A man by the name of Nicholas Fuelling is currently sought by the NYPD for allegedly defrauding multiple people seeking to rent a Hell's Kitchen apartment. Fuelling is accused of running a rental scam that reportedly resulted in losses of thousands of dollars each for prospective tenants, including 24-year-old Miguel Marchese and at least eight others.
Marchese, who moved from San Francisco to New York with aspirations of modeling, found what he believed to be an ideal two-bedroom apartment listed for $3,200. He said, "I remember when I signed. I said, 'God is so good. I found this amazing place. It's such a good deal. It's affordable,'" according to an NY1 interview.
Marchese thought he had performed due diligence by investigating Fuelling, even viewing his Instagram and receiving a signed lease through DocuSign. He was reassured by Fuelling's provided identification and lease information. "I checked his Instagram ... he was a legit person. He sent me a real lease on DocuSign ... I had his ID ... his address, the terms of the lease," Marchese told ABC7NY. But even as red flags appeared, such as Fuelling's apparent lack of attention during interactions, Marchese opted to trust him.
However, the scam came to light when others like Maria, another victim, connected with Marchese. "A girl named Maria, bless her soul, she messaged me, and she was like, 'I think there's a misunderstanding. I just signed the lease for this place, and I paid him $6,400,'" Marchese recounted to ABC7NY. After this discovery, Marchese and the others understood they had been scammed. With the assistance of friends posing as interested renters, they confirmed that Fuelling was still advertising the same apartment to potential tenants.
The alleged victims are now taking actions to bring Fuelling to justice and to recover their financial losses. Marchese has already started the process with a fraud claim with Cash App and Bank of America and reported the crime to the police. "I did not leave until I got that case number," he said to ABC7NY.
Meanwhile, Fuelling's former roommate, Konner McCarley, found himself with a hefty unpaid rent. "I'm flabbergasted that someone I knew could do something so evil like that to people," he said in a statement obtained by NY1. Authorities continue their search for Fuelling as the investigation is ongoing, and they encourage anyone with information to contact detectives.
The management company of the building where the alleged fraudulent activity occurred has issued a cease and desist order to Fuelling, responding to the accusations against a tenant. With support from Council Member Erik Bottcher, who shared the NYPD’s wanted poster on social media. Marchese has started a bartending job following the incident.
