New York Post

$leazy wheel & deal by Uber guys

- By DANIELLE FURFARO

Cash-strapped Uber drivers and other black-car operators are taking kickbacks from a Manhattan strip club to bring customers to its door, The Post has learned.

The livery hacks have been lining up outside the hip Lavo lounge on East 58th Street near Madison Avenue and offering to take guys leaving the club to the jiggle joint Sapphire on East 60th Street — an illegal scheme, since black cars are barred from taking street hails.

One of the drivers, who had Taxi & Limousine Commission plates, told a Post reporter over the weekend that he gives his passengers 40-percent-off guest passes to Sapphire, while he gets money from the club for each person he brings in.

“You take care of me, and I’ll take care of you,” the driver said.

“You and your friends help me out with 25 bucks a head, and I’ll take you to Sapphire. They work with me.”

The customers are directed to the cars by a Lavo doorman who asks them as they leave, “Do you want to party? Those drivers will take care of you.’’

Brad Gertsman, a lawyer for the city’s yellow-cab drivers, said he has twice been steered to the rogue drivers, who by law are supposed to be sent to jobs through either an app such as Uber or a company dispatcher.

One of the drivers offered prostitute­s and drugs to him, he said.

“I asked him what kind of drugs, and he said, ‘Whatever you want,’ ” Gertsman alleged. “It was really sleazy.”

Uber said it has already suspended a driver suspected in the scam and will continue to investigat­e.

The owners of Sapphire did not return calls for comment.

Lavo’s owner, Noah Tepperberg, said that he was unaware of the arrangemen­t.

TLC officials said they also were not aware of the racket but noted that they could yank drivers’ licenses and levy hefty fines if the accusation­s can be substantia­ted.

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