Skip to main content

Manhattan Copy Machine Con Artist Gets Prison Sentence

MANHATTAN, NY — A copy machine con artist who stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from Manhattan businesses has been sentenced to serve between two and six years in state prison, prosecutors said on Wednesday.

Steven Hernandez, 45, will serve time in prison after pleading guilty to charges that he conned numerous Manhattan companies and then stole from them, using the money to buy fancy cars and expensive trips, prosecutors said.

Hernandez funneled hundreds of thousands of dollars to himself by getting unsuspecting companies to pay for new lease agreements for copy machines, and then using that money on himself. Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance announced Hernandez's sentence on Wednesday.

"There's a robust economy behind even the most commonplace of office supplies, and copy machines, in particular, are indispensable to many businesses," Vance said. "In all, his victims — including a law firm, travel agency, and the Catholic Church — suffered staggering losses in the hundreds of thousands of dollars."

Hernandez ran the elaborate scheme between September 2012 and March 2014 by approaching businesses in Manhattan and offering them new financing agreements or new equipment for their copy machines, prosecutors said.

Once Hernandez had the money from the lease agreements, he would use it on personal expenses, authorities said. In addition, Hernandez used fake documents to create the fraud gareements. He stole at least $345,000 from Manhattan business during the nearly four period.

Hernandez also stole at least $200,000 from lease financing companies by providing them with the fake lease agreements he'd gotten businesses to sign.

In April, he pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including grand larceny and identity theft.

Image credit: Adam Berry / Stringer / Getty Images News

https://patch.com/new-york/soh...gets-prison-sentence

If you like something I've posted please feel free to click the "like" button!

Original Post

Add Reply

Post
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×