Arson, fraud suspect faces first day of trial
http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/longisland/ny-liburn124214468apr12,0,6574466.story?coll=ny-linews-
BY ROBERT E. KESSLER
STAFF WRITER
April 12, 2005
A desperate "Mayday" call went out when fire chiefs lost contact with a group of firefighters battling a blaze deep inside a women's clothing factory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
The missing firemen were safely located several minutes later, but that potentially deadly Dec. 31, 1998 fire is at the center of an arson trial that is scheduled to begin today before Judge Arthur Spatt at the U.S. District Court in Central Islip.
Federal prosecutors have charged that the owner of the factory, Nathan Schlesinger, 68, of 234 Marcy Ave., Brooklyn, had the fire set at his square-block-sized factory at 750 Kent Ave. to collect $4.5 million in insurance.
In addition to a charge of using arson to commit a felony, Schlesinger, who is a well-known figure in the Satmar Hasidic community, is also charged with conspiracy to commit insurance fraud for collecting $4.5 million by vastly inflating the losses in four other smaller fires.
Those fires broke out in his factory in August 1987, June 1990, September 1991 and August 1999.
Schlesinger "jeopardized the safety of many New York City firefighters who risked their lives" fighting the fire, U.S Attorney Roslynn Mauskopf said when he was arrested in 2003.
But Schlesinger's attorney, Douglas Burns, of Garden City, said yesterday, "My client has maintained his innocence all along and is certain he'll be vindicated
Schlesinger also is charged in the case with cheating creditors in unrelated actions out of more than $2.5 million.
Under the names of Pous Apparel, Private Brands of Delaware and Goodmark Industries, Schlesinger's factory made upscale women's clothing for stores to sell under their own labels.
The case grew out of an investigation into insurance fraud on Long Island, and several government witnesses will testify that they were involved in the schemes, according to court papers filed by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cynthia Monaco and Lawrence Ferazani.
This is not the first time that Schlesinger has been accused of crimes.
In 1978, Schlesinger served 9 months in federal prison for attempting to bribe a polygraph operator during the course of an investigation into a diamond-smuggling ring.
If convicted on the charge of using arson to commit a felony, Schlesinger would be sentenced to 10 years in prison under mandatory federal sentencing guidelines.
