fighting with a member of the Bloods gang — an incident he described as self defense.
Hansen’s widow, Catherine, filed a wrongful death lawsuit in 2015, which court records show the two sides settled in 2018.
Ludwick, a Long Island native, launched BlackHouse in 2007 and developed properties including the 56-room Hotel Americano in West Chelsea.
In 2013 he teamed up with former partners Saif Sumaida and Ashwin Verma, who left BlackHouse to found the development firm Siras Development, to develop a 242-room luxury hotel at 470 11th Avenue dubbed Hudson Rise.
Ludwick owned a one-sixth interest in the property, which the partners purchased along with Chinese developer Kuafu Properties in 2014 for $62 million.
But the project ran into troubles, including tabloid reports in 2014 that Ludwick entered his ex-girlfriend’s Tribeca home and drew penises on artwork he had made.
In 2015, Siras sued Kuafu for breach of contract and won. The case is now on appeal and sources said the two sides are working toward a settlement.
Representatives for Siras and Kuafu did not respond to requests for comment.