Landlord Admits To Submitting Falsified Documents In Effort To Pocket Section 8 Rent From Multi-Unit Property He Didn't Own

In Genesee County, New York, the Batavia News reports:

• A Stafford businessman and former supervisor candidate pleaded guilty [] in Genesee County Court to faking housing program documents in an attempt to bilk the state.
  
  James D. Pontillo, 49, pleaded guilty to second-degree falsifying business records, a misdemeanor. The plea is in satisfaction of an indictment filed against Pontillo in November charging him with four counts of offering a false instrument for filing and fourth-degree grand larceny.
  
  Pontillo, who owns multiple properties in Stafford and Batavia, was charged with forging documents at PathStone Section 8 Housing in City Centre in February 2016.
  
  The indictment said Pontillo lied on a PathStone information sheet, a request for tenancy approval, an ownership responsibility form and a lead-based paint disclosure form.
  
  Pontillo allegedly was filling out forms in an effort to get state funds for a multi-dwelling property in the city that he does not own.
  
  Pontillo once ran for Stafford town supervisor after a dispute with town officials over zoning for a fence. He lost the election.
  
  The plea deal has no agreements as to sentencing and Pontillo could face up to a year in jail. He also agreed to pay restitution of $2,550.

Source: Businessman admits falsifying documents.

For story update, see Local businessman given conditional discharge in case stemming from dispute over sister's estate:

• A local businessman who said he hasn't even had time to grieve his sister's death because of five years of litigation around her estate was given a conditional discharge in County Court today [May 30]  on his prior guilty plea to a misdemeanor of falsifying business records.
  
  James Pontillo's attorney, Fred Rarick, reminded Judge Michael Mohun, who is handling this case, that his client accepted a plea deal, not because he had done anything wrong, but because he wanted to get this part of the legal issues surrounding his sister's estate behind him.