Story by Ethan
On August 22nd, 2025, the arrest of Otto Starzmann, age 60, was announced by Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz. Otto Starzmann was charged with second-degree Grand Larceny and second-degree Criminal Possession of Stolen Property. The arrest and charges against Otto Starzmann were a result of an investigation handled by NYPD Detective Anthony Guerriero of the Queens District Attorney’s NYPD Squad, Detective Robert Patterson, Sergeant Thomas Rouse, Lieutenant Christopher Kehoe, and investigative accountant Silvana Sutich with the Queens District Attorney’s Forensic Accounting Unit.
According to the Queens District Attorney’s Office, Otto Starzmann was previously employed as the chief production officer of River Fund, a charity organization based in Richmond Hill, New York. River Fund operates a food pantry that makes food deliveries to those in need. Otto Starzmann’s responsibilities included securing grants and managing large food and produce orders. Unbeknownst to the rest of River Fund and its supporters, the defendant had previously formed another company called Foodgate Inc. Between the dates of May 10th, 2022, and October 26th, 2022, Ottoman Starzmann managed a total of $872,440 in secure advanced payments through five separate invoices he submitted from Foodgate Inc. to River Fund. River Fund paid Foodgate Inc. to grow green beans, corn, squash, and deliver the produce to River Fund’s warehouse. Investigation into the invoices revealed that there were no deliveries made to River Fund’s warehouse like the invoices suggested nor was any prepaid produce delivered either. The $872,440 paid to Foodgate Inc. went to an Evolve Bank and Trust account that Otto Starzmann had sole ownership of. Foodgate Inc. was also revealed to have no employees besides Otto Starzmann.
A deposit of $753,705 into the Foodgate Inc. was allegedly transferred into a second Evolve Bank and Trust account also owned by the defendant. A minimum of 20 withdrawals were made from the second account which included $429,508.20 for a closing payment made to a law firm and down payments on 22 acres of real estate in Warwick, New York, $60,388.97 to an architecture and design firm, and 12 cash withdrawals totaling to $77,000 that was later deposited into Otto Starzmann’s personal bank account.
The Queens District Attorney’s Office stated that the charges against Otto Starzmann are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt in a court of law.
