Fake Broker, Real Deposits: Bronx Man Sentenced to Prison for NYC Apartment Rental Scams

Published Oct. 14, 2026. Case status is current as of that date.

In New York City's rental market, would-be tenants are often told to pay fast or lose the apartment. Prosecutors say a Bronx man used that pressure to his advantage. He showed apartments he didn't own and had no permission to rent, took deposits and fees, and then stopped answering his phone [2][3].

Juan Valoy, 47, of the Bronx, was sentenced on Oct. 7, 2026, to 2-to-4 years in state prison. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office announced the sentence [1]. He had pleaded guilty in July to one count of grand larceny in the third degree, a class D felony, for stealing about $25,000 from three people [2]. Gothamist reported that he was also sentenced in the Bronx in August, to four years, for similar crimes there. Across the two cases, he admitted stealing more than $100,000 from nearly two dozen people [3].

Status note: Valoy is convicted and sentenced in both cases. The sentences will be served concurrently, prosecutors said [3]. His attorney declined to comment to Gothamist.

How the scheme worked

The Manhattan DA's plea announcement gives these details, which Valoy admitted in his guilty plea [2]:

1. Posing as a broker. From March to July 2025, Valoy "posed as a real estate broker to attract prospective renters through Facebook Marketplace and third-party referrals."
2. Real tours of apartments he didn't control. He arranged tours of apartments across the city, including in Washington Heights, Queens and the Bronx, that he claimed were available. He "had no ownership of or permission from the actual owners to list the apartments he was offering for rental."
3. Collecting money, often by cashier's check. He personally solicited and accepted payments of more than $7,000, "often in cashier's checks payable to Milian Services Corp., a business registered to VALOY." He described them as application fees, security deposits and first months' rents.
4. Harvesting personal data. He also asked for financial records, birth certificates, pay stubs and Social Security numbers, saying they were for rental applications.
5. Stalling, then silence. He repeatedly delayed move-in dates, citing repairs and pest treatments, then "cut off communication without ever returning their funds."

Most of the would-be renters in the Manhattan case were Hispanic New Yorkers who primarily spoke Spanish, the DA said [2]. In one case, a mother who had already left her prior home tried to move into a Bronx apartment with her young child, only to find it occupied by other tenants.

According to Manhattan and Bronx prosecutors, as reported by Gothamist, Valoy took "anywhere from $2,500 to $7,000" from each person. He told them the money would hold the apartment "because there were many interested parties" [3].

The person convicted

Juan Valoy, 47, of the Bronx, N.Y.

• Manhattan case (New York State Supreme Court): Pleaded guilty in July 2026 to one count of grand larceny in the third degree. Sentenced Oct. 7, 2026, to 2-to-4 years in state prison [1][2].
• Bronx case: Sentenced in August 2026 to four years after pleading guilty to one count of attempted burglary and two counts of scheme to defraud. The case involved about $80,000 taken from 18 people who wanted to rent apartments from him, Gothamist reported [3].
• Prior record: Gothamist reported that Valoy was convicted in Manhattan in 2015 of grand larceny and scheme to defraud in a Washington Heights apartment scam. He was sentenced to 1 1/3 to 4 years in state prison [3].

"Juan Valoy has been sentenced to a state prison term for scamming and exploiting New Yorkers looking for housing. Those who take advantage of Manhattanites looking for stable housing during New York's housing crisis will be held accountable," District Attorney Alvin Bragg said [1].

Red flags for renters

• A "broker" you found on Facebook Marketplace or through a friend of a friend who can't show a New York State real estate license.
• Pressure to pay immediately because "many interested parties" want the unit.
• Payments to a company name you can't connect to the building's owner or management.
• Requests for Social Security numbers, birth certificates and bank records before you've seen a lease from the actual owner.
• Repeated move-in delays blamed on repairs, pests or paperwork.

What to do if you're targeted

1. Verify who owns the building. In New York City, search property records with the Department of Finance (ACRIS). Check HPD registration for the owner and managing agent.
2. Check the broker's license through the New York Department of State's license lookup.
3. Don't pay before you sign a lease with the verified owner or manager. Avoid cash, cashier's checks and payment apps.
4. If you shared personal documents, consider a credit freeze and visit IdentityTheft.gov.
5. Report it. Manhattan victims can call the DA's Housing & Tenant Protection Unit at 212-335-3300 or email danyhousing@dany.nyc.gov, "regardless of your immigration status," the DA's office said [1]. You can also report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Case status (as of Oct. 14, 2026)

Defendant	Court	Status as of Oct. 14, 2026	Source
Juan Valoy, 47, Bronx, N.Y.	New York State Supreme Court, New York County (Manhattan)	Pleaded guilty (July 2026) to grand larceny in the third degree; sentenced Oct. 7, 2026, to 2-to-4 years in state prison	[1], [2], [3]
Juan Valoy, 47, Bronx, N.Y.	Bronx County	Pleaded guilty to attempted burglary and two counts of scheme to defraud; sentenced Aug. 2026 to four years, to run concurrently	[3]

Statuses can change.

Sources

1. Manhattan District Attorney's Office, "Statement from D.A. Bragg on the Sentencing of Juan Valoy," Oct. 7, 2026. https://www.manhattanda.org/statement-from-d-a-bragg-on-the-sentencing-of-juan-valoy/
2. Manhattan District Attorney's Office, "D.A. Bragg Announces Guilty Plea In Rental Scam That Defrauded Multiple Victims Of Thousands Of Dollars," July 14, 2026. https://www.manhattanda.org/d-a-bragg-announces-guilty-plea-in-rental-scam-that-defrauded-multiple-victims-of-thousands-of-dollars/
3. Catalina Gonella, "Man convicted of scamming NYC renters out of $100K sentenced to 2-4 years in prison," Gothamist, Oct. 7, 2026. https://gothamist.com/news/man-convicted-of-scamming-nyc-renters-out-of-100k-sentenced-to-2-4-years-in-prison

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