He Stole Deposits In Sunnyside Rent Scam
Twelve people looking to rent an apartment in Sunnyside advertised in an online classified were swindled out of thousands of dollars by a phony landlord who took the money and ran, according to police.
Law enforcement agents have released the image of the suspect, identified as Peter Kim (a.k.a. Michael Hong), who remains at large as of press time for the housing scam.
Police said each of the victims met with Kim between Feb. 22 and Mar. 1 at an apartment building located on 46th Street near 43rd Avenue. Reportedly, the victims responded to an advertisement for an apartment for rent on the Craigslist website.
After asking for and receiving payment, Kim reportedly told the victims that they could move into the apartment in a few days.
Upon further investigation, authorities stated, it was determined that the suspect did not own the vacant apartment and had no authority to lease it.
Kim is described by law enforcement agents as a 31-year-old man standing at 5’8″-tall and weighing between 130 and 150 lbs.
The investigation is ongoing, police said.
Anyone with any information regarding the scam or Kim’s whereabouts that could prove helpful is asked to call the 108th Precinct Detective Squad at 1-718-784-5441 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS. Information may also be sent to Crime Stoppers by text message to 274637 (enter tips, then the code TIP577) or online at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com.
All calls and messages will be kept confidential.
