New Yorker who tried using yellow Prius as a fake taxi sued by NYC to be taken off the streets — for good
He's a real fake hack.
A former New York City cabbie whose license was suspended more than a decade ago has been posing as a taxi driver — using his little yellow Toyota, The Post has learned.
The city Taxi and Limousine Commission is now fighting to permanently seize George Caraballo's compact 2013 Prius due to his repeated violations, public records show.
In the last six months, Caraballo has been dinged twice by the city for posing as an official yellow medallion driver, according to a civil forfeiture lawsuit filed by the TLC on Thursday.
In fact, Caraballo's second violation came only two weeks after the hack driver pleaded guilty to the first, the Manhattan Supreme Court filing states.
A TLC inspector first watched him drive his yellow hybrid hatchback to pick up a hailing passenger in Manhattan for a $26 ride in November, the suit states.
Unfortunately for Caraballo, his fare was dwarfed by the $1,500 violation issued to him that night for 'operating for hire a vehicle that is not licensed by TLC.'
Just 15 days after he copped to that first violation at a March administrative hearing, the counterfeit cabman was at it again, the suit states.
3 The TLC is accusing a man of using a yellow Toyota Prius similar to the one pictured, as a fake taxi so frequently that they're suing to take possession of the car.
New York Post
On April 8, Caraballo picked up a group of four people in front of the iconic New Yorker Hotel near Penn Station for an $18 fare — under the watchful eye of a TLC inspector, the suit alleges.
The knockoff taxi was immediately seized by the TLC, the suit states.
During his second stint before the city Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings, Caraballo again pleaded guilty.
But an attorney for the TLC argued that the commission should retain Caraballo's car while the city pursues its civil forfeiture case against him to permanently take possession of the bogus cab, records show.
Caraballo apparently pulled the same stunt with a different car in 2020, 'evidence of the respondent's flagrant disregard for the rules,' the TLC lawyer said — calling the fake taxi driver a 'danger to the public.'
His representative, Joseph Scifo — a non-lawyer who has been repping livery drivers in administrative court for over 40 years — argued that the Prius is set up as a yellow cab because it operates legitimately as a taxi in Rockland County.
Hearing officer Patricia Cardoso found that the TLC had failed to show that keeping Caraballo's ride was 'necessary to protect the public,' and ordered that he get the vehicle back after paying a $2,000 fine — which he has since done, a TLC rep said Friday.
The spokesperson said that Caraballo once had a license, which was suspended in 2013.
Despite the car being released for now, Caraballo could still stand to lose it as the TLC's case progresses.
3 TLC inspectors say they saw Caraballo pick up fares at least twice in his yellow Toyota Prius since November.
Bloomberg via Getty Images
Since he posed as a fake taxi 'on two separate occasions within 36 months, and the subject vehicle was used in the commission of both offenses,' the TLC argued in its suit, the Prius is 'subject to forfeiture.'
The summons lists a Rockland County address for Caraballo on his driver's license, about 40 miles north from Manhattan, but shows that a Yorkville apartment is listed on his vehicle registration.
3 The fake cabbie's yellow Prius – similar to the one pictured above – is apparently used legitimately as a cab in Rockland County.
New York Post
When The Post knocked on the city address on Friday, a shirtless man who confirmed his name was George Caraballo said 'You got the wrong person.'
'I've never driven a cab before — I'm a retired guy,' the supposedly bogus Caraballo said, adding that he's never owned a Toyota Prius.
Despite his protestations, the curious Caraballo inquired about the nature of the lawsuit and civil forfeiture.
Scifo told The Post he wasn't sure whether that man was his client, or if the real Caraballo lives at the Rockland County — but had some advice, nonetheless.
'There's a lot of guys who are in the practice of bringing in cars from outside the city to earn extra money,' he said.
'Stop. You will be fined. You are breaking the law.'
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