In an assertive move to protect the integrity of low-income housing in Brooklyn, New York Attorney General Letitia James has filed a lawsuit against a Florida woman for fraudulently claiming control over a Brooklyn housing cooperative. Jessica Vargas, resident of Sunshine State, is accused of creating false documents to take over the Housing Development Fund Corporation (HDFC) at 13 Scholes Street, a designated low-income residence in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. As detailed in the official complaint, Vargas reportedly siphoned off at least $442,000 in rent and made steps toward selling the property for personal gain, as per the Attorney General's office.
"Jessica Vargas declared herself president of a building she had no claim to, exploiting New Yorkers for her personal gain while living over a thousand miles away," Attorney General James said. The legal action taken by James is aimed not just at remediating the financial damage but also at ensuring the continued availability of the building for its intended purpose as affordable housing. The suit is calling for Vargas's removal from her claimed position and a permanent bar preventing her from conducting any further business related to the property, according to the same press release.
The 13 Scholes HDFC cooperative was established in 1996 with the objective of providing housing solutions for low-income residents of New York. According to evidence gathered by the Attorney General's office, Vargas took advantage of her late father's previous status as a shareholder and falsely assumed the role of President, Secretary, Treasurer, and sole shareholder. Her series of alleged forgeries have led to the diversion of substantial rental income and resulted in the cooperative incurring debt due to unpaid property taxes and water bills.
The ongoing investigation has uncovered that Vargas, despite having served as the administrator of her late father Albert Rivera's estate, had no legal standing within the HDFC. Misdeeds attributed to Vargas also include the production of fake stock certificates and the reporting of fictitious ownership details to city agencies. As she angles to offload the building, the lawsuit is pressing for the recovery of all misappropriated funds, which stack up to at least $442,000.
Attorney General James's legal actions are part of a broader effort to advocate for fair and affordable housing. Her office's recent endeavors include re-regulating unlawfully deregulated apartments and reclaiming overcharged rent. The current case against Vargas is managed by Senior Enforcement Counsel Rachel Hannaford, under the supervision of Housing Protection Unit Chief Brent Meltzer, and with support from Legal Assistant Cecily Mills.
