A trombonist to the stars has been accused of ‘outrageous and despicable conduct’ by his New York co-op for hosting ‘drug-fueled parties’ during the coronavirus pandemic.
Mike Seltzer, 52, who has played with Sting, Lenny Kravitz, Mos Def, Bernadette Peters and David Byrnea, is being sued by his fellow shareholders at the Hamilton in Harlem for allegedly flouting the building’s ban on non-essential guests.
Seltzer, who owns a penthouse estimated to be worth in the region of $700,000 in the 76-unit building, has been accused of hosting drug-fueled parties, sneaking guests in through the basement and garage and allowing his guests to loiter in the halls littering drug paraphernalia.
The Hamilton Owners Corporation filed a lawsuit against the Columbia University’s music school faculty member last week, accusing him of not complying with the building’s COVID-19 protocols, the New York Post reported.
Mike Seltzer, 52, (pictured) who has played with famous faces including Sting and Lenny Kravitz, is being sued by his fellow shareholders at the Hamilton in Harlem for allegedly flouting the building’s ban on non-essential guests during lockdown
The building, reportedly home to a number of people who are elderly or have pre-existing health conditions, banned all ‘non-essential’ guests entering the building, including family members, in March to help protect residents and staff.
The suit cites ‘outrageous and despicable conduct’ and claims Seltzer is ignoring social distancing rules by hosting drug-fueled parties in his penthouse.
The board claims that the musician has been handing his key fob to guests.
His guests have allegedly been causing chaos in the building, incessantly pressing the buzzers, and making a nuisance under the influence of drugs and alcohol ‘possibly a psychedelic or LSD’, the suit claims.
Seltzer’s disregard for the rules is ‘placing the life and safety of the building’s residents, some of whom are elderly or who have underlying health conditions, in grave danger of serious injury and death,’ according to the suit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court.
The Hamilton co-op in Harlem. The building, reportedly home to a number of people who are elderly or have pre-existing health conditions, banned all ‘non-essential’ guests entering the building, including family members, in March to help protect residents and staff
Seltzer, who owns a penthouse estimated ton be worth around $700,000 in the 76-unit building, has been accused of hosting drug-fueled parties in his apartment, sneaking guests in through the basement and garage and allowing his guests to loiter in the halls littering drug paraphernalia
The co-op cannot evict Seltzer from the building under New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s executive order that protects tenants from eviction until at least June 20.
But, Massimo D’Angelo, the claimants’ lawyer, said the Hamilton board is seeking an emergency injunction that will force Seltzer to follow the building’s rules or face arrest.
‘Once the judge signs this, it becomes a court order and I can move to hold him in contempt of court and have him thrown in jail,’ D’Angelo told the Post.
Seltzer is being sued by the co-op which says his disregard for the rules is ‘placing the life and safety of the building’s residents… in grave danger of serious injury and death’. The co-op cannot evict him under New York’s executive order that protects tenants from eviction but an emergency injunction could force Seltzer to follow the building’s rules or face arrest
A request to comment from Seltzer was not returned, the Post said.
Other co-ops across New York, which allow residents to own shares in the entire building, have been introducing strict social distancing rules during the state shutdown.
Essential workers such as movers are being banned by some boards from entering the buildings.
Doormen wearing masks and gloves are delivering food orders to residents’ doors, sanitizing all packages, and even flushing toilets in apartments left vacant by owners who have fled out of town.
Doormen wearing protective masks stand outside a residential building on Central Park South on Tuesday. Other co-ops across New York have introduced strict social distancing rules during the state shutdown including banning movers and limiting staff to a single doorman
At some buildings, they are working double or triple shifts and covering the workload of doorman, elevator operator and concierge in order to limit the number of staff in the building.
‘Those people go home and leave the building at night, so it’s a way to limit exposure to just one person,’ Manhattan broker Philip Scheinfeld told the Post.
‘I sold an apartment to a client on Fifth Avenue and they are literally not letting anyone but owners enter the building.’
New York City’s official death toll from the coronavirus pandemic rose sharply Thursday, as another 723 people died taking the toll to 7,563.
The number of confirmed cases in the city also continues to rise, reaching 117,565.
