Steven Hirsch
Nir Meir, the New York City developer currently held on a staggering $5 million cash bond, was once known for his extravagant taste in fine wines, exotic cars and luxurious living.
However, as he faces charges of grand larceny, tax fraud and falsifying business records, the glamorous facade of Meir’s life is being peeled back to reveal a darker reality, according to Page Six.
The 49-year-old developer has pleaded not guilty in Manhattan Criminal Court, claiming insolvency after being forced to declare bankruptcy earlier this month.
Meir, and other real estate industry figures, stand accused of defrauding investors and subcontractors in an $86 million scheme while he was at the since-shuttered HFZ Capital Group. The case primarily centers on the development of a luxury High Line-adjacent condominium called the XI (the Eleven), according to prosecutors’ charges.
There was a time when Meir’s pockets seemed bottomless.
In 2021, he made headlines with the sale of a Southampton mansion to Patriots owner Robert Kraft for a hefty $43 million. His estate on prestigious Meadow Lane placed him in the company of finance titans like Ken Griffin and Leon Black.
Sources close to Meir revealed to Page Sixhis penchant for extravagant living, including popping $50,000 bottles of wine and maintaining an impressive car collection.
One insider reminisced about Meir’s hosting style, recalling how he would proudly present rare wines to guests, declaring, “You’ve never had a wine like this in your life.”
The source told Page Six he treated rare scotch and cigars the same way.
According to reports from Curbed, Meir spared no expense in transforming his Hamptons property into a modern marvel, hosting lavish omakase sushi nights and extravagant dinners costing upwards of $10,000.
However, beneath the surface of luxury lay a web of legal troubles.
Meir’s former business partner at HFZ Capital, Ziel Feldman, alleged in court papers that Meir’s spending habits were out of control, with exorbitant sums splurged on wine, strip clubs, private jets and yachts.
“Nir spent more money than God,” a former HFZ staffer told Curbed.
Feldman also accused Meir of improperly selling the Meadow Lane mansion and misappropriating funds, and alleged that Meir’s monthly American Express bill totaled more than $400,000, while he kept cars including five Mercedes, plus a $300,000 1996 Porsche.
In another lawsuit, lawyers for a car importer and investor named Yoav Harlap alleged Meir spent $6,000 in a single month at the Gold Rush Cabaret — a strip club in Miami.
Despite the mounting allegations, Meir maintains his innocence.
“I’m a 49-year-old guy, never had any priors, never been arrested in my life. I am an upstanding citizen all my life … I don’t have any assets, nor do I have the ability to post any bail.”