Home Sweet Swindle

Ooh, beware the dangerous intersection of PR, home decor and your crappy NYC apartment! A publicist was sentenced to jail for duping the Home Depot and other companies out of goods that he used to improve his West 76th Street apartment. David Chass had asked the Home Depot if they would renovate his apartment as part of a publicity move, and even though the HD said no, Chass still billed them for $363,000. Too bad for the Home Depot, they paid. And apparently Chass also promised other home decor companies that he'd get them mentioned on the Weekend Today show, if they would give him free bedding and lighting. The gig was up when the stores contacted the Weekend Today show asking when the segments would air - and then the producers contacted the Manhattan DA's office.