Manhattan Court Deems Tenant Who Lived Rent-Free at New Yorker Hotel Unfit for Fraud Trial

Mickey Barreto, the man who notoriously exploited a housing law loophole to live without paying rent at the iconic New Yorker Hotel, has been declared unfit for trial. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office disclosed the findings of mental fitness examinations stating Barreto was not competent to face the fraud charges levied against him, as reported by

NBC New York.

According to statements, prosecutors confirmed the doctors’ evaluations during a recent court hearing.

Judge Cori Weston has now granted Barreto until next Wednesday, Nov. 13, to secure appropriate inpatient psychiatric treatment. This development follows reports that despite receiving outpatient services for substance abuse and mental health, Barreto failed to fully grasp the criminal proceedings against him.

“It went from being unfriendly, ‘He’s a criminal,’ to oh, they don’t talk about crime anymore. Now the main thing is, like, ‘Oh, poor thing. Finally, we convinced him to go seek treatment,'” Barreto told

ABC News

. Despite these charges, his lawyer Brian Hutchinson hasn’t issued a public response but stated in court intentions to have Barreto’s current treatment provider accept him,

NBC New York

reported.

In February, Barreto was indicted with 24 counts, including felony fraud and criminal contempt. Prosecutors argued he falsified a deed claiming ownership of the New Yorker Hotel and even attempted to have the hotel’s bank transfer accounts to him. Barreto justified his rent-free residence starting in 2018 because his initial payment for a one-night stay granted him tenant rights—a curious consequence of the city’s housing laws coupled with the hotel management’s absence of legal representation in a crucial court hearing.

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