Paul Newman, (pictured) get years long sentence for posing as architect
A New York man who was sentenced to prison for pretending to be architect on Tuesday will at least now have the distinction of being known as upstate’s own George Constaza.
That’s because prosecutors were able to get Paul Newman to agree to take a plea deal following the conclusion of Operation Vandelay Industries, that will see the huckster got to jail for two-to-seven years, according to The New York Post.
In an amusing nod to one of the greatest show’s ever produced on television, the investigation got its name from a running joke on the popular hit series ‘Seinfeld.’
George Constanza, played by Jason Alexander (pictured), pretends to be an architect on the show Seinfeld
The series Seinfeld was a monster hit television show during the 1990s, known for its often unique story lines
The character George Castanza, played by Jason Alexander, pretends to be an architect name Art Vandelay with his own firm named Vandelay Industries.
But unlike television, pretending to be an architect has far-reaching ramifications.
‘Deceptively posing as a licensed and registered architect has real consequences – including prison time,’ Attorney General Eric Schniederman said in a statement.
‘Those who wish to game the system and take advantage of New Yorkers should take note: no license, no work for you. My office will continue to uphold this standard.’
Newman, 49, was initially arrested in April on charges including grand larceny, forgery, unauthorized practice of a profession and scheme to defraud, said Schniederman.
During the months long probe, prosecutors discovered that Newman over the years had drawn up plans for at least 100 building projects that were successfully completed.
It may be worth pointing out that not only does Newman share the same name with one of the greatest actors and philanthropist of the 20th century, but also that of Jerry Seinfeld’s TV nemesis and neighbor ‘Newman,’ played by actor Wayne Knight.
Even more bizarre, the criminal shares the exact same name as the late legendary actor Paul Newman (pictured)