The NYPD is investigating a con artist accused of scamming New York City tenants out of thousands with fake apartment rentals in Hell’s Kitchen.
Nicholas Fuel Supply, 43, allegedly showed a two-bedroom apartment at 334 W. 47th St. to at least nine different renters.
One of those renters, 24-year-old Miguel Marcese, was drawn in by the allure of New York prices. He visited the apartment on August 12, met in person with the alleged fraudster, and ended up signing a lease.
Marcese noted that everything seemed legitimate. The conman had an active social media profile, a valid ID, and presented a Docusign lease. Marcese felt convinced enough to pay $6,400 for the first month’s rent and a security deposit.
“He mentioned moving in with his boyfriend in Chelsea, and his narrative felt real—it was full of boxes, like he was truly in transit,” Marcese, an aspiring model who recently settled in New York, shared with a news outlet.
However, when Marcese excitedly announced to his friends on Facebook that he had secured a roommate, he received disappointing news—someone else had already rented the apartment days before.
“She reached out after seeing my post to inform me,” he recalled.
As they pieced together what had transpired, more individuals came forward, revealing they too had signed leases and forked over money for the same apartment.
“Every few days, another person reached out claiming they also leased and paid,” Marcese indicated.
When confronted, the alleged scammer claimed it was all an error and made vague excuses, insisting he had simply forgotten to cancel previous showings.
Not believing what they were told, Marcese and others began playing amateur detectives, asking friends if they could check if the apartment was still available.
“We were sort of sleuthing it out. Three friends asked, ‘Is it still open?’ and he said, ‘Yes, do you want to see it today?'” tenant Maria Cordeiro recounted.
The listing for the two-bedroom was initially set at $3,200. While it seemed like a great deal, those interested thought they were safe.
Eventually, armed with enough evidence, the group reported the incident to the police, leading to a theft investigation and the distribution of wanted posters for the alleged scammer.
Despite their efforts, the accused conman has since vanished, and the NYPD has yet to make any arrests or uncover leads.
Councilman Eric Bocker, who represents the Hell’s Kitchen area, is also sharing the wanted posters, having himself fallen victim to fraud.
“People need to be extremely vigilant when looking for apartments. The problem is he was very skilled at deception,” he mentioned.
Meanwhile, Marcese and others are left to pick up the pieces.
“He manipulated us,” Marcese expressed, reflecting on his transition to New York with limited funds while trying to make sense of the situation.
“This guy needs to be caught. He’s ruining our lives and stability. I’m independent, and this has left me in a tough spot,” he added.
