Two New York men accused of stealing nearly $600,000 earmarked for a West Mifflin housing complex were arraigned Friday.
Moshe “Mark” Silber, 36, and Frederick Schulman, 73, appeared virtually for the appearance on charges of theft, receiving stolen property, dealing in the proceeds of illegal activity, criminal conspiracy and related counts.
They were charged, along with Jonathan Liani, on Feb. 4 as part of a lengthy investigation into the conditions of the Mon View Heights housing complex.
The men bought the 326-unit housing complex under the entity Mon View Apts LLC in December 2022 for $17 million.
According to the criminal complaint, the defendants diverted $580,000 that was to be used for improvements of the property to third-party companies controlled by Silber.
Liani turned himself in on Thursday and was released on his own recognizance.
Silber and Schulman are already on house arrest for a federal court case in New Jersey and will remain so pending sentencing there on charges of conspiracy.
For months last year, borough police received hundreds of calls for complaints at the housing complex. Tenants reported missing windows, open sewage running in the street and a slew of other problems.
In September, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office filed nuisance charges against Mon View Apts. LLC.
The criminal charges against the owners were filed months later.
