The Upper West Side's legendary Dakota co-op has probably made more headlines this week than in the entirety of its 127-year existence. For that, we can all thank Alphonse Fletcher Jr., the Wall Street investor and former Dakota board president who filed a lawsuit against the board, accusing its members of racism. Fletcher has owned multiple apartments in the building, including a street-level 2BR that was purchased by Jan-Dirk Paarlberg for $4.5 million in 2001. And that's where the story takes another fascinating twist today, because Paarlberg has been sentenced to 4.5 years in prison in the Netherlands for fraud, forgery, and money laundering.
Paarlberg never actually lived in the apartment, but that doesn't mean profits from its sale can't be turned over to the feds. The Journal reports that the unit is in contract for about $4.4 million, and the proceeds will go to our friends the U.S. Marshals, who will hold them "pending further order of the court." The Dakota has a lot of that going around.
· Tangled Tale of a Dakota Co-op [WSJ]
· Dakota Co-op Board Accused of Being a Bunch of Racists [Curbed]
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