A Bronx man who falsely identified himself as a real estate broker has admitted in separate Bronx and Manhattan proceedings that he stole deposits and fees from New Yorkers looking for residences, and he has been convicted in both boroughs. Prosecutors claim he took over $100,000 from almost two dozen would-be renters, many of whom were Hispanic and mostly Spanish-speaking. He arranged tours of homes he did not control and pocketed application fees and security deposits. In a city where finding an apartment may feel like winning the jackpot, officials say this plan demonstrates how scammers target vulnerable tenants by taking advantage of a tough rental market and linguistic hurdles.
According to the Manhattan D.A.’s office, Valoy pled guilty to grand larceny on July 14 and consented to a 2- to 4-year state prison term. His sentencing date is September 9, 2026. “New Yorkers trusted Juan Valoy to rent them an apartment.” He broke that trust by pocketing their money and leaving them homeless,” D.A. Alvin Bragg said in a statement.
On July 2, Bronx prosecutors obtained a guilty plea in a separate case and sentenced Valoy to four years in prison followed by five years of supervised release after alleging that he stole approximately $80,000 from 18 victims there as part of the more than $100,000 total prosecutors claim he stole from nearly two dozen New Yorkers. According to Gothamist, Valoy was arrested while hiding in Yonkers motels, lingered at Rikers because he couldn’t post $150,000 bail, and collected deposits and fees ranging from $2,500 to $7,000 each victim.
Prosecutors claim Valoy used Facebook Marketplace and third-party referrals to lure prospective renters, set up tours at apartments in Washington Heights, Queens, and the Bronx, and then collected checks and personal documents, claiming the money covered application fees, security deposits, or the first month’s rent. According to the Manhattan D.A.’s statement, many payments were made via cashier’s checks payable to Millan Serves Corp., a business registered to Valoy. Additionally, he sometimes requested Social Security numbers and pay stubs as part of the fraud, resulting in victims losing thousands of dollars and being concerned about identity theft. Manhattan District Attorney’s Office
Valoy is no stranger to housing fraud prosecutions. In 2015, he pleaded guilty to a Washington Heights apartment fraud targeting Hispanic immigrants and received a sentence ranging from 1â…“ to 4 years in state prison. That earlier example generated over 20 complaints and sparked warnings about fraudulent brokers circulating in immigrant communities, which now appear cruelly prescient. The Real Deal
Officials are advising anyone who believes they have been duped to call prosecutors and police, as well as keep any receipts, correspondence, and financial data. Victims can seek assistance from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Immigrant Affairs Unit and housing prosecutors by calling their hotline at 212-335-3600 or reporting the offence to local police, according to reports. Tenants are also cautioned not to pay significant quantities of money in cash or to individuals rather than a landlord or property manager and to check whether someone is a licensed broker using New York State’s licensing search. Gothamist mentions the District Attorney’s hotline, and the state’s licensing portal can be found at the Department of State Licensing Services.
Valoy remains in detention pending the convictions and sentencing in both boroughs, with the Manhattan sentencing set for September 9, 2026. This story serves as a warning for tenants in a tight market to double-check, document, and report any suspicious requests for large advance deposits before they disappear.
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