Comedian Kevin Hart (Facebook)
Feb. 11, 2021 By Michael Dorgan
A Long Island City resident who was a personal shopper for comedian Kevin Hart was charged Wednesday for making more than $1 million in unauthorized credit card purchases.
Dylan Jason Syer, 29, allegedly used Hart’s card to buy fine art, designer watches and other luxury items without the comedian’s approval over a 16-month period, prosecutors announced Wednesday.
Syer, who ran a personal shopping business, was arraigned Wednesday on a 10-count indictment charging him with grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, and an array of other charges.
He faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz said.
Items seized from inside Syer’s home (Photo courtesy of the Queens District Attorney’s Office)
According to the charges, Syer was hired by Hart in 2015 to purchase items on his behalf.
Syer was provided with Hart’s credit cards to make any necessary purchases, with the understanding that he would authorize them first.
However, Syer allegedly went on a spending spree and racked up more than $1.16 million worth of unauthorized charges on Hart’s credit cards from Oct. 2017 through Feb. 25, 2019.
Syer’s unapproved purchases included at least five Patek Philippe watches valued at more than $400,000. He also allegedly splashed out on a Sam Friedman painting, at least 16 Bearbrick collectible dolls, five KAWS collectible dolls and two Louis Vuitton Keepall Bandouliere bags.
Syer posted pictures of some of the items on his Instagram page, prosecutors said.
Investigators searched Syer’s apartment Wednesday and seized around $250,000 worth of cash and goods.
“The defendant thought he was beyond reach and was living out his uber-rich lifestyle fantasies,” Katz said in a statement.
He has been ordered to return to Queens Supreme Court on Feb. 17.
Syer has also been hit with a civil court action filed by the Queens DA’s Office. The action aims to recoup the amount he allegedly stole.
Cash and other items seized from inside Syer’s home (Photo courtesy of the Queens District Attorney’s Office)
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