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.”
