{"id":80366,"date":"2017-05-02T17:31:37","date_gmt":"2017-05-02T21:31:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?p=80366"},"modified":"2017-05-01T20:59:17","modified_gmt":"2017-05-02T00:59:17","slug":"operation-vandelay-industries-schneiderman-announces-indictments-in-three-counties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?p=80366","title":{"rendered":"Operation Vandelay Industries: Schneiderman announces indictments in three counties…"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>…charging alleged fake architect with 58 counts of larceny, forgery, fraud and unlicensed practice of architecture<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Paul J. Newman Allegedly<\/em>\u00a0Collected Nearly $200,000 For Rendering Fraudulent Architecture And Design Services Since 2010<\/em><\/p>\n

Newman Drafted Architectural<\/em>\u00a0Renderings\u00a0<\/em>F<\/em>or Over 100 Commercial<\/em>\u00a0A<\/em>nd Residential Properties<\/em>I<\/em>n Albany, Rensselaer<\/em>,<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>A<\/em>nd Saratoga Counties\u00a0<\/em>A<\/em>nd\u00a0<\/em>Allegedly\u00a0<\/em>Affixed Fraudulent Stamps\u00a0<\/em>T<\/em>o Over 1,000 Building Plans\u00a0<\/em>A<\/em>nd Inspections<\/em><\/p>\n

Schneiderman:\u00a0<\/em>My Office Will Not Tolerate Misconduct That Jeopardizes New Yorkers\u2019 Safety And Erodes Public Trust<\/em><\/p>\n

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman announced today the unsealing of three indictments charging Paul J. Newman, President of Cohesion Studios, Inc., with defrauding construction companies, business owners, and municipalities throughout the Capital Region by pretending to be a licensed and registered architect.<\/p>\n

The Attorney General\u2019s investigation, \u201cOperation Vandelay Industries,\u201d revealed that Newman allegedly drafted architectural renderings for over 100 properties in Albany, Rensselaer,\u00a0and Saratoga Counties.\u00a0Newman allegedly submitted these architectural renderings, as well as foundation inspections, field reports, energy compliance certificates,\u00a0and engineer letters, to various towns and cities, falsely certifying on the documents that he was\u00a0a\u00a0registered and licensed architect and affixing a forged New York State Registered Architect Stamp or Professional Engineer Stamp.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we allege, for over seven years the defendant has pretended to be a Registered Architect, deceiving hundreds of New Yorkers \u2013 including families and senior citizens \u2014 with the sole goal of enriching himself,\u201d said\u00a0 Schneiderman. \u201cBy 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. Deceptive actions like these erode public trust\u00a0\u2014\u00a0and my office will not tolerate them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe State Education Department’s Office of the Professions investigates and prosecutes professional misconduct in more than 50 licensed professions to help protect New Yorkers,\u201d said State Education Commissioner MaryEllen Elia. \u201cWe are grateful for our continuing partnership with Attorney General Schneiderman and his team of professionals as we work together to ensure the safety of the public is protected against the dangers of unlicensed practice.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to statements by the prosecutor at arraignment, since at least 2010, Newman has beenpresenting himself\u00a0as an architect to multiple municipalities in the Capital Region. Newman allegedly advertised his architectural services on various social media outlets until he became aware that a complaint had been filed with the New York State Education Department, Office of the Professions.\u00a0Soon after,\u00a0Newman removed any reference to \u201carchitecture\u201d\u00a0in his adsand replaced it with \u201cdesign.\u201d In June 2015,\u00a0investigators from NYSED, Office of the Professions received a complaint alleging that Newman was practicing architecture without a license. In May 2016, following the NYSED investigation, the matter was referred to the Attorney General\u2019s Criminal Enforcement and Financial Crimes Bureau.<\/p>\n

According to statements made by the prosecutor at arraignment, Newman, as the sole employee of Cohesion Studios, Inc. (\u201cCohesion\u201d), a Rensselaer-based architectural design company, was contracted to create architectural renderings and provide additional architectural services for the following projects:<\/p>\n