illegal subletter's rights

[lc_newyork]

new york What is the name of your state? new york.

I am involved in an illegal sublet in brooklyn. 2 years ago i sgreed verbally to pay $876 a month to someone who was illegally subletting the apartment herself. I found out that the actual rent was $476 a month four months later. I won the confrontation about the rent with threats of legal action and have subsequently been paying less. I did, however give her a $876 deposit. I am moving out of the apartment and the woman refuses to pay my deposit back because i "broke a verbal agreement" two years ago when i said i would pay $876 a month.
What are my options here? even though I am an illegal subletter I can take her to court for overchaging still as well as to get the deposit back, right?

 

[Some Random Guy]

This is good

So you want a court to stick its nose into your illegal arrangement and decide which one of the criminals deserves the most money? And you want them rto decide the merits of your case on a he said/she said verbal agreement?

Face it, you're out the $876.

If you want to be annoying, tell her you're staying in the apartment for another month without paying rent, since you have already paid her more than a months rent as security deposit. Sure, that's not legal, but the pair of you are criminals anyway.

If she complains, ask for half of your deposit back in cash, so that you'll leave on time. I'm sure she wants to get another renter in right away.