Prospective apartment renters in Queens and Brooklyn were swindled out of thousands of dollars by scammers posing as real estate agents, according to police.
Makhabbat Abdualiyeva, 24, of Brooklyn, was arrested Wednesday in connection with at least three incidents last year in which police said she stole security deposits totaling $1,400 from apartment hunters in Brooklyn, police said.
In each incident, the victim answered an online advertisement for an available apartment then met with Abdualiyeva in person, according to cops. The victims gave her security deposits of $200 to $700, then she disappeared, per the NYPD.
Police had released several photos of Abdualiyeva earlier Wednesday. Hours later, she was charged with petit larceny and criminal impersonation, cops said.
Another suspect, meanwhile, is wanted in connection with similar but separate crimes in Queens. Police released a surveillance image Wednesday of a man they’re looking to question about 11 security deposit scams around Corona, Elmhurst and Flushing.
Those incidents, which took place between July and December, netted the suspect more than $25,000 in stolen security deposits, according to police. The man has used several aliases, including "Antonio," "Toni," "Patricio," "Emilio," "Tomas," "Alfredo," "Angel DeJesus" and "Jesus Parra."
