New Yorker Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Delivery Workers

Mauricio Sevilla scammed thousands from food delivery workers with false promises of a new app investment opportunity.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 8:25pm

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An extreme close-up of a crumpled, empty wallet reflecting the harsh light of a camera flash, conceptually representing the financial loss and betrayal experienced by the delivery workers scammed in this case.A stark visual metaphor for the financial exploitation of vulnerable food delivery workers.NYC Today

A 42-year-old New York man named Mauricio Sevilla has pleaded guilty to defrauding food delivery workers out of thousands of dollars in a bogus investment scheme. Sevilla promised workers a chance to invest in and profit from a new delivery app called 'Time 4 Comida' that he was developing, but the app never materialized and he cut off communication after collecting the investments.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing challenges and vulnerabilities faced by food delivery workers, who have long fought for fair wages, benefits, and dignified working conditions from major platforms like Uber Eats and DoorDash. The promise of a worker-owned delivery app was enticing, but Sevilla exploited these workers' hopes and desperation.

The details

According to court documents, Sevilla solicited investments ranging from just under $100 up to over $5,000 from six different delivery workers, promising them ownership shares in the new 'Time 4 Comida' app. He met with workers individually and in groups in Manhattan parks to discuss the 'business opportunity' and even created a Facebook page to promote the fake delivery business. However, the app was never created, and the workers never received any ownership, uniforms, or refunds of their money.

  • Sevilla began collecting fraudulent investments around September 2021 through February 2022.
  • Sevilla was not arrested until December 2025.

The players

Mauricio Sevilla

A 42-year-old New York man who pleaded guilty to defrauding food delivery workers out of thousands of dollars in a bogus investment scheme.

Alvin L. Bragg Jr.

The Manhattan District Attorney who announced Sevilla's guilty plea and the return of the workers' stolen funds.

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What they’re saying

“Food delivery workers trusted Mauricio Sevilla to invest their hard-earned money into a new food delivery company, only to learn that their money was stolen and the company was never created.”

— Alvin L. Bragg Jr., Manhattan District Attorney

What’s next

If Sevilla makes full restitution and avoids being re-arrested for a year-and-a-half, his charge can be reduced to Scheme to Defraud in the Second Degree, per the terms of his plea arrangement.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing exploitation and vulnerabilities faced by food delivery workers, who are often targets for scams and fraud due to their economic precarity. It underscores the need for greater protections and support for these essential workers as they continue to fight for fair wages, benefits, and dignified working conditions.