State of New York v. Juan Valoy

New York City, New York criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with grand larceny in the third degree, a class D felony.

Reported by Kent Morlan

Juan Valoy, age 47, stole approximately $25,000 from three victims through an apartment rental scam.

From March to July 2025, Valoy posed as a real estate broker to attract prospective renters through Facebook Marketplace and third-party referrals. After establishing contact with the prospective renters, Valoy arranged tours of apartments throughout New York City, including Washington Heights, Queens, and the Bronx, that he claimed were available to rent. Most of the prospective renters were Hispanic New Yorkers who primarily spoke Spanish.

Valoy personally solicited and accepted payments from victims of more than $7,000, often in cashier’s checks payable to Milian Services Corp., a business registered to Valoy, for what he claimed were application fees, security deposits, and first months’ rents. He also solicited personal information from the victims, such as financial records, birth certificates, pay stubs, and social security numbers, claiming it was for rental applications.

Valoy had no ownership of or permission from the actual owners to list the apartments he was offering for rental. After taking the money from the victims, Valoy repeatedly delayed the move-in date with excuses, including that the units needed repairs and pest treatments. When the victims continued to contact him, he cut off communication without ever returning their funds. In one case, the victim had already moved out of her prior home and tried to move with her young child into the Bronx apartment that she believed she had rented from Valoy, only to find that it was already occupied by other tenants.

The Defendant elected to plead guilty and faces a sentenced to 2-to-4 years in state prison.