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DA Katz said that Ortega “is now charged with serious crimes for taking advantage of others to feed his own greed.”
By Forum Staff
A Brooklyn man has been charged with allegedly conning people eager to join the Mason Tenders Local 79 Union that he offered memberships for cash—even though he did not have the authority to do so, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced Tuesday.
Jofre Ortega, 54, was arraigned on a complaint charging him with grand larceny in the fourth degree, petit larceny and scheme to defraud in the second degree. He was ordered to return to court on May 3.
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The offices of Mason Tenders Local 79 Union are located at 520 8th Ave. in Manhattan.
According to the charges, between September 2019 and March 2021, Ortega allegedly promised at least nine individuals that he could get them into the Mason Tenders Local 79 Union—but only if they paid him between $500 and $1,500 each.
Katz said many of the victims spoke to Ortega about their desire to join the union. Ortega allegedly told each one of them that he could secure membership for them at a cost. Some of the victims, both men and women, met with Ortega at a home on 107th Street in Corona, Queens. There, Ortega allegedly collected $1,500 from each of the victims.
Even though Ortega is a member of the Labor 79 Union, he is not authorized to grant membership to anyone.
“The defendant in this case is accused of taking advantage of his position as a union member and knowledge of Local 79 to line his pockets. More than a dozen individuals—laborers who sought to earn better pay for their hard work—were allegedly conned by this defendant into giving him cash for entry into the Mason Tenders union,” Katz said. “I want to thank the union’s leadership for bringing this case to our attention. The defendant is now charged with serious crimes for taking advantage of others to feed his own greed.”
If convicted, Ortega faces 1 1/3 to 4 years in prison.
