QUEENS, NY – Shahab Khan, a 44-year-old resident of Richmond Hill, was sentenced to three-and-a-half to seven years in prison for conducting multiple fraudulent schemes, including apartment rental scams and theft of rental trucks.
Khan, who pleaded guilty on October 7, 2022, to third-degree grand larceny and first-degree scheme to defraud, faced justice in the Queens Supreme Court on Monday. His conviction includes full restitution of $40,175.00 to the victims of his scams.
The investigation revealed that between December 2017 and August 2018, Khan falsely advertised a basement apartment in his family home on various online platforms. He collected cash deposits ranging from $1,725 to $3,600 from prospective tenants, providing them with receipts and leases. However, he never allowed them to move in, using various excuses or cutting off communication.
In an unrelated case, Khan also admitted to attempted second-degree grand larceny for stealing box trucks from Enterprise using stolen credit cards and checks. He re-rented these trucks to unsuspecting customers, failing to return them to the company. This offense resulted in an additional two to four years in prison, to be served concurrently.
Detective Thomas Nelan of the Queens County District Attorney’s Detective Bureau led the investigation into the apartment rental and investment scams, while Detective Hugh Dorsey investigated the Enterprise rental truck scam.