The Manhattan District Legal professional’s two-year lengthy felony proceedings towards disgraced former HFZ Capital govt Nir Meir will likely be resolved this yr.
However it’s nonetheless to be decided whether or not meaning a trial or a plea deal.
“We right here on the District Legal professional’s workplace have reached an deadlock as to what our place is concerning a sentence ought to Mr. Meir want to plead,” stated Assistant District Legal professional Christopher Beard at a courtroom look on February 18 in entrance of Choose Ann Thompson in Manhattan Legal Courtroom.
Prosecutors allege Meir was the mastermind behind a $86 million fraud scheme. The D.A.’s workplace alleges Meir diverted funds from HFZ luxurious rental initiatives, together with the XI on the Excessive Line, to different initiatives or HFZ executives private accounts. Meir has pleaded not responsible.
However Meir’s legal professional, Stephen McCarthy, advised the decide he’s had conversations with the prosecutor, leaving the opportunity of a plea deal on the desk.
“We want to resolve this case, if we will, and we’re very a lot nonetheless working to try this,” stated McCarthy.
The decide has not scheduled a trial date, however stated if the case does head to trial it will probably be in September.
Meir could possibly be staring down a prolonged jail sentence if he’s discovered responsible at trial. Meir was charged in 4 separate indictments with various counts of larceny, conspiracy, falsifying enterprise data and tax fraud. At a listening to final yr, Choose Thompson advised Meir he may face seven to 21 years on every of the 4 instances.
Meir can also be speaking with the New York State Legal professional Normal’s workplace over one other ongoing investigation. A spokesperson for the AG’s workplace declined to touch upon pending investigations. The AG’s workplace beforehand confirmed it was reviewing a fraud grievance towards HFZ.
“Mr. Meir has had a very good, productive dialogue with the AG’s workplace. He’s going to look there,” stated McCarthy on the February courtroom look.
Meir was arrested on the One Lodge in Miami Seaside in February 2024 and extradited to New York Metropolis. Initially, Meir was unable to pay his bail and was held in Rikers for a few yr.
The decide lowered his insurance coverage bond to $1 million and he was released in early 2025 solely to return to Rikers weeks later. In June 2025, Choose Thompson launched Meir once more. Meir is confined to a New York Metropolis residence with digital monitoring in an undisclosed location. He’s now on to his third lawyer.
The D.A. additionally charged HFZ development executives Anthony Marrone and Louis Della-Peruta, together with development agency Omnibild, its CEO John Mingione and two different Omnibuild staff for his or her roles in Meir’s fraud. Prosecutors alleged Omnibuild conspired with Meir and Marrone to inflate month-to-month invoices to lenders. Marrone, Della-Peruta have pleaded responsible, however acquired no jail time. Omnibuild undertaking supervisor, Roy Galifi, pleaded responsible for working a kickback scheme on the XI rental growth.
Omnibuild and Mingione have continued to plead their innocence claiming they had been victims of Meir and HFZ’s unhealthy acts. A trial is about for April.
Meir, nevertheless, is the D.A.’s foremost goal. Prosecutors allege Meir moved tons of of thousands and thousands of {dollars} out of designated accounts for HFZ’s initiatives, solely to return the cash with sizable shortfalls. Meir can also be accused of defrauding town out of $15 million in taxes.
Two years after the D.A. introduced the costs, prosecutors and Meir’s legal professional have lastly accomplished the invention course of.
“Realistically… you’re nonetheless merely in a holding sample ready for both a disposition or trial,” stated Thompson.
Meir’s legal professional didn’t instantly return a request to remark. The D.A.’s workplace declined to remark.
Learn extra
HFZ’s Anthony Marrone pleads guilty in fraud scheme
Former Omnibuild employee pleads guilty to kickback scheme at XI
Nir Meir: I’m penniless
