In a shocking turn of events, a New York City man has been arrested and charged with filing false property records after attempting to claim ownership of the iconic New Yorker Hotel building. Mickey Barreto, 48, had been living rent-free in the landmark Manhattan hotel for five years by exploiting an obscure local housing law. However, his audacious move to charge another tenant rent and file paperwork claiming ownership of the entire building crossed a line, according to prosecutors.

Barreto's arrest came as a surprise to him, as he recounted the moment police showed up at his boyfriend's apartment with guns and bullet-proof shields. Initially, he thought it was a Valentine's Day surprise to spice up their relationship until he noticed the presence of female officers. Barreto firmly believes that his case should be treated as a civil matter rather than a criminal one.

This recent indictment on fraud and criminal contempt charges is just the latest development in a years-long legal saga that began when Barreto and his boyfriend paid a mere $200 to rent a room in the towering Art Deco structure, which was built in 1930. Barreto claims that his boyfriend informed him of a loophole that allowed occupants of single rooms in pre-1969 buildings to demand a six-month lease. He argued that since he had paid for a night in the hotel, he should be considered a tenant. The hotel promptly evicted him, leading Barreto to take the matter to court.

Barreto's legal battle took an unexpected turn when he won an appeal in the state Supreme Court. Lawyers for the building's owners failed to show up at a crucial point in the case, resulting in a default victory for Barreto. The judge ordered the hotel to provide him with a key, and from that point on, he lived in the New Yorker Hotel without paying any rent until July 2023. The building's owners refused to negotiate a lease with him but were unable to evict him due to the court's decision.

While Manhattan prosecutors acknowledge that the housing court granted Barreto “possession” of his room, they argue that he went beyond his rights. In 2019, he uploaded a fake deed to a city website, falsely claiming ownership of the entire New Yorker Hotel building. The deed purported to transfer ownership from the Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World Christianity, which purchased the property in 1976. The Unification Church, founded in South Korea by the late Rev. Sun Myung Moon, filed a lawsuit against Barreto over his fraudulent deed claim and his representations on LinkedIn as the building's owner. The case is ongoing, with a judge ruling that Barreto cannot portray himself as the owner during the proceedings.

Barreto's actions extended beyond the fraudulent deed claim. He attempted to charge various entities as the building's owner, including demanding rent from one of the hotel's tenants, registering the hotel under his name with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection for water and sewage payments, and even requesting the hotel's bank to transfer its accounts to him. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg condemned Barreto's actions, stating, "As alleged, Mickey Barreto repeatedly and fraudulently claimed ownership of one of the City's most iconic landmarks, the New Yorker Hotel."

The New Yorker Hotel, located near Madison Square Garden and Penn Station, has a storied history. While it may not have been one of the city's most glamorous hotels, its size and prominent red “New Yorker” sign have made it a frequently photographed landmark. Notable figures such as inventor Nikola Tesla and boxer Muhammad Ali have called the hotel home. After closing as a hotel in 1972, the building was used for church purposes before reopening as a hotel in 1994.

Barreto, who has represented himself throughout the civil cases, argued that the judge's decision to grant him “possession” of his room indirectly gave him ownership of the entire building since it had never been subdivided. He claims that his legal battles are a form of activism aimed at denying profits to the Unification Church, which has faced lawsuits and criticism over its recruiting methods and its relationship with North Korea, Moon's birthplace. Barreto maintains that he never intended to commit fraud and never profited from his actions.

With his recent arrest, Barreto has secured a criminal defense attorney to navigate the charges brought against him. The Unification Church declined to comment on his arrest, citing the ongoing civil case. As this complex legal saga continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the courts will ultimately resolve the ownership dispute surrounding the New Yorker Hotel.