I'm sorry to hear about your situation and the fact you had to move due to the actions of your landlord.

You are asking a lot of good questions. Others may have good information and suggestions for you, but it sounds like your situation has a lot of legal ramifications for which you need authoritative advice. One place you can start is the NYC Housing Court at http://www1.nyc.gov/nyc-resources/service/1866/housing-court-and-tenant-landlord-disputes. See if their website can provide useful information.

One thing I do know is arbitrarily not paying legal rent, no matter how egregious the landlord's actions, almost never has a good ending. In the eyes of the court you owe the money until the court says otherwise. I hope the links on the Housing Court website will be able to answer your questions and give you a path towards a resolution.

Good luck!