The Brooklyn District Attorney's office announced that a bookkeeper and two accomplices are charged with allegedly stealing more than $1.1 million from their employer through a fraudulent payroll scheme. Over a period of five years, the group from Gravesend is accused of manipulating company checks and payroll records for personal gain.
According to District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, the accused—bookkeeper Maya Roytlender, Ihor Dubno, and Michael James—allegedly orchestrated a complex fraud at a Brooklyn real estate firm. The three reportedly used the former realty company as a means to divert funds, receiving amounts that greatly surpassed their legitimate earnings, according to the Brooklyn DA's office.
Roytlender, 44, faces a first-degree grand larceny charge, while her alleged accomplices, Dubno, 61, and James, 33, have each been charged with second-degree grand larceny. The three were released without bail and are scheduled to appear in court on August 13. During their arraignment before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Phyllis Chu, all defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Between 2015 and 2020, the scheme involved Roytlender issuing fraudulent payroll checks to Michael James, who was falsely listed as an employee, and to Ihor Dubno, who received inflated compensation, among others, depleting funds from D. Malek Realty, LLC. The stolen money was funneled into personal accounts, helping to cover debts to credit card companies, auto lenders, and, according to the DA’s office, allowing Roytlender and James to pay off their own obligations.
Appreciation was given to Vincent Jones, Supervising Financial Investigator, among the DA's team, for their pivotal roles in revealing this ploy. Bringing the case to trial are Senior Assistant District Attorney Joseph DiBenedetto of the Frauds Bureau, with Assistant District Attorney Gregory Pavlides overseeing, Deputy Chief Michel Spanakos, and Assistant District Attorney Patricia McNeill heading the Investigations Division.
