According to public records, the apartment in question is located at 101 West 81st Street (Google Maps).
A long-term squatter is every New Yorker’s nightmare. Unfortunately, this nightmare has become all too real for one Upper West Side couple, who have allegedly been dealing with an unrelenting interloper for several months.
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The NY Post reports that Nancy Hament and her spouse, Richard Scarola, own a studio apartment on 81st and Columbus Avenue, which they’ve unwillingly surrendered to a repeat squatter named Cecile Champoux, who, according to public records, is 80 years old. (Court documents state her name is Cecile, though the Post refers to her as Celeste.)
The saga began when John Corso, a mutual business acquaintance, reportedly approached Hament to ask for a short-term rental of her apartment for his friend, Cecile Champoux. Corso is a producer in the entertainment industry while Champoux is an erstwhile film producer who worked on the 1988 film Senior Week. Corso also worked on the film, but it’s unclear if that’s where they met.
Court documents detail how Corso told Hament that Champoux was soon moving to Hawaii and would not be at the apartment for long. What began as a promised short-term stay has since become a difficult legal battle to evict Champoux and reclaim the apartment.
The studio apartment in question is adjacent to Hament’s family home. The apartment is furnished and contains her various personal and sentimental items. She primarily used it for storage, family activities, and guest space when needed.
ALSO READ: REPORT: Freeloader Takes Advantage of Elderly Upper West Side Couple (June, 2022)
Champoux moved into the apartment in August 2023 without a formal lease, but instead under an agreement that she could stay for a short time at a reasonable cost below rental value. It soon became clear that Champoux had zero intention of moving out, and stopped paying rent altogether in December 2023.
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A year after moving in, Champoux is still living in the apartment rent-free and refuses to vacate. She now faces her third eviction case since 2014 after Hament filed a holdover case in Manhattan Civil Court in April of this year. Hament’s representing attorneys are Scarola Zubatov Schaffzin PLLC, the law firm where her husband is a managing partner.
In the eviction case, Hament claims Champoux violated the original terms of her tenancy. Hament is seeking to reclaim the apartment and is demanding compensation for Champoux’s continued unwelcome occupancy. The exact amount of compensation is not specified.
The case documents outline how Champoux has made life increasingly difficult for Hament, allegedly moving Hament’s belongings into the hallway of the pre-war building and making threats and false claims against Hament. Champoux is also demanding to be paid a significant sum to leave.
Champoux is not the only one facing legal action. Hament is also pursuing their mutual friend John Corso for fraud. Hament claims that Corso knowingly misled her about Champoux’s situation, falsely stating that her stay would be short due to an impending move. According to the suit, Champoux had no such plans, and even has a history of refusing to vacate other premises.
Champoux’s past as a squatter is well-documented, as is Corso’s track record of abetting her. Champoux has had two long-term multi-year holdover tenancies since 2014. In one case, her Upper East Side landlord attempted to evict her for not paying rent. However, Champoux claimed she stopped paying on purpose because the landlord wasn’t making the required repairs. Corso appears in the court filings, vouching for Champoux.
In the other case, Champoux had managed to talk her way into a free room at the now-closed Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen’s Club in Midtown, claiming she had arranged to exchange marketing services for a free room. Corso’s name again pops up as a friend who helped peddle the tale that Champoux offered expert marketing services.
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In Hament’s August 19 suit against Corso, he is directly accused of assisting Champoux in dragging out these court cases for years and in doing so, enabled her to remain a squatter in the relevant residences.
The situation is particularly fraught because of Champoux’s age. The Post reported that Champoux’s attorney accused Hament and Scarola of “elder abuse,” claiming they have cut off necessities like electricity and water.
An August 1 court order states that Champoux was granted permission to delay the case to seek counsel, though this was against Hament’s wishes. A new court date was set for August 16. Hament, Champoux, and Champoux’s lawyer, Stephen Datchera, both signed a notice of appearance on that day. The case is still ongoing.
They should have at least googled the grifter before they let her move in.
Corso was the cinematographer for the dumb movie Senior Week and the grifter was a producer.
And I believe the NYPost on this kind thing implicitly, not.
Now that is a serious red state comment there.
GH:
Reread my comment, and note the “not”.
Also “red state” means you’ve never visited rural NY State, or Suffolk County.
Squatters rights is he dumbest thing of all time. They should be allowed to take that woman by her hair and drag her down the stairs on to the street and spit in her face before walking away.
What a deplorable thing to write, let alone think, and it’s actually embarrassing that ILTUWS would even allow something so vile to be posted. Get therapy.
Defending someone illegally possessing another’s property is worse. I agree with OP. Throw the bitch out head first.
Agreed. @im10ashus is probably the squatters accomplice.
Devereaux:
The local tribe never sold Manhattan Island to the Dutch; it was a 20-30 fishing rights agreement sealed with worthless beads.
Squat much?
Yikes! I understand your distaste for squatters’ rights but the lust for violence seems a bit excessive, don’t you think?
Not excessive at all. Couldn’t imagine the stress. I’d go a step further and throw her down the stairs.
Shame on Upper Westside for allowing this violet opinion to be posted..
Violets are lovely.
If someone doesn’t have a lease, (expired or not) how can they possibly avoid eviction?
MORAL OF THE STORY…These folks may have big hearts but always put it in writing…What were they thinking or NOT thinking..Good luck…xx
I don’t know who is more inhumane. The people who want to throw someone down a flight of stairs or a grifter stealing from a generous couple.