Judge: Top NYC taxi cab owner must give up 46 medallions

NEW YORK – A federal bankruptcy judge has ruled that one of New York City's top yellow cab operators must give up 46 coveted taxi medallions.

Evgeny (yehv-GEH-nee) Freidman is referred to by New York's tabloids as the so-called Taxi King. He owns more than 800 such lucrative city-auctioned medallions and various companies that manage a fleet of taxis.

But the Daily News (http://nydn.us/2iQIYX7 ) reports Saturday a judge ruled he must hand over the medallions and taxis to his creditors by Jan. 9.

The 44-year-old Freidman filed for bankruptcy this summer.

He has been sued in state court by Citibank which says it lent him millions of dollars in loans that have not been repaid.

The value of Taxi and Limousine Commission-issued medallions has dropped with the rise of app-based ride-sharing companies.

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Information from: Daily News, http://www.nydailynews.com