UPDATE: In the federal case described below, plaintiffs Chris Perrotta and Carrie Charleston failed to serve defendants Jake and Austin Deraaff with a complaint within 90 days, as required by court rules. On Oct. 7, 2025, U.S. District Judge Cathy Seibel gave the former tenants one month to serve the complaint or explain why they need more time. On Nov. 11, 2025, the plaintiffs’ attorney voluntarily dismissed the action. On Oct. 3, 2025, a town court judge in Ulster County awarded the Deraaff’s business $18,900 in its eviction case against Perrotta and Charleston.
Two Elmsford landlords who operate rental properties throughout the Hudson Valley have been sued by two tenants who stopped paying rent and who claim they are victims of a real estate racket.
Chris Perrotta and Carrie Charleston, who lived with their two children in an Ulster County rental property, are demanding $100,000 from landlords Jake and Austin Deraaff.
“Defendants are a menace,” they state in a complaint filed on June 3 in U.S. District Court, White Plains, “not only to plaintiffs but to the broader Hudson Valley community they prey on.”
“We are heartbroken and shocked by the completely inaccurate and false accusations being made against us,” the Deraaffs said in a prepared statement. “For nearly a decade we’ve poured everything we have into building our business with honesty, hard work, and integrity.”
The Deraaffs are 27-year-old twins who live in Garrison, Putnam County, according to the complaint, and control several real estate entities from an office building in Elmsford.
This past December, Perrotta and Charleston rented an apartment in Highland, Ulster County, for $2,100 a month. They claim they found the structure, built in 1880, riddled with dangerous structural defects such as inoperable radiators and an outdated electrical system.
When they complained to the town’s building inspector, they were “constructively evicted” for more than a week while repairs were made. When they returned they found broken and inoperable windows.
Then, they allege, the Deraaffs engaged in a campaign of threats and intimidation to force them to pay undiscounted rent or to vacate the property.
They also claim that the Deraaffs don’t employ enough people to safely manage hundreds of dilapidated properties.
Their attorney, John Oleske, of New Paltz, is asking the court to dissolve the corporations, appoint a receiver to liquidate the properties and wind down operations, and prohibit the Deraaffs from renting real estate anywhere in New York.
The Deraaffs provided a tenant ledger that shows that Perrotta and Charleston owe $10,700 in back rent and late fees. The couple paid for only one month, this past December. In January, when repairs were made, their rent was reduced by 45%.
“These claims are not only false, they’re deeply hurtful to us, our families, and everyone who believes in what we do,” the Deraaffs said, and they intend to countersue for defamation to protect the brand they have been building since 2017.
