Kevin Hart has fallen victim to a massive fraud scam after one of his employees made unauthorized charges to his credit cards.
What We Know:
- According to New York Queens County District Attorney Melinda Katz, Kevin Hart’s personal shopper, 29-year-old Dylan Jason Syer, has been indicted by a grand jury on charges of grand larceny in the first and second degree, criminal possession of the stolen property in the first and second degree, identity theft in the first degree, and scheme to defraud in the first degree.
- Dylan Syer had been working for Hart since 2015. Court documents suggest Syer didn’t start making purchases for himself using Hart’s money until sometime between October 12, 2017, and February 25, 2019. During this time, Syer is alleged to have spent about $1.2 million from the comedian.
- Melinda Katz says that the personal shopper used the stolen money to buy extravagant items. She cited a number of lavish purchases, including a Sam Friedman painting, multiple Louis Vuitton bags, 16 Bearbrick collectible pieces, 5 KAWS collectible dolls, and five Patek Philippe watches from a California jeweler that is valued at more than $400,000.
- Katz told reporters in a press release, “The defendant thought he was beyond reach and was living out his uber-rich lifestyle fantasies. But my team uncovered the bogus purchases—from the credit card charges being processed by the bank down to tracking FedEx packages delivered to Syer’s home and business.
- “This should serve as a cautionary tale for everyone. Regardless of whether you are a celebrity or not, anyone can fall victim to this kind of fraud. It is paramount to keep track of your expenses, check your credit reports and diligently keep your financial information to yourself,” she continued.
Slyer is set to return to reappear in court on February 17, 2021. He faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.
