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NEW YORK---A Brooklyn man faces up to 15 years in prison for allegedly trying to steal one of the city's finest hotels.
Kouadio Kouassi , 46, repeatedly tried to file a phony deed with the county clerk's office, transferring ownership of the $76 million SoHo Grand to himself. He came under investigation when an employee of the clerk's office became suspicious of the title.
Kouassi has been charged with attempted grand larceny and two counts offering a false instrument for filing. The hotel owners, The Hartz Group of New Jersey said they didn't know Kouassi and had not entered into any agreement with him for the sale of the property.
The city's Department of Investigation conducted the investigation and Rose Gill Hearn, DOI commissioner said that "he may now find himself sleeping in less glamorous accommodations".
Rates for a night's lodging at the SoHo Grand in lower Manhattan starts at $399. 12-31-06
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© 2006 North
Country Gazette
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