NYC officials put gelato artisan’s $2.4M illegal rental scheme on ice: suit
A gelato entrepreneur’s illicit hotel rental scheme is being put on ice, city officials said Monday.
Turkish gelato artisan Gokhan Simsek, of Hell’s Kitchen, allegedly scooped up $2.4 million from 6,800 apartments he illegally rented out for short stays across 58 buildings in Manhattan from 2020 until last year, according to a new lawsuit by the city.
The multi-million dollar operation was marketed under the name “Stay & Smile,” with the units listed on traditional sites like Airbnb and Booking.com as well as Simsek’s own now-defunct website, StayandSmile.net, the filing states.
The suit, filed by the Mayor’s Office of Special Enforcement, seeks $1 million in damages, as well as between $350 to $3,500 per violation of the short-term rental law.
Simsek — who also runs an “authentic Italian artisan gelato” spot called Gelatoville — had nearly 250 listings in total during his time as a “brazen” underground hotelier, according to city officials.
Many of the illegal apartments were located on the Upper East Side, Upper West Side and Hell’s Kitchen, the suit states.
Simsek’s alleged dealings were discovered through a new short-term rental registration law, as well as complaint-driven reports received by City Hall, officials said.
“With our short-term rental reporting and registration laws, we are stopping illegal operators from taking away our safe, stable, and affordable housing,” said Mayor Eric Adams in a statement. “Today’s lawsuit sends a clear message that we will not allow you to use our valuable housing stock for unlawful personal gain.”
Even after officials notified Simsek that he was being investigated, he continued to list and rent the illegal short-stay rooms, the suit claims.
Simsek runs Gelatoville with Ahmet Demircioglu, a former male model and apparent co-habitator, according to several eviction lawsuits. A new location in Hell’s Kitchen just opened in June.
“Founder Gokhan Simsek honed his gelato-making skills while living in Italy,” Gelatoville wrote in an Instagram post, “and now he’s bringing the authentic flavors of Italy to New York with his artisanal creations.”
Demircioglu, who is not named in the city’s lawsuit, told local media outlet W42ST last month that he managed several Airbnb properties.
“We run several apartments here that we do short-term, long-term, so we have several apartments and all of them have a roof, so we usually throw a party almost every month,” he told the website, adding that he grew the venture to 19 units after finding that Airbnb was “really profitable.”
Simsek’s other alleged artisanal creations — illegal short-term hotels — had already landed him in hot water prior to the city’s announced suit.
Several landlords have sought real estate judgments against him for owing tens of thousands in back rent, and at least two of the suits were initiated after landlords discovered his short-term side hustles.
One Hell’s Kitchen landlord said that Simsek’s guests were “causing a nuisance” as a result of the “constant traffic in and out of your apartment.”
A suit over an East 77th Street rental claimed that Simsek refused to cease his illegal rental activities despite “multiple demands” and “clear and unambiguous evidence of Defendants’ wrongdoing.”
Simsek’s current Hell’s Kitchen landlord is also looking to kick him and his Gelatoville pal to the curb for skipping out on over $8,000 of rent.
According to court documents, Simsek says he’s withholding rent “due to repairs.”
Simsek denied any affiliation with Stay & Smile when reached by The Post Monday.
Demircioglu, who didn’t return a request for comment Monday evening, was listed as a “happy customer” on the Stay & Smile website back in 2021, writing a glowing review.
The company once promised potential guests a “True Urban Experience with a Low Cost, Endless Possibilities, and Friends Along the Way.”
“To be a friend who has a home all over the world,” reads the stated “vision” on the now-archived Stay & Smile site.
