Tarrytown Man Defrauded Potential Renters: Police

IRVINGTON, NY — A Tarrytown man was arrested after being charged with real-estate-related fraud. Irvington police said Ricardo Gonzalez, 59, of Tarrytown, misrepresented himself as a licensed real estate broker to renters in the Village of Irvington.

He utilized hotpads.com, trulia.com, craigslist.org and zillow.com to bypass the Multiple Listing Service to find potential victims, according to authorities.

Irvington police said Gonzalez was arraigned on four counts of first-degree scheme to defraud and four counts of fourth-degree grand larceny, all felonies, and was sent to the Westchester County Jail on $15,000 bail or $50,000 bond.

Police said, on April 1, a 46-year-old woman, who was interested in an apartment rental on Main Street, gave Gonzalez a broker's fee of $2,300 and an application fee of $100. She subsequently learned he was not a licensed broker and therefore not entitled to those fees, but she was able to rent the apartment from the owners.

On April 23, a 26-year-old woman was interested in an apartment rental on N. Eckar Street. She gave Gonzalez a broker's fee of $1,800, police said. She found out later he was not a licensed broker and not entitled to the fee. The woman was able to rent from the owners.

On July 18, a 42-year-old woman gave Gonzalez a brokers/holding fee of $2,200 and an application fee of $100 for a rental on Main Street. After she did not get the rental apartment, she asked for the fees to be returned. The check she was given by Gonzalez, police said, was returned due to insufficient funds, causing her to incur additional fees.

And lastly, a 57-year-old man was interested in the same Main Street apartment as the 42-year-old woman and gave Gonzalez a broker's fee of $2,300 on July 26. He did not get the apartment either, and when he requested the return of the fee, police said, Gonzales did not return a call, texts or emails.

Irvington police said the investigation is ongoing, and other potential victims are being asked to contact police if they feel they were defrauded.

The department is investigating a claim that undocumented immigrants have been defrauded by Gonzalez but are afraid to report the crime to the police. Officials of the police department said that their status in the United States would not be a concern, nor would they even be asked about their status.

Police believe Gonzalez operated in numerous jurisdictions throughout Westchester and victims should report any crimes to their respective police agency.

Any victims in Irvington are asked to call 914-591-8080 or come to the Irvington Police Department at 85 Main St. in Irvington.

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