Nicholas Fuelling Wanted for Scamming Renters in Hell's Kitchen
Serial scammer Nicholas Fuelling poses as landlord, swindling desperate renters in Hell's Kitchen with fake listings.
Police are on the hunt for 43-year-old Nicholas Fuelling, who has been accused of posing as a landlord and swindling multiple desperate renters in Hell's Kitchen. According to PIX11, Fuelling has been preying on unsuspecting individuals in need of housing by advertising fake apartment listings and taking their money.
Fuelling has not been arrested yet, but police are actively seeking tips from the public in order to catch him. A "WANTED" poster has been released, stating that there is probable cause for his arrest in connection with grand larceny.
One of Fuelling's victims, a 25-year-old man, reported that he was scammed out of a $6,400 security deposit after Fuelling showed him a unit at 334 West 47th Street on August 8th. Another 24-year-old victim also came forward with a similar story.
This is not the first time that Nicholas Fuelling has been involved in real estate scams. He was previously arrested in 2018 for posing as a broker and collecting deposits from potential renters in Crown Heights. However, the charges were ultimately dropped.
Unfortunately, scams like this are not uncommon in the competitive New York City rental market. With the high demand for housing, renters are often willing to overlook red flags in order to secure a place to live.
"The rental market in New York City is very challenging," said Manhattan real estate attorney Adam Leitman Bailey. "There are so many people that want to rent and so few apartments that landlords can get away with murder."
Originally reported by