Landlord Sued For Harassing Tenants Now Faces 25 Years In Prison, Prosecutors Say

LOWER EAST SIDE, NY — A Manhattan landlord long detested by his tenants was indicted on Thursday on charges that he allegedly forged documents to get a $5 million mortgage on a Lower East Side apartment building, prosecutors said.

Dean Galasso was indicted on six felony charges after prosecutors accused him of faking a rent roll to get the loan for a 10-unit building at 43 Essex St., the same building where tenants reported harassment and eventually took Galasso and his brother to court over the building's conditions.

Attorney General Eric Schneiderman announced the charges on Thursday.

Galasso's tenants at 43 Essex St. have repeatedly complained of poor living conditions on Essex Street since he and his brother took over in 2015.

The building, which houses mostly senior, Chinese-speaking residents, had its heat and hot water shut off for prolonged periods of time, according to resident complaints. The tenants claimed Galasso, 49, was trying to drive them out of their apartments by depriving them of basic amenities like cooking gas, which the building reportedly went a year without.

In their legal battle against Galasso, the tenants enlisted the help of Manhattan Legal Services and Asian Americans For Equality.

"As soon as Dean Galasso purchased 43 Essex, he immediately began making life miserable for the buildings rent-regulated residents," AAFE's director Christopher Kui said in a statement.

"With today's indictment it is now clear that Galasso had targeted the residents for eviction before he even purchased the building."

In December, tenants reached a settlement in their hazardous conditions and harassment lawsuit. Their utilities were restored and they were paid monetary damages.

Thursday's indictment is not related to the living conditions complaints, but they sparked the investigation that led to the mortgage fraud charges, Schneiderman's office said.

Galasso, who manages multiple properties in Manhattan and Queens, faces charges of grand larceny and forgery, among others. He faces up to 25 year in prison if convicted, Schneiderman's office said.

"Bad landlords are now on notice: if you attempt to break the law, we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law," the attorney general said in a statement.

"Our task force will continue to identify, investigate and prosecute those who try to game the system."

Galasso did not return a message from Patch left on Thursday evening.

Lead image via Google Maps.