Celebrity chef to serial squatter: Famed cook Madison Cowan is evicted from his $2,750 per month New York City apartment as landlord claims he’s not paid rent for four YEARS
- Madison Cowan was evicted from his one-bedroom apartment in Boerum Hill
- He has evaded eviction notices by claiming he cannot pay the rent in court
- Cowan has been ordered to vacate the apartment within two weeks
A famous celebrity chef who appeared on shows like Iron Chef has been evicted from his New York City apartment after failing to pay rent for four years.
Madison Cowan was evicted from his $2,750-a-month one-bedroom Boerum Hill apartment this week after his landlord, Gus Sheha, claimed he had not paid his rent since January 2020.
Sheha said the chef allegedly took advantage of legal loopholes, such as repeatedly appealing eviction orders, to continue living in the apartment.
‘I have never seen anything more absurd in my life. This is why people leave New York. The system is completely broken and deliberately set up to punish the landlord.’
“I have lost more than $140,000 in rent, but I still have to pay for insurance, taxes and water,” Sheha told the newspaper. New York Post.
Madison Cowan (pictured) was evicted from his $2,750-a-month one-bedroom Boerum Hill apartment this week after his landlord Gus Sheha claimed he had not paid his rent since January 2020.
Sheha said the chef allegedly took advantage of legal loopholes, such as repeatedly appealing eviction orders, to continue living in the State Street apartment.
Cowan has received five eviction notices in recent years.
Last week, marshals reportedly tried to throw him out but were rebuffed again after Cowan appealed.
The once beloved chef has claimed in civil court that he cannot pay rent because his livelihood has been “severely affected by the pandemic” – made worse by the publicity surrounding his rent dispute.
‘I couldn’t get a job. It all went away,” he told the judge.
Last week, marshals reportedly tried to throw him out but were rebuffed again after Cowan appealed
Cowan has received five eviction notices in recent years
The court ordered him to leave the apartment within two weeks
Sheha later said that Cowan allegedly bragged about getting advice on how to avoid eviction from state Attorney General Letitia James.
According to the Post, he and his family have occupied the property since October 2019.
Cowan has been actively involved in former First Lady Michelle Obama’s Chefs Move To Schools initiative catered jazz legend Lionel Hampton, actors Halle Berry, Scarlett Johansson, former New York Mayor David Dinkins and former President Bill Clinton.
The court ordered him to leave the apartment within two weeks.