April 15, 2026 NEW YORK, NY In the cutthroat world of New York City food delivery, the dream of "being your own boss" is the ultimate prize. For six hardworking delivery riders, that dream looked like an app called "Time 4 Comida." But instead of a seat at the table, they were served a cold plate of betrayal.
The Pitch: A Way Out of the "Gig Economy"
For years, NYC’s delivery fleet—the backbone of the city's pandemic survival—has fought for fair wages against giants like Uber Eats and DoorDash. Mauricio Sevilla, 42, knew exactly which heartstrings to pull.
Meeting workers in Manhattan parks and through mutual industry connections, Sevilla sold a vision: a worker-owned delivery app that would dominate Lower Manhattan. He promised shares in the company, better income for their families, and a way out of the daily grind.
The Hook, Line, and Sinker
Sevilla didn't just stop at big promises. He built a sophisticated facade to lure in his victims:
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Social Media Hype: A dedicated Facebook page was created to give the fake business an air of legitimacy.
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The "Starter Pack": Beyond just "investments," Sevilla charged workers for uniforms, application fees, and even subscriptions to the non-existent app’s services.
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The Personal Touch: He solicited amounts ranging from $100 to over $5,000, taking payments via Zelle and checks between September 2021 and February 2022.
The Disappearing Act
Once the thousands of dollars were secured, the "Time 4 Comida" dream vanished. The uniforms never arrived, the app never launched, and Sevilla went silent.
It took years of investigation, but the law finally caught up with him. Despite the scam occurring in late 2021, Sevilla wasn’t arrested until December 2025. On Tuesday, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced that Sevilla had finally pleaded guilty.
"Food delivery workers trusted Mauricio Sevilla to invest their hard-earned money... only to learn that their money was stolen and the company was never created," Bragg stated.
