New York Attorney General and apparent “Seinfeld” fan Eric Schneiderman announced the indictment of an alleged fraudulent architect named Newman on Thursday, following an investigation titled “Operation Vandelay Industries.”
Paul J. Newman, President of Cohesion Studios, Inc., is accused pretending to be a registered architect, collecting nearly $200,000 for rendering fraudulent services since 2010, Schneiderman’s office said in a statement.
Schneiderman tweeted news of the indictment, complete with related “Seinfeld” GIF.
The aptly-named investigation found that Newman’s firm was contracted to provide architectural renderings and services for townhouses, a multi-story senior living community, and multifamily apartment complex, among several others.
“By allegedly falsifying building plans, code compliance inspections, and field reports, the defendant jeopardized the safety of those who resided in and frequented the buildings he was contracted to work on,” Schneiderman said in the statement. “Deceptive actions like these erode public trust — and my office will not tolerate them.”
While Newman from “Seinfeld” wasn’t exactly an angel, it was actually George Costanza who repeatedly lied about being an architect.
It was also George who dreamed up Vandelay Industries as a way buy time with the unemployment office.
If convicted of the highest charges, real-life Newman “faces up to 5 to 15 years in prison,” according to the statement from Schneiderman’s office.
All told, Newman faces 58 counts of larceny, forgery, fraud, and unlicensed practice of architecture.
