Tuesday, October 3, 2017

[Updated] Steve Croman due back in court today to start jail time

Landlord Steve Croman is expected in court this morning to begin his one-year sentence at Rikers Island.

He was originally expected to be sentenced on Sept. 19. However, Judge Jill Konvisor postponed that so Croman could observe the Jewish Holidays with his family.

Per the Post back on Sept. 19:

Steve Croman​ ... ​handed over a $3 million check in Manhattan Supreme Court on Tuesday and a judge agreed to put off his surrender to jail until after the holidays.

The move lets Croman celebrate Rosh Hoshanah and Yom Kippur at home, not behind bars, ​after he copped to charges of ​grand larceny, tax fraud and filing a false instrument​.​

Konvisor​ ​agreed​ to Croman attorney Benjamin Brafman​’s ​request, ​but warned ​his stone-faced client to return to court Oct. 3, when he’ll be sent to jail for a year.

In plea deal announced this past June, Croman pleaded guilty to three felonies for fraudulently refinancing loans and committing tax fraud and will serve up to a year at Rikers and pay a $5 million tax settlement. He was charged in May 2016 with 20 felonies.

According to published reports, Croman avoided facing between three and 11 years in prison when he pleaded guilty back in June.

The Attorney General's office still has a pending civil case against Croman accusing him of forcing tenants from their rent-controlled apartments. His next court date for the civil case is now scheduled for Nov. 13.

Croman's real-estate portfolio includes 47 buildings with 617 units in the East Village.

Members of the the Stop Croman Coalition will be present at the sentencing, set for 9 a.m. at the New York City Criminal Court, 100 Centre St., Room 1333 (13th Floor).

Photo from June

Updated 1:30 p.m.

Here's a report from the courtroom via the Daily News:

"Rikers ain’t the Ritz,” declared Justice Jill Konviser, who last month agreed to delay Croman’s sentencing during the High Holy Days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

“I hope that you spend your days thinking about the religious principles that this case was postponed for.”

From DNAinfo:

Tenants of Croman-owned buildings, who had been angered by the delay two weeks earlier, balked at the meager sentence but admitted it was better than nothing.

"I don't think it's enough time — the public needs to be protected from him," said Cynthia Chaffee, a cofounder of Stop Croman Coalition, who lives at 346 E. 18th St.

Chaffee, who says she now suffers from asthma as a result of dust and debris from illegal construction at her building, said the criminal charges have done little to benefit the tenants still living in his buildings.

"Ever since he was arrested he's been as worse as ever," she said. "We didn't have heat, he's dragging people to court still, he's not giving people their leases. I mean, it's business as usual."

And from The Real Deal:

Croman’s lawyer Benjamin Brafman told TRD that under the Department of Corrections’ policy, all inmates receive one-third credit if the sentence is one year or less. “Accordingly, it is anticipated that Mr. Croman will be released after serving 8 months of his one year sentence,” he said.

Updated 7:30 p.m.

Adding a statement from Sen. Brad Hoylman:

“Steven Croman built a criminal enterprise dedicated to making life miserable for tenants in my district and across Manhattan. After years of Croman’s systematic harassment of tenants, I’m elated to see justice finally served. This sends a clear message to landlords: Respect rent-regulated tenants or face the consequences – including jail time. I heartily congratulate Attorney General Schneiderman on this major victory on behalf of all New Yorkers.”

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

While today is the big day at criminal court. 10/10/2017 will continue the fdny vs Croman case at Bronx criminal court for building codes.
It’s public information from Supreme Court criminal web.

Defendant
Name:Croman, Steven
Birth Year:
NYSID:
Back to Index
Incident and Summons
Incident
Date:November 01, 2016
Summons/Ticket #:4069093448
CJTN:
Summons
Date & Time:November 01, 2016
Officer
Agency:NYFD - CHIEF FIRE MARSHALL
Command:
Back to Index
Attorney Information
No Attorney Information on File
Back to Index
Next Appearance
Date:October 10, 2017
Court:Bronx Criminal Court
Part:SAP2A
Back to Index
Docket Sentence
No Sentence Information on File
Back to Index
Courts


CASE INFORMATION
CourtBronx Criminal Court

Case # 2017SX011199

Defendant Croman, Steven

Date/
Time Judge/
Part Calendar
Section Arraignment/
Hearing Type Court
Reporter Outcome/
Release Status
10/10/2017

SAP2A PENDING No Type

06/27/2017
Harris, G
SAP2A PENDING No Type Ftr Courtroom One , Ny Rm One
Case Continued
Released on Recognizance
03/28/2017
Harris, G
SAP2A ARRAIGNMENTS Regular Ftr Courtroom One , Ny Rm One
Case Continued
Released on Recognizance


Scuba Diva said...

Well, Yom Kippur is supposed to be the "holy day of atonement," so I hope he examined himself.

Anonymous said...

I'm Jewish and thought I get the compassion that the Judge displayed towards letting him spend the Jewish holidays with his family before being incarcerated, I am not so sure he deserved it. Where was his compassion when he was harassing and cheating his tenants? His ethics would certainly have been condemned by Talmudic scholars. His actions would certainly have brought words of criticism from his Rabbi. This isn't a case of a good boychik gone bad. This is a case of a horrible human being who is out for themself without a care about what happens to those around him.

Anonymous said...

One year from now we will see if he goes back to his old ways or not. I get the impression his actions go beyond greed and are so deeply rooted in his character that he cannot stop. Time will tell.

Anonymous said...

Croman's lawyer expects Croman to be out in 8 months, wow! That's NOT justice, IMO - not sufficient time for the crimes he was convicted of, much less for all the aggravation & stress he visited *and continues to visit* upon his tenants.

If Croman has a conscience (and I'm not convinced he does), it must be in the witness protection program at this point.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if he will be transferred to another location or stay at Rikers.

Anonymous said...

it is so awesome a white collar criminal actually gets read hard jail time

Anonymous said...

The best feather light sentence money can buy.

Anonymous said...

Lights out Steve. Bedtime at Rikers.

Anonymous said...

Kushner next please.

Anonymous said...

Croman got a one year sentence which his highly paid criminal lawyer, Ben Brafman, said he will probably serve 8 months. While the punishment is unprecedented, the pain and agony Croman created for hundreds, perhaps even thousand of tenants, is much larger than what Croman will experience. It is sad that in about 8 months he will go back to the Hamptons and continue being a bad landlord.