Manhattan Hotel Fraudster Deemed Unfit for Trial

Mickey Barreto, accused of fraud for claiming ownership of a historic Manhattan hotel, has been found unfit to stand trial due to mental incompetence. Prosecutors confirmed this during a court hearing, and Barreto is required to find inpatient psychiatric care. He has been receiving outpatient treatment for substance abuse and mental health.

A man accused of exploiting a historic Manhattan hotel by claiming its ownership has been ruled unfit to stand trial, as prosecutors announced on Wednesday.

The man, Mickey Barreto, was found mentally incompetent to face criminal charges following a doctor's evaluation, according to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. The court, under Judge Cori Weston, has given Barreto a deadline of November 13 to locate inpatient psychiatric care. Despite receiving outpatient treatment for substance abuse and mental health issues, recent assessments showed Barreto's lack of understanding of the legal proceedings, initially reported by the New York Times.

Barreto, who disputes claims of substance abuse, argues prosecutors are seeking his hospitalization due to insufficient evidence against him but sees a shift in public perception from treating him as a criminal to acknowledging his mental health struggles.

During a court hearing, Barreto's attorney, Brian Hutchinson, indicated plans to request Barreto's current treatment provider to accommodate him for the needed care. Barreto faces serious charges, including 24 counts of felony fraud and criminal contempt, for allegedly forging ownership documents and attempting to misappropriate the hotel's assets.

The storied New Yorker Hotel, an Art Deco icon first built in 1930 and frequented by figures like Muhammad Ali and Nikola Tesla, became a part of Barreto's scheme when he argued tenant rights in 2018, exploiting legal nuances. While the hotel ceased operations in 1972 and was later partially reopened, Barreto's actions revived its contentious history. Now his inability to stand trial sends him down an atypical legal path.

(With inputs from agencies.)