A Brooklyn woman has been caught in the web of the law, facing charges for what seems to be a calculated rental scam. Svetlana Katzevman, 62, is accused of tricking would-be tenants into thinking they were putting down payments on a future home.
The district attorney's office has charged Katzevman with grand larceny among other crimes, detailing a scheme where Katzevman allegedly swindled approximately $15,800 from unsuspecting victims. “This defendant is accused of exploiting the trust and vulnerability of her neighbors, many of whom are newly arrived immigrants seeking stability in a new country. Her alleged actions not only caused financial harm but also betrayed individuals already navigating immense challenges. We are determined to hold her accountable and remind prospective tenants to safeguard themselves by insisting that landlords provide a written lease and avoiding cash payments in rental transactions,” Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said. Many victims were newly arrived immigrants, as mentioned on the District Attorney's Office's official website.
The indictment reveals that between January 2022 and July 2024, Katzevman placed a rental ad in a Russian newspaper, and when individuals responded to the ad, they were persuaded to quickly part with anywhere from $700 to $2,300 in what they believed were security deposits and rent. Despite giving receipts in some cases, it's claimed that Katzevman changed locks or otherwise barred the victims from moving in, refusing to refund any of the money.
Notably, all 12 victims were Russian speakers from Brooklyn, some of whom had only recently arrived from Ukraine. Playing on their shared heritage, the defendant promised discounts because she, too, hailed from Ukraine. Senior Assistant District Attorney Sergey Marts is leading the prosecution, with the help of Assistant District Attorney Andrew Kohler and under the guidance of Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill, Chief of the Investigations Division, according to the press release.
The case heads to court on January 29, 2025, with Katzevman released without bail until her return.
