Man disputes $81,000 in parking fines

NEW YORK, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- The New York City Department of Finance says a man racked up $81,039 in parking fines but the alleged offender denies the claims.

The department said Alexander Khamish, 30, has incurred 415 parking tickets since 2004 -- the largest amount of fines racked up by anyone during the period -- but the alleged serial offender contends the tickets resulted from identity theft, the New York Post reported Friday.

"Basically, someone registered (the offending) vehicles under my name," Khamish said. "I knew about this a couple years ago, but I didn't know it (involved an) $80,000 (debt).

"Someone did register vehicles under my name before I found out, but I was going back and forth with the DMV, and from the last I heard, I thought everything was OK."

Finance Department spokesman Owen Stone said Khamish's claims would be investigated.

"If it winds up his identity was stolen, he won't be responsible for the tickets," Stone said.