Queens Man Who Posed As UN Lawyer Arrested
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A Queens man was arrested Monday after authorities say, for the second time, he posed as an attorney and scammed immigrants.
Prosecutors say Marc Payen, 28, told people he was a lawyer working with the United Nations.
After the devastating earthquake in Haiti in January, Payen allegedly met with people in the UN lobby and offered to file federal immigration papers on their behalf.
The Manhattan district attorney's office says Payen took more than $12,000 from six victims, even though he is neither a lawyer nor affiliated with the UN.
Payen pleaded guilty to running a similar scam in Queens last year.
His attorney says the case belongs in civil court.
"This is a nonviolent felony offense. If certain services were supposedly rendered that were not rendered, then the individuals who paid for the services may very well be entitled to their money back. Whether a crime was committed is another story," said Payen's attorney D. Andrew Marshall.
Payen served four months in jail and paid $50,000 after his arrest last year.
His most recent arrest violates his probation.
He faces up to seven years in prison if convicted.