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450 West 31st Street, New York, NY 10001 Phone: 212-260-1332
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HFZ founder Ziel Feldman and Nir Meir (iStock, HFZ/Illustration by Kevin Rebong for The Real Deal)
UPDATED, April 7, 2021, 6:00 p.m.: HFZ Capital Group’s Ziel Feldman says his former partner Nir Meir used their development firm’s bank account as a “personal piggy-bank” to bankroll his lavish lifestyle.
HFZ accused Meir of stealing $15 million via fraudulent credit card reimbursements and wire transfers, in a lawsuit filed April 6 in Suffolk County. The suit claimed Meir lived “well above his means” on HFZ’s dime and seeks $43 million in damages. Meir’s attorney described the allegations as a “desperate, last-ditch attempt” to pressure Meir and said the claims were without merit.
Ziel Feldman (right), Nir Meir and the XI (Illustration by Zach Meyer)
“What’s the latest?” read the text that popped up on Nir Meir’s phone one Thursday afternoon in July. “Running out of time.”
The message to the HFZ Capital Group managing principal was from Adam Gibbons, an executive at CIM Group. The lender was awaiting an overdue payment on $90 million of mezzanine debt it holds on four prewar Manhattan apartment buildings HFZ is converting to condominiums.
“On it,” Meir wrote back. “2 min.”
Four hours later, a reference number popped up on Gibbons’ phone. It seemed the $2.3 million HFZ owed had been wired.