BATH BEACH/BUSHWICK — NEW YORK CITY is pursuing up to $5 million in penalties against a landlord accused of running a fraudulently registered short-term rental operation across two Brooklyn addresses, amNewYork reports.
The Mayor’s Office for Special Enforcement filed a suit against Chananya Bineth and five associates — among them his wife — alleging the group pocketed $1.3 million in Airbnb proceeds since April 2023 by falsely claiming co-defendants were full-time residents of buildings at 8658 16th Ave. in Bath Beach and 114 Wilson Ave. in Bushwick.
The city seeks $1 million in punitive damages plus $1,000-per-day fines for four public nuisance violations. OSE inspectors had already issued 35 summonses totaling at least $47,500 before the suit was filed, and found the buildings illegally subdivided without required fire safety measures.
OSE Executive Director Christian Klossner said those responsible are “committing fraud in order to take away units of housing for illegal short-term rentals.” The city is also seeking a court injunction to shutter the operation entirely.
✰✰✰
