ASTORIA — An Astoria landlord allegedly pocketed $44,050 from prospective tenants looking to rent unlivable apartments that the city Buildings Department had ordered vacated, the Queens district attorney said.
Hinyoung Limtung, 55, allegedly tricked 10 would-be renters out of the money at the uninhabitable 31-70 Crescent St. despite the DOB ordering him to clear the house in December, Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said. According to Brown, the city found Limtung had allegedly illegally converted the two-family home into a five-family home.
“The defendant is accused of flagrantly ignoring a Buildings Department order to vacate the premises,” Brown said. “Instead, it is alleged, he took large amounts of money from at least 10 individuals for illegal apartments that were uninhabitable fire traps. This is a serious matter and the defendant, if guilty, must face the consequences of his actions.”
Limtung was charged in a 32-count indictment with grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, scheme to defraud, reckless endangerment and petit larceny, Brown said.
He was arraigned Monday morning with a $20,000 bail and return court date of Oct. 21, the DA said.
