26 The Queens Courier • OCTOBER 10, 2013 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com LeFrak City man allegedly preyed on other tenants BY ANGY ALTAMIRANO aaltamirano@queenscourier.com A tenant at an Elmhurst apartment complex has been charged with money laundering and identity theft involving other former and current residents. According to District Attorney Richard A. Brown, Olawale Akinnawonu, 45, a tenant of the LeFrak City apartment complex, has been charged with stealing more than $100,000 between November 2011 and May 2013 after using the identities of dozens of residents to illegally open bank and credit card accounts in their names. He is being charged for allegedly stealing monthly rent checks from one of the apartment’s U.S. mailboxes. “Identity theft is especially exploitative when it violates the postal system and is committed against honest citizens by someone living in their midst,” said Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly. Various complaints were filed to the 110th Precinct concerning rent checks being stolen, said Brown. The victims each said they had placed their rent checks in the secured mailbox but the checks never made it to the leasing companies managing the payments. According to Brown, during the investigation, video surveillance allegedly shows the defendant using a key to open the mailbox for incoming mail and would use a stick to slip out departing mail through the mail slot of the U.S. mail outbox. The defendant allegedly deposited the checks into different bank accounts, some of which included accounts he had opened in the name of LeFrak City tenants without their permission. He also allegedly opened credit card accounts in the name of other residents without their permission. The stolen checks were then used to pay the credit cards, which would create credit/overpayment in the name of whomever the card was in. While impersonating the person whose name was on the card, Akinnawonu would get the credit card company to issue a check for overpayment which would be deposited into an account he controlled in the name of Samuel Mensah. He would then allegedly use the debit card for that account to take out money from ATMs and write out checks to himself and put them into his personal account. Akinnawonu is awaiting arraignment on a 134-count indictment charge. He is being charged with one count of seconddegree money laundering, 44 counts of first-degree identity theft, 10 counts of third-degree grand larceny, 60 counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, six counts of seconddegree identity theft, nine counts of fourth-degree grand larceny and four counts of petit larceny. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in prison. The DA said he is “concerned that there may be more victims of the defendant’s alleged scheme” and asks tenants of the apartment complex to get a copy of their credit report to see if any accounts have been illegally opened in their name. Anyone who thinks they may have been a victim, or knows someone who may have been a victim, is asked to contact the District Attorney’s Economic Crimes Bureau at 718-286-6673. THE COURIER/File Photo MTA 54935 Queens Courier 1/4 pg 5” X 5.375” 10.3.13 p 5 Public Hearing Metropolitan Transportation Authority ADVERTISE WITH BRIDGE & TUNNEL MAIL & DIGITAL MARKETING © 718.894.4088 (dk) Get FREE coupons! Register Now at www.bridgeandtunnelmail.com 030_9_13 The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (“MTA”), on behalf of its subsidiary, the Long Island Rail Road (“LIRR”), will hold a public hearing pursuant to Article 2 of the New York State Eminent Domain Procedure Law (“EDPL”) on the proposed acquisition in fee of the property located at 40-36 Main Street, Flushing, New York (Queens Tax Block 5037 Lot 57) (the “Property”) to construct and permanently maintain a new ADA elevator as part of LIRR’s Flushing Main Street Station Improvements Project (the “Project”). The hearing will review the public uses, benefits, purposes, and location of the Project, the impact the Project may have on the environment and residents of the area, and will give the public an opportunity to comment on the Project and the proposed Property acquisition. DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT The Project will include construction of two new elevators, one from each of the two platforms, to provide ADA accessibility from the street to the platforms at the Flushing Main Street Station. The work also will include a new ticket office, canopies, new stairs, platform railings, and platform lighting. Acquisition of the Property is needed to demolish the existing one-story commercial building in order to construct the elevator serving the westbound train platform that will be accessible from the west side of Main Street. This entrance will provide a safer, more visible entry point for westbound LIRR customers than the current entrance in an alley off of 40th Road and the Project as a whole will enhance LIRR’s presence on Main Street. TIME AND PLACE OF THE HEARING Monday, October 28, 2013 Starting at 4 p.m. (Registration to speak begins at 3:30 p.m. and closes at 5 p.m.) Queens Library at Flushing - IRC 3rd Floor Conference Room 41-17 Main Street, Flushing, NY DIRECTIONS By Rail: LIRR (Port Washington Branch) to Flushing Main Street By Subway: 7to Flushing Main Street By Bus: Q17, Q19, Q20A, Q20B, Q25, Q27, Q34, Q44, Q48, Q50, Q58, Q65, Q66, QM3 Use TripPlanner+ at mta.info for specific directions. For general questions about the Project, to register to speak, or to submit written comments, contact: John Coyne, MTA 347 Madison Avenue, NY, NY 10017, Tel. 212-878-7115, Fax 212-878-0162. For questions on the eminent domain process, contact: Anthony P. Semancik, MTA, 347 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10017, Tel. 212-878-7248, Fax 212-878-1240. Those wishing to be heard must register in advance either by telephone or in person at the hearing. Registration in person is permitted at the hearing until 5 p.m. Verbal presentations will be limited to three (3) minutes. You may present verbal testimony or submit written statements in lieu of, or to supplement, oral testimony, concerning the proposed property acquisitions. All written statements must be submitted by the close of business on November 1, 2013. Comments received after November 1, 2013 will not be considered. Any property owner or other interested party who may wish to challenge the proposed property taking via judicial review may do so only on the basis of issues, facts, and objections raised at the EDPL public hearing. ACCESSIBILITY AND INTERPRETER SERVICES The hearing has been scheduled at a location that is accessible to people with mobility impairment. An interpreter for hearing impaired people will be available upon advance request (made no later than October 24, 2013). Now is the Perfect Time to Give Back to Your Eyes. 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