AG Eric Schneiderman Indicts A Newman, And Makes A Seinfeld Joke

Image by Getty

By Josh Nathan-Kazis April 20, 2017

Updated.

What do you do when you you indict a guy with the last name “Newman”?

If you’re New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, you seize the moment to make a Seinfeld joke.

Schneiderman’s office today indicted a new York man named Paul J. Newman for allegedly posing as an architect, despite having no architecture license.

Schneiderman called the takedown Operation Vandelay Industries, a Seinfeld deep cut.

I’m indicting alleged fake architect Paul Newman on 58 counts as a result of our “Operation Vandelay Industries.” pic.twitter.com/8cfn6zQIGk

— Eric Schneiderman (@AGSchneiderman) April 20, 2017

The reference is to a 1992 episode, in which George asks Jerry to pretend he runs a latex manufacturing concern called Vandelay Industries. Jerry is supposed to tell anyone who calls his apartment asking for Vandelay that he’s planning on hiring George as a salesman. Kramer ruins the scheme, leaving George distraught on Jerry’s with his pants around his ankles. (It’s funnier if you just watch it.)

“As we allege, for over seven years the defendant has pretended to be a Registered Architect, deceiving hundreds of New Yorkers – including families and senior citizens — with the sole goal of enriching himself,” Schneiderman said in a statement. “Deceptive actions like these erode public trust — and my office will not tolerate them.”

Update: Turns out we need to spend more time with our Seinfeld DVD’s. We missed the obvious reference: Like the real-life Newman, George really likes to pretend to be an architect. In one 1989 episode, he does so while simultaneously pretending to be waiting to see…Mr. Vandelay. (Again, you really should just watch it.)

Contact Josh Nathan-Kazis at [email protected] or on Twitter, @joshnathankazis.

Josh Nathan-Kazis is a staff writer for the Forward. He covers charities and politics, and writes investigations and longform.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO