Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today announced the guilty plea of HENRY VARGAS, 36, who attempted to sell a commercial building he did not own to the New York Road Runners, a Manhattan not-for-profit running organization that offers year-round races, including the ING New York City Marathon. VARGAS pled guilty to Attempted Grand Larceny in the First Degree and Forgery in the Second Degree. VARGAS is expected to receive a sentence of 5 to 10 years in state prison pursuant to today’s plea.
“As this plea reflects, white collar crime must be treated as seriously as street crime,” said District Attorney Vance. “Today’s plea and promised sentence is appropriate for a seasoned fraudster who has repeatedly used deceit to advance his criminal schemes.”
VARGAS admitted in court today that he fraudulently passed himself off as the majority owner of the building, located at 21-41 Lenox Avenue, just north of Central Park, using false statements and forged documents to trick investors into believing that he was the majority owner of the LLC that actually owns the building. In the fall of 2008, VARGAS entered into a contract to sell the building to the New York Road Runners for $8.5 million. Pursuant to that agreement, the New York Road Runners made a $1 million down payment into an escrow account.
Assistant District Attorneys Sally Pritchard and Peirce R. Moser of the Special Prosecutions Bureau handled the prosecution under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Thomas Wornom, Chief of the Special Prosecutions Bureau. Detective Michael Turck of the District Attorney’s Office Squad assisted in the investigation, under the supervision of Captain Ronald Haas, Commanding Officer of the District Attorney’s Office Squad.
Defendant Information:
HENRY VARGAS, 2/23/1974
1122 130th Street
College Point, New York
Charges:
* Attempted Grand Larceny in the First Degree, a class C felony is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
* Forgery in the Second Degree, a class D felony is punishable by up to 7 years in prison.
“As this plea reflects, white collar crime must be treated as seriously as street crime,” said District Attorney Vance. “Today’s plea and promised sentence is appropriate for a seasoned fraudster who has repeatedly used deceit to advance his criminal schemes.”
VARGAS admitted in court today that he fraudulently passed himself off as the majority owner of the building, located at 21-41 Lenox Avenue, just north of Central Park, using false statements and forged documents to trick investors into believing that he was the majority owner of the LLC that actually owns the building. In the fall of 2008, VARGAS entered into a contract to sell the building to the New York Road Runners for $8.5 million. Pursuant to that agreement, the New York Road Runners made a $1 million down payment into an escrow account.
Assistant District Attorneys Sally Pritchard and Peirce R. Moser of the Special Prosecutions Bureau handled the prosecution under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Thomas Wornom, Chief of the Special Prosecutions Bureau. Detective Michael Turck of the District Attorney’s Office Squad assisted in the investigation, under the supervision of Captain Ronald Haas, Commanding Officer of the District Attorney’s Office Squad.
Defendant Information:
HENRY VARGAS, 2/23/1974
1122 130th Street
College Point, New York
Charges:
* Attempted Grand Larceny in the First Degree, a class C felony is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
* Forgery in the Second Degree, a class D felony is punishable by up to 7 years in prison.
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