Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Mercenary Torture Tenant on Trial
By
Robert Horan
Published Jan 14, 2010
Modified Jan 14, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Robert Horan
Published Jan 14, 2010
Modified Jan 14, 2010
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
You may remember last March when we reported on a 70 year-old man and his 35 year-old roommate threatening to do nasty things to their landlord after he tried (unsuccessfully) to get some of his $250,000 in back rent. Well, nearly a year later, the now 71-year-old Ekkehart Schwarz and 36 year-old Vasileios Giamagas have somehow gotten out of the charges, leaving some mysterious third man to take the brunt of it. According to the Post the building manager of this never-opened Third Avenue bar and lounge, Niroo Yavari, 48, was involved in several instances for more than a year, where he was allegedly kidnapped and threatened with fake guns, pliers, a screwdriver, and forced sodomy by what he described to cops as "a never-identified giant guy with an Eastern European accent."
This third man has now been revealed to be one Kakhaber Gogoladze—350 lbs of Georgian muscle. Gogoladze allegedly told Yavari he had better "play along" or face torturous consequences. Schwarz and Giamagas, however, contend that Yavari was a lousy manager who never made the promised renovations, and only came forward a year after his so-called kidnapping, leaving their dreams of opening "Restaulounge-Bar De'Vill" at 68 West Third Street in shambles.
Lead prosecutor James Meadows told jurors in his opening statement this morning that Yavari had in his possession audio recordings of his alleged tormentors as they brought the hurt on him. In one, Giamagas allegedly boasts of having once had his own brother killed and that according to Meadows, before coming to America, he had "fought as a mercenary in the Chechen War"—as compared to after coming to America, when he fought as a mercenary for Third Avenue tenants.
Tagged
apartment
landlord
Third Avenue
torture
trial
Robert Horan
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Serbians forced to wait hours to vote at NYC consulate as Balkan nation holds election
Early voting may have kicked off in New York this weekend, but Serbian immigrants seeking to vote had a much tighter window on Sunday.
By
Jill Webb
and
Michael Sol Warren
Published Oct 25, 2026 at 2:57 p.m. ET
Retired NYPD detective charged in George Washington Bridge killing out on $1M bail
Victor Romero, who retired from the police department in 2001
By
Michael Sol Warren
News
Retired NYPD detective charged in George Washington Bridge killing out on $1M bail
Victor Romero, who retired from the police department in 2001
By
Michael Sol Warren
Suicides decline in NYC, but inequities persist across groups
By
Jill Webb
Cuts to rural healthcare become key issue for upstate votes in race for NY governor
By
Samuel King
NY Archdiocese will soon settle $800M clergy sexual abuse claims
By
Arya Sundaram
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .