January 14, 2000

OPERATION OF BUILDER'S EXPEDITING SERVICE CHARGED WITH FRAUDULENTY USING ENGINEER'S LICENSE IN BUILDING PROJECTS THROUGHOUT QUEENS;BUILDING OWNERS REQUIRED TO HAVE PROJECTS RE-CERTIFIED; FACE POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS AND ADDITIONAL FEES

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown, joined by Acting Commissioner Richard C. Visconti, of the New York City Department of Buildings, announced today the arrest of two Rego Park residents for falsely representing themselves as engineers and architects in five construction projects in Elmhurst and Richmond Hill. The investigation, which is continuing, has already revealed that more than 250 applications filed over the past three years with the Department of Buildings may involve the use of engineering and architectural stamps and licenses which were improperly used.

District Attorney Brown said that the defendants, Tibor Cszmadia, 66, and Andras Krasznoi, 56, of 66-92 Selfridge Street, Rego Park are charged with multiple counts of falsifying business records in the 1st and 2nd degree, offering a false instrument for filing in the 1st and 2nd degrees, forgery in the 3rd degree, tampering with a witness in the 4th degree and unauthorized use of a professional title. They face up to 7 years in prison if convicted.

According to the charges, the defendants, who operated a expediting service for architects and contractors known as Architectural and Engineering Services (A.E.S.) and Arcomp Design Studio on Grand Avenue in Elmhurst and later at 88-43 53rd Avenue, Maspeth, allegedly drew up plans for new structures and building conversions unlawfully using the engineering stamp of Manjit Uberoi, a licensed professional engineer, and the notarial stamp of Maria Pereira. Certifying that the proposed construction was architecturally and structually sound. It is alleged that the signatures of both the licensed engineer and the notary were forged.

District Attorney Brown said, "Purporting to be professional architects and engineers, the defendants allegedly drew up plans for buildings and building conversions throughout Queens. Letters are being sent to the owners and contractors whose plans bear the stamps of the licensed professionals whose names were allegedly fraudulently used advising them of the alleged frauds. Architects and engineers are trained to make design decisions which insure the safety of a building and its occupants. Circumventing this public safeguard for private gain undermines the trust we place in licensed professionals. We urge consumers hiring professional help to carefully check the certification and licenses of their consultants."

Acting Buildings Commissioner Visconti said, "The Department of Buildings has been and continues to be very aggressive in weeding out individuals who try to deceive the public and the Department. As a licensed professional myself, I am outraged that someone would attempt to represent themselves as an architect or engineer by using a license number without permission, but thanks to the efforts of the Queens District Attorney's Office and Investigative Attorney Gregory Chillino and Investigators Mark Sanabria and Nelson Guzman of the Buildings Department, these individuals have been caught and should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

District Attorney Brown praised the work of the Buildings Department's Office of Investigations, Audits and Discipline under the leadership of its director Peter Amato. The investigation was conducted by Lt. Al Velardi, Sgt. Rafael Torres, and Detectives Michael Giacobello, Glen McKecknie and John Fitapelli of the Queens District Attorney's Squad under the supervision of Chief Edward Brady. Assistant District Attorney Anthony M. Communiello, Chief of District Attorney Brown's Civil Enforcement Bureau, and Assistant District Attorneys Oscar Ruiz and Michael Connolly of the same bureau will prosecute the case.

It is to be noted that a charge is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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