Man Who Lived Rent-Free for Years in [“cult” owned] New Yorker Hotel Pleads Guilty to Fraud
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A New York City man who lived rent-free in the New Yorker Hotel for years and even attempted to claim ownership of the property has pleaded guilty to fraud charges.
Mickey Barreto entered the plea on Wednesday, Feb. 18, in the New York Supreme Criminal Court, according to court records reviewed by PEOPLE. According to the Associated Press, Barreto admitted in court that he attempted to take ownership of the hotel through forged property records.
Barreto says he and his boyfriend paid $200 to rent one of the historic hotel’s rooms back in 2018, per the AP. He then requested a lease, saying that his one-night stay entitled him to protections under a city housing law that applies to single-room occupants of buildings constructed before 1969.
The outlet reports the hotel disputed the claims and Barreto took that case to court. Since the hotel’s owners, the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity, did not send a lawyer to the hearing, the guest was awarded “possession” of the room.
Manhattan prosecutors claim that at one point during his tenure at the New Yorker, in May 2019, Barreto uploaded fake property documents onto the city’s official registry, including a fake deed “purporting to transfer ownership” of the hotel from the church to himself.
“Barreto then began holding himself out as the owner of the hotel, including demanding rent from one of the hotel’s tenants, registering the hotel under his name… and demanding the hotel’s bank transfer its accounts to him,” the Manhattan District Attorney’s office said in a press release announcing his indictment. They claim Barreto also contacted the hotel’s franchisor, Wyndham, to begin talks to have the franchise transferred to him.
The real hotel owner filed suit against Barreto and was awarded an order forbidding Barreto from making further false filings or holding himself as the owner. The guest was eventually evicted from the property in 2024, per the AP.
In February 2024, Barreto was charged with 24 counts, including felony fraud and criminal contempt. The following October, he was determined unfit to stand trial and was ordered to undergo psychiatric treatment.
Speaking to the AP at the time, Barreto recounted, “It went from being unfriendly, ‘He’s a criminal,’ to oh, they don’t talk about crime anymore. Now the main thing is, like, ‘Oh, poor thing. Finally, we convinced him to go seek treatment.’”
As part of the plea, Barreto was sentenced to six months in prison, which he has already served. He was also ordered five years of probation, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office confirmed to PEOPLE.
Brian Hutchinson, Barreto’s attorney, tells PEOPLE he believes the court reached a “fair resolution.” He adds that “Mickey has gotten some treatment and he’s ready to get on with his life.”
PEOPLE has reached out to the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity for comment.
Read more https://people.com/new-york-man-who-lived-rent-free-in-historic-hotel-pleads-guilty-to-fraud-11910111
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