Fotog Was Louse Who Got The Cheese
By Barbara Ross
Friday, August 18th 2006, 7:20AM
A FRENCH photographer admitted in a Manhattan courtroom yesterday that he ripped off his former roommate of thousands of dollars by pretending to be in financial deals with celebrities like Madonna.
As part of a plea deal, Alexis Quinlin, 46, will be sentenced next month to serve 2 1/2 to 7 1/2 years in prison, and he will have to pay an undetermined amount of money back to two dozen other friends he also swindled.
Although Manhattan prosecutors said in May that Quinlin stole $3.9 million, his lawyer, Matthew Myers, said yesterday that the amount was closer to $325,000.
Myers said Quinlin spent much of the money instead of investing it: “He enjoyed that lifestyle and wanted to run in those circles.”
Quinlin will be deported to France when he gets out of prison.
Although he was accused of stealing money from almost two dozen people, Quinlin was allowed to settle all criminal charges yesterday by pleading guilty to one count of grand larceny relating to the $50,000 he took from his roommate.
Myers said Quinlin already had paid back $40,000 of that.
Source: New York Daily News
Attorney for the defense: Matthew D. Myers