In June 2018, a gentleman by the name of Mickey Barreto found himself checking into The New Yorker Hotel and got allocated to Room 2565. From this room, his view of Midtown Manhattan was all but obliterated by an exterior wall. The overnight stay came with a price tag of $200.57.
However, defying norms, he did not vacate the room the following day. To everyone’s astonishment, this renowned hotel became his permanent habitat for an impressive half-decade stretch, with no further payments purportedly made.
In a metropolis like New York- where property is meticulously measured and meticulously valued, and where budget-friendly apartments are an almost extinct species- Mr. Barreto might have stumbled upon the most enviable housing agreement in the city’s history.
Conversely, this deal could be his potential ticket to imprisonment.
The saga of how Mr. Barreto, a lone ranger from California with an inclination towards fantastical conspiracy theories and an occasional detachment from reality, acquired and eventually relinquished the claims to Room 2565 may perceive as improbable. Especially considering it’s a narrative spun by a man who alleges, without solid proof, of being the first cousin 11 times removed of Christopher Columbus’s eldest offspring.
Priyam Gera