A Manhattan prosecutor could face criminal charges after he and his wife allegedly videotaped their nanny undressing and showering in their bathroom
The nanny’s lawyer said a grand jury could soon hear evidence against the husband, Matthew Seltzer, 35, including possible felony charges of unlawful surveillance, attempted unlawful surveillance and falsification of business records.
“I am glad to see the District Attorney’s office finally moving forward with some semblance of justice,” said attorney Vincent White, noting that Brooklyn prosecutors told him they would present the case to a grand jury within four to six weeks.
Seltzer is married to Lauren Angelo-Seltzer, a Manhattan DA assistant.
Vanessa Rivas, 23, claims she caught the couple red-handed in January 2018 just as she was about to disrobe and shower at their StuyTown apartment.
She told The Post that she spotted the hidden camera, disguised to look like a black iPhone charger.
“I noticed a glare, and I was just like, wait this is odd, so I pulled it out of the socket, and the last video is me looking at it like, ‘What is this?’”
When she confronted Angelo-Seltzer, the ADA denied any knowledge of the camera — then used her law enforcement connections to try to intimidate the young care giver, Rivas claims.
The prosecutor summoned cops from the 13th Precinct, who threatened to arrest Rivas if she didn’t hand over the camera’s memory card, the nanny says. When she refused, officers let her go.
Then Angelo-Seltzer’s mom, former Manhattan Criminal Court judge Eileen Koretz, offered to pay Rivas for lost earnings after she’d quit her nanny gig if Rivas agreed to “end this.”
Instead, Rivas filed a police report and hired White to file a civil case against the couple.
Koretz, a judicial hearing officer, has since resigned from that post amid a probe by the state court inspector general, which is looking into whether the ex-judge meddled in the case, according to a court spokesman.
“I resigned solely for personal reasons and to spend more time with my family,” Koretz said in an email to The Post when asked if her departure was related to Rivas’ claims.
But court IG Sherrill Spatz launched her probe in January after The Post reported on the lawsuit. Koretz resigned in April, before the probe was completed, according to state court spokesperson Lucian Chalfen.
Rivas declined to drop the charges in an early deal offered to Seltzer by Brooklyn prosecutors, who are handling the case to avoid a conflict of interest, according to White of White, Hilferty and Albanese.
He said prosecutors revealed that Seltzer tried to alter his credit card statements to hide the camera purchase, leading to the possible falsification of business records charge, White claims.
Court documents show that Seltzer and Angelo-Seltzer have hired separate attorneys.
If convicted, Seltzer faces four to seven years in prison and could have to register as a sex offender.
Seltzer and his attorney could not be reached for comment.
via: https://nypost.com/2019/06/01/man-could-face-7-years-in-prison-if-convicted-in-nanny-spycam-case/
Photo Credit: nypost.com/Angel Chevrestt