A local resident has filed a $15 million lawsuit against a Burger King” data-wpil-keyword-link=”linked”>Burger King franchisee, alleging that the 106 Fulton St. restaurant has become an “open-air drug bazaar.” Kevin Kaufman claims that franchisee owner Lalmir Sultanzada allows drug dealers to use the restaurant as a base for their illegal activities, turning the area into a hotspot for drug sales, according to the lawsuit filed in Manhattan Supreme Court.
Kaufman asserts that Sultanzada has not taken steps to stop the drug dealing, such as hiring security, which has led to emotionally disturbed individuals frequenting the area and causing trouble for the residents. “These professional drug dealers, who have long criminal records and are well known among local law enforcement, operate in broad daylight from hours before the Burger King opens until hours after it closes, so openly that it is impossible for [Burger King and the franchisee owner] to be unaware of this neighborhood nightmare,” the lawsuit claims.
The lawsuit states that Fulton Street has become a “neighborhood in crisis,” and Kaufman claims to have suffered “extreme emotional distress” due to the defendants’ actions. He argues that property values on Fulton Street have dropped because of Sultanzada’s “outrageous and unethical tolerance of drug activity.”
Kaufman, vice-chairman of the Fulton Street Coalition, a non-profit focused on the neighborhood’s safety and quality of life, says that residents are scared to go out at night because Sultanzada has ignored the problem and refused to hire security.
The lawsuit has caught the attention of New York City Mayor Eric Adams, who visited the Burger King after the New York Post reported the story in March. According to Adams’ office, the mayor met with homeless individuals, not drug dealers, inside the restaurant and connected them to services.
Sultanzada responded with a $30 million countersuit, accusing Kaufman of contributing to the neighborhood’s issues, given his role in a non-profit dedicated to safety and quality of life. The countersuit argues that Burger King is only responsible for providing restaurant services and has no obligation to ensure neighborhood safety. It also claims Kaufman is seeking financial gain and that his comments about the “open-air drug bazaar” are racially motivated, as Sultanzada is an Afghan immigrant.
The countersuit also notes an interview Kaufman gave to the New York Post, where he blamed the city’s criminal laws and policies for the drug problem. “Defendants have absolutely no authority or control over such criminal laws and policies, and the only possible action Burger King can take is to call the police, which it has done on many occasions,” the countersuit states.