Chris Canty accused of "bullying" as longtime tenant fights to stay in NYC apartment

Chris Canty, a former NFL defensive end who played for the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, and Baltimore Ravens from 2005 to 2015, is currently involved in a legal and PR dispute with Stuart Kalmenson, a resident at his Upper West Side home in New York City.

Kalmenson claims that Canty has made the townhouse uninhabitable by denying him infrastructure like heat and hot water. The data analyst tenant also claims that Canty has been cutting off these services for more than two years, describing his home's living conditions as dangerous, with bad floors and rodent infestation. He adds that Canty is forcing him to leave the house so he can turn it into a luxurious single-family home.

According to reports, Kalmenson has been paying $2,600 a month in rent for his two-bedroom apartment for 19 years. But since Canty purchased the nine-unit townhouse for about $5.2 million in March 2020, the 59-year-old tenant has said that his home has turned into a terror. He also adds that most of the tenants left after Canty purchased the property but he continued to pay rent on a month-to-month basis.

“I had the choice of either getting bullied, or fighting the good fight,” Kalmenson said (per the New York Post).

Reports state that Canty first filed for Kalmenson's eviction in July 2020, claiming that he had violated the terms of the lease. Kalmenson then filed a countersuit, claiming bullying and inappropriate treatment.

According to Kalmenson, he interprets Chris Canty's behavior as aggressive, claiming that the former NFL player merely wishes to "destroy me." Additionally, he claims that rent stabilization should have been maintained for the building. The tenant's allegations have been deemed without merit by Canty's lawyer.

During his time with the Giants, Canty won a Super Bowl, helping New York secure a 21-17 win over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI in 2011.

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Chris Canty faces separate city and state tax-evasion lawsuits

Both New York State and New York City have filed separate tax evasion lawsuits against Chris Canty. The ESPN Radio broadcaster allegedly under-reported or miscalculated taxes related to the purchase of the townhouse, leaving more than $1 million in unpaid taxes, according to city and state tax authorities. They argue that he either falsely claimed exemption or misunderstood the nature of the building.

Authorities contend that the property cannot be considered a co-operative and that it should be bound by rent-stabilization measures, which would result in higher tax obligations. On the other hand, Canty continues to argue that the property is a co-operative, which protects it from several tax regulations. The allegation that Canty avoided paying taxes is based on this classification.

Court proceedings are still ongoing. The lawsuits are civil, however, they have significant financial repercussions should Chris Canty fail to win.