By T. D. Thornton
An owner of Siro's, the popular restaurant and bar within walking distance of Saratoga Race Course, was arrested May 6 on charges of forging insurance and liquor-license documents in an effort to get a city permit to open the business in the middle of the pandemic last summer.
The Daily Gazette newspaper in New York's capitol region first broke the story Monday.
Scott R. Solomon, 35, of Cohoes, turned himself in to face an arrest warrant last Thursday, the Gazette reported, adding that Saratoga Springs police afterward released him on his own recognizance.
“Solomon faces two counts of second-degree forgery, one involving an official document and one involving legal documents such as contracts, two counts of second-degree possession of a forged instrument, and two counts of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing. All are felonies that could result in state prison time,” the Gazette reported.
Police told the Gazette they “started an investigation in August because there were concerns about paperwork Solomon had filed with the city in an effort to get a permit needed to open Siro's, which traditionally has only been open each year only during the few weeks of the Thoroughbred racing season…. City officials ordered it closed after reports that it was either open or hosting private events despite not having its permit.”
Even after the filing of the allegedly forged documents, the popular Lincoln Avenue watering hole still didn't get its permit and never officially opened to the public in 2020, the Gazette reported.
The paper continued: “This week's arrest is the latest trouble for Solomon, who last September was arrested by state police after an investigation into misappropriation of money from Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan's election campaign, for which he was an aide. He faces multiple counts of grand larceny and possession of a forged instrument in that case…. Solomon also faced felony larceny charges earlier this year for allegedly writing [$54,000] in bad checks.”
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