A real estate agent is accused of scamming people across New York City, including in the Bronx and Brooklyn. Victims say they paid thousands for apartments they never got.

David Adan Lazaro says he paid $1,000 for an apartment on Bronx Boulevard but never got the keys.

“He played me,” said Adan Lazaro. “I think next time I look for a real estate, I gotta make sure I look more into the person, look for reviews, more recommendations and not even trust nobody.”

Adan Lazaro was in a hurry to move his wife and four kids.

“We have mold on the walls,” he explained. “I got to be repairing it.”

He says at first he thought real estate agent Christian Quiceno had found his family the perfect place.

“Me and my wife decided to get the apartment,” said Adan Lazaro. “It was nice. It was a three bedroom.”

The problems started when they tried to use their Family Homelessness and Eviction Prevention voucher. Quiceno insisted they pay $1,000 to secure the apartment. After they did, he vanished.

“We tried calling him,” Adan Lazaro recalled. “He never answered. He never picked up the call.”

This isn’t an isolated case. Court records show similar complaints in the Bronx also in Brooklyn and Queens with similar cases of people paying deposits, expecting keys, and instead getting blocked and ghosted. When News 12 started digging, we found out that Christian Quiceno was already behind bars.

Quiceno is currently locked up at Rikers Island, being held without bail for similar crimes in Queens, charged with grand larceny and fraud. Court documents say he collected nearly $10,000 in deposits from renters without ever giving them access to an apartment.

“I don't know if I'm gonna get my money back,” said Adnan Lazaro. “I know it's not a lot, but it's gonna help me move, you know, my family. It's tough to know that this person has done this to several people not one or two, a lot of people.”

In the Bronx, he’s charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property, including taking a $550 cashier’s check for an apartment on Decatur Avenue without providing access.

The scheme also extended to Brooklyn, where the Fair Housing Justice Center is suing Quiceno in civil court, titling the case "Lies and ghosting: a housing discrimination strategy."

The group claims Quiceno cut off Section 8 renters, which is illegal under New York law. The center declined to comment because the litigation is ongoing.

“The landlord told us that the apartment had already been rented at the time we were giving that deposit, that apartment was already rented,” said Adan Lazaro.

Real estate websites say Quiceno was employed by Keller Williams NYC. news 12 asked them and they refused to comment.

Adan Lazaro says he’s sharing his story to warn other New Yorkers.

“So this won't happen to other people, you know, think twice before you give your money away," the Bronx father said.

Authorities are urging anyone who may have been scammed to come forward. The Bronx DA’s office says anyone with information can come forward and call their civilian complaint line at 718-590-2300. Queens victims can call (718) 286-6673.

Quiceno is scheduled to return to court for the Bronx cases on Jan. 23.