A press release on Monday from the office of Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez stated that a woman from Gravesend is facing the possibility of up to four years in prison if found guilty of defrauding prospective tenants and taking thousands of dollars from them.
Svetlana Katzevman, aged 62, is facing multiple charges including grand larceny, petit larceny, and first-degree scheme to defraud in a 14-count indictment. According to prosecutors, she is accused of deceiving victims by advertising a rental apartment at 1800 Ocean Parkway and collecting around $15,800 in security deposits and rent from January 2022 to July 2024.
The defendant appeared before the Brooklyn Supreme Court and was granted release without bail. Her next court date is set for January 29, 2025.
Katzevman advertised rentals in the Russian-language newspaper “Russkaya Reklama”. Allegedly, she demanded cash payments and didn’t provide any leases. She claimed to offer discounted rents to assist fellow Ukrainian immigrants. However, after receiving payments ranging from $700 to $2,300, she would change the locks or prevent the victims from moving in. Furthermore, she refused to refund their money.
All of the victims were Russian-speaking and had recently immigrated from Ukraine. For instance, there was a 38-year-old man who paid a $1,400 deposit and first month’s rent in November of last year. Another victim was a 65-year-old woman who had given Katzevman a cash deposit of $2,300 in April of 2024.
District Attorney Gonzalez expressed his hope that the arraignment would serve as a reminder to tenants to remain vigilant when engaging in rental transactions.
“This defendant is accused of exploiting the trust and vulnerability of her neighbors, many of whom are newly arrived immigrants seeking stability in a new country. Her alleged actions not only caused financial harm but also betrayed individuals already navigating immense challenges,” said DA Gonzalez. “We are determined to hold her accountable and remind prospective tenants to safeguard themselves by insisting that landlords provide a written lease and avoiding cash payments in rental transactions.”