The New York City Department of Investigation says two men hawking stolen fire extinguishers have been arrested on charges of grand larceny and reckless endangerment.
Sergey Vishnev and Maxin Ilim, both of Brooklyn, demanded a business owner buy fire extinguishers for $1,350, investigators say. They threatened to report the establishment to the Fire Marshal and shut it down if the extinguishers weren’t purchased.
Investigators say the owner paid an initial $700 and was given four inoperable extinguishers, two of which were found to be stolen. The suspects didn’t have the authority to inspect, certify or sell the equipment, or to shut down businesses for not purchasing the product, authorities say.
Investigators didn’t know if the suspects had attorneys. There was no answer at a number for Vishnev and no listing for Ilim.
Topics Fraud Law Enforcement
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Helicopter Crash in Georgia Kills Groom, Pilot, Hours After Huge Wedding Celebration
Insurance Mogul Lindberg Gets 12 Years for $2 Billion Fraud
Lawyer Who Filed Viral Suit Against JPMorgan Seeks to Exit Case
Moody’s: US Faces $375B in Uninsured Flood Losses From 1-in-100-Year Event 

