By Howard Koplowitz
A Trinidadian native from Ozone Park who scammed his fellow immigrants from the Caribbean nation living in South Ozone Park and Richmond Hill out of almost $100,000 after he provided them with fake green cards was sentenced to up to four years in prison last week, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.
Nazim “Tony” Hosein, 38, of 106-43 95th St. in Ozone Park, pleaded guilty earlier this month to grand larceny before acting Queens Supreme Court Justice Lenora Gerald and agreed to pay $91,800 to his five victims, the DA said.
Gerald sentenced Hosein Aug. 19 to a sentence of 1 1/3 to four years in prison, Brown said.
Hosein met his victims in Queens between Aug. 1, 2007, and Oct. 10, 2008, and told them he knew someone who worked in the federal building at 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan and could get them legitimate green cards, Social Security cards and work permits, the DA said.
For fees ranging from $5,000 to $20,000, Hosein gave some of his victims forged documents and he told others to meet him outside the federal building on Oct. 10, 2008, to get the documents, Brown said.
When the victims who were told to meet Hosein at the federal building showed up there, Hosein was nowhere to be seen because he had taken a flight the day before from John F. Kennedy International Airport to his native Trinidad, the DA said.
Hosein was arrested in January 2009 after landing at JFK Airport from Trinidad, Brown said.
“The defendant cheated honest, hardworking individuals out of, in most cases, their life savings by falsely promising to help them achieve their American dream by gaining legal status in this country,” Brown said.
The DA said the sentence “provides a measure of justice for [Hosein’s] victims.”
Brown said Hosein defrauded five members of the Trinidadian community who lived in South Ozone Park and Richmond Hill. The DA said Hosein scammed seven people in all from five families out of $91,800.
Reach reporter Howard Koplowitz by e-mail at hkoplowitz@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 173.
