Phony architect sentenced to prison
BALLSTONSPA, N. Y. » A man who admitted to defrauding construction companies, business owners and municipalities throughout the Capital Region by pretending to be a licensed and registered architect was sentenced Tuesday to 2 1/ 3 to 7 years in prison and ordered to pay more than $ 115,000 to victims in the first of three separate sentencings scheduled this month.
Paul J. Newman, president of Cohesion Studios Inc., was sentenced Tuesday in Saratoga County Court under terms of a plea deal made with the state Attorney General’s Office. Under the conditions of that deal, he is expected to be sentenced Thursday in Albany County Court and Tuesday in Rensselaer County Court to concurrent 2 1/ 3 to 7 year sentences.
As a result of an investigation by the Attorney General’s Office dubbed Operation Vandelay Industries, Newman was indicted on 58 felony charges related to his unauthorized practice of architecture, forgery and submission of documents to various municipalities. He eventually pleaded guilty to six felonies, including second- degree grand larceny, second- degree forgery, unauthorized practice of a profession and first- degree scheme to defraud.
“Deceptively posing as a licensed and registered architect has real consequences – including prison time,” Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said in a news release announcing the sentencing. “Those who wish to game the system and take advantage of New Yorkers should take note: no license, no work for you. My office will continue to uphold this standard.”
The investigation revealed Newman drafted architectural renderings for more than 100 properties in Albany, Rensselaer and Saratoga counties. Newman submitted these architectural renderings, as well as foundation inspections, field reports, energy compliance certificates and engineer letters to various towns and cities, falsely certifying on the documents he was a registered and licensed architect and affixing a forged New York State Registered Architect or Professional Engineer stamp.
According to statements by prosecutors and admissions made by the defendent, Newman presented himself since at least 2010 as an architect to multiple municipalities in the Capital Region. Newman advertised his architectural services on various social media outlets until he became aware a complaint had been filed with the state Education Department, removing any reference to “architecture” in his ads and replacing it with “design.”
Newman was the sole employee of Cohesion Studios, a Rensselaer- based company that contracted to create architectural renderings and provide additional architectural services for a host of projects, including the Patsures project in North Greenbush, the Lofts project in Malta, the Vistas project in Clifton Park and the Ballston Senior Living project in Ballston Spa. Newman’s convictions cover additional crimes uncovered by investigators in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Warren and Washington counties.