NYC worker pleads guilty to renting out free pandemic hotel rooms in $400K scam

A city call center worker pleaded guilty to running a $400,000 hotel fraud scheme that charged people for free city-funded rooms set aside for health care workers and patients who were supposed to be isolating with COVID-19.

Prosecutors said Chanette Lewis, 31, took advantage of New York City’s free Hotel Room Isolation Program, booking the lodgings instead for paying customers, some of whom used the rooms to throw raucous parties.

Lewis, who worked for an Office of Emergency Management call center, even booked herself 28 nights at the hotels while claiming to be a health care worker, according to a complaint.

Business got so brisk for Lewis that she had to recruit others to help her out.

Lewis also pleaded guilty to a separate scheme to defraud the New York City Housing Authority. Prosecutors said she submitted fabricated documents to NYCHA that included purported judicial orders of protection, letters from a district attorney, and letters from doctors attesting to alleged medical issues that allowed her to fraudulently obtain public housing benefits for herself and others.

“Chanette Lewis took advantage of multiple lifelines offered to New York City residents in need during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Attorney Damian Williams “Each of her schemes misappropriated identifying information of hardworking individuals, including medical professionals whose services were vital during the pandemic.”

The Hotel Room Isolation Program provided free rooms to healthcare workers who needed to isolate because of exposure to COVID-19, patients who had tested positive for the disease; and those who lived with someone who contracted coronavirus.

Lewis was hired specifically for the program, a position that gave her access to legitimate healthcare workers’ identifying information.

Prosecutors said that in exchange for $800, Lewis sold a partner personal identifying information of at least five healthcare professionals, as well as certain “codes” to use when booking hotel reservations through the program.

Lewis and others advertised the discounted hotel rooms on Facebook.

“I’m Doing Hotels 60 Percent 5 star hotels I do not know exactly what hotel u would be place but I know it would be 5 star hotel … be cash app ready !!” Lewis allegedly wrote.

“Book Today, $300 For the whole monthhhhhhhhhhhhhh !! !! !! !!” read another post.

Lewis, who lives in Brooklyn, pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Under the terms of her plea agreement, she has agreed to forfeit $289,536 and to pay restitution of $360,916.

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