A celebrity tattoo artist who charges $1,000 and up for his minimalist ink allegedly owes big on his East Village pad.
Jonathan S. Valena, who goes by the name “JonBoy,” has inked everyone from Kendall and Kylie Jenner to Post Malone and Justin and Hailey Bieber. HIs work mostly consists of simple words, phrases or images in thin typeface.
The landlords of his East Houston street apartment claim Valena hasn’t made good on the rent in years — including well before the coronavirus pandemic brought economic upheaval and a wave of misery to tenants and landlords.
“The last time [Valena] owed no rent was in May 2019,” 250 Houston Investors LP claims in a Manhattan Supreme Court lawsuit.
After that, Valena made just two big payments, totaling $19,000, on his $4,659 rent, alleges the landlord, who according to court papers wants to recoup more than $130,000.
Valena, who opened his own tattoo studio in a Times Square motel, did not return a message seeking comment.
