MANHATTAN, N.Y. (PIX11) — A 24-year-old newcomer to New York City has become one of at least 11 victims in a $50,000 Manhattan rental scam.
Miguel Marchese, who moved to NYC just months ago to pursue his dreams, lost $6,400 in a calculated Hell’s Kitchen apartment scam, according to police. He had found what he believed was a legitimate sublet listing on Facebook Marketplace and handed over the deposit after touring the apartment and signing a lease through DocuSign.
The apartment was located at 334 West 47th Street, and the person posing as the landlord was later identified by police as Nicholas Fuelling, 43, who is now wanted by the NYPD. Authorities say Fuelling has scammed at least 11 people out of deposits totaling $50,000, and community flyers have gone up across Hell’s Kitchen to help locate him.
“This has left me with nothing—financially and emotionally drained—but not without fight,” Marchese wrote in a GoFundMe post. “I want to rebuild, get back on my feet, and continue working toward the life I came here to create.”
Since the scam, Marchese has been sleeping on the floor of a friend’s apartment while trying to regain his footing.
“I came here to build my life, to work hard, and to pursue my dreams,” he said. “But instead of opportunity, I was met with a nightmare.”
Police say Fuelling is 6-foot-2, weighs around 195 pounds, with black hair and hazel eyes, and is believed to live on 47th Street.
As of Monday, no arrests have been made in the case. Marchese’s GoFundMe campaign has raised nearly $2,000 to help him recover from the financial blow.
Local Councilman Erik Bottcher is among those raising awareness about the scam, which underscores growing concerns over fraudulent apartment listings and online rental scams in the city.
