Consultant Sold Fake 'A' Grades to Restaurants

A restaurant consultant has been charged with selling fake Department of Health "A" grades to at least nine different restaurants in the city. The restaurants all paid Anastasio Kountis to represent them at their inspection appeal hearings, and in return received shiny letter "A" signs to post in the window. Unfortunately as it turns out, Kountis hadn't actually attended any of those hearings, he'd just photocopied some other restaurant's "A" grade.

The DOH learned about the fraud when it conducted a random sweep of 150 restaurants in the city and discovered that places like Telly's Taverna were sporting an "A" instead of the "B" or "C" they had earned. Apparently none of the restaurants knew that Kountis was pulling the ole' switcheroo on them, and were surprised to learn that they hadn't really gotten an "A." Kountis claims he's innocent, that his consulting company stopped operating a year ago, and that the real culprit is a former employee who stole his identity.
· Restaurant Consultant Accused Of Selling Forged Letter Grades To Restaurateurs [Gothamist]