Tuesday, February 7, 2017

14 Defendants Charged In Manhattan Federal Court With Narcotics Distribution And Firearms Possession In The Bronx And Yonkers


   Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), Ashan M. Benedict, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), and James J. Hunt, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging 14 defendants with participation in narcotics and firearms offenses in the Bronx and Yonkers. The Indictment also charges four of these defendants with participating in robberies of commercial establishments in the Bronx and Manhattan, and three of these defendants for participating in firearms trafficking.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “As alleged, the defendants arrested today plagued the Bronx and Yonkers with drug dealing, guns, and commercial robberies. Thanks to the outstanding and cooperative efforts of the ATF, NYPD, and DEA, the defendants’ rash of alleged crimes has been brought to an end.”

NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill said: “The 14 defendants in this case face drug and gun charges after a multi-year investigation into the heroin, crack cocaine and marijuana trade in the Bronx and Yonkers. Four of the defendants are charged in connection with armed robberies in the Bronx and Manhattan and three are accused of firearms trafficking. Our neighborhoods are safer with these people – and the drugs and guns – off of our streets. I want to thank the US Attorney for the Southern District, Preet Bharara, Ashan Benedict, Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the ATF, James Hunt, Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the DEA, and the members of the NYPD for their contributions to this investigation.”

ATF SAC Ashan M. Benedict said: “Today’s indictment demonstrates the dangerous intersection between firearms trafficking, narcotics trafficking, the illicit possession and use of firearms, and violent crime. These defendants allegedly engaged in an alphabet soup of criminal activity, spreading poison, fear, and violence in their wake. Thanks to the outstanding work of the Special Agents, Detectives, and prosecutors involved in this investigation, they will now face well-deserved justice for their alleged actions. I would like to extend my gratitude to the members of ATF, DEA, NYPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their hard work and collaboration in putting a stop to these individuals.”

DEA SAC James J. Hunt said: “As alleged, a violent drug crew has been taken off the streets today. For years, they allegedly acted like outlaws; selling drugs, brandishing guns and robbing businesses like they were in a time warped Wild West movie. But reality hit them today when they were arrested and brought to court.”

The Indictment[1] charges 10 defendants with participating in a narcotics conspiracy based in the vicinity of Decatur Avenue and East 194th and 195th Streets in the Bronx, New York. Specifically, the following defendants – RENE RUIZ, a/k/a “Lil’ Rene,” a/k/a “Nae Nae,” WILFREDO GONZALEZ, a/k/a “Alfredo Gonzalez,” a/k/a “Freddy,” DOMINGO RAMOS, a/k/a “Mingo,” JASON POLANCO, a/k/a “Jin,” AMAR AHMED, a/k/a “Omar,” a/k/a “O,” ZAIE ESCRIBANO, a/k/a “Zaieto,” a/k/a “Z,” JAIME GONZALEZ, a/k/a “Jimbo,” JORDAN MCDONALD, a/k/a “Umi,” EDWARD NELSON, a/k/a “Boo,” a/k/a “Bugatti,” and CHRISTOPHER CORREA, a/k/a “Chris” – are charged with conspiring to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, heroin, crack cocaine, and marijuana from about 2011 up to about early 2017. Eight of these defendants are also charged with using, carrying, and possessing firearms during the narcotics conspiracy.

The Indictment also charges seven defendants with participating in a narcotics conspiracy that operated in the Bronx and in Yonkers. Specifically, the following defendants – DOMINGO RAMOS, a/k/a “Mingo,” CARLOS OSORIO-PEREZ, a/k/a “C,” DENNIS POMALES, a/k/a “D,” JORDAN MCDONALD, a/k/a “Umi,” CHRISTOPHER CORREA, a/k/a “Chris,” MARK FERNANDEZ, a/k/a “Mark,” and WILLIAM RUSSELL, a/k/a “Billy” – are charged with conspiring to distribute, and to possess with the intent to distribute, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine from about 2011 up to about early 2017. Four of these defendants are also charged with using, carrying, and possessing firearms during the narcotics conspiracy.

The Indictment also charges four defendants – JASON POLANCO, a/k/a “Jin,” WILFREDO GONZALEZ, a/k/a “Alfredo Gonzalez,” a/k/a “Freddy,” AMAR AHMED, a/k/a “Omar,” a/k/a “O,” and ZAIE ESCRIBANO, a/k/a “Zaieto,” a/k/a “Z” – with conspiring to rob the proceeds of commercial establishments in the Bronx and Manhattan, from about 2014 up to about January 1, 2015. Three of these defendants are also charged with committing the robbery of a pizzeria in the vicinity of Jerome Avenue and East 179th Street in the Bronx, on or about October 31, 2014. All four defendants are also charged with committing the robbery of a gas station in the vicinity of Pelham Parkway South and Boston Road in the Bronx, on or about November 24, 2014. In addition, all four defendants are charged with the use, carrying, and possession of firearms during and in relation to the robbery conspiracy and the November 2014 gas station robbery, during which a firearm was brandished and discharged.

Finally, the Indictment charges three defendants – WILFREDO GONZALEZ, a/k/a “Alfredo Gonzalez,” a/k/a “Freddy,” AMAR AHMED, a/k/a “Omar,” a/k/a “O,” and ZAIE ESCRIBANO, a/k/a “Zaieto,” a/k/a “Z” – with the unlawful trafficking of firearms from in or about 2014 through in or about 2015.


Of the 14 defendants named in the Indictment, six were taken into custody in a sweep jointly conducted by the NYPD, ATF, and DEA, beginning last night in the Bronx and Yonkers (RAMOS, AHMED, OSORIO-PEREZ, POMALES, CORREA, and FERNANDEZ). The defendants who were taken into custody will be presented and arraigned in Manhattan federal court this afternoon before Magistrate Judge James L. Cott. Five defendants are presently detained in either state or federal custody on unrelated charges, and are being brought into federal custody on writs (RUIZ, POLANCO, ESCRIBANO, JAIME GONZALEZ, and MCDONALD). Three defendants remain at large (WILFREDO GONZALEZ, NELSON, and RUSSELL). The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Laura Taylor Swain.

Mr. Bharara thanked the Westchester County Police Department and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in the investigation.

The prosecution is being handled by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit and its White Plains Division. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justina L. Geraci, Jordan L. Estes, Christopher J. Clore, and Amanda L. Houle are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.



[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

Bronx Democratic Party - Bronx Dems 2017 Winter Networking Reception


Congressman Adriano Espaillat Statement on Betsy DeVos’ Confirmation as the next U.S. Secretary of Education


  U.S. Congressman Adriano Espaillat issued the following statement in response to the confirmation of Betsy DeVos as the next U.S. Secretary of Education.

“I find today’s confirmation of Betsy DeVos to become the next Secretary of Education deeply troubling for a number of reasons,” said Rep. Espaillat.“Secretary DeVos is unqualified to serve in this role as she does not believe in public education nor does she have experience working in public education.  This is completely unacceptable given the Department she has just been confirmed to oversee.

“Her confirmation puts our students at risk.  Without a public education, I would not be where I am today, sitting as a Member of the United States Congress. 

“The Trump Administration is stripping this country and our youth of the opportunities that give them a stronger, brighter future.  Secretary DeVos has demonstrated that she lacks the experience and compassion to run the Department of Education, and putting students’ interests first is not on her agenda.  We need someone who puts students first – not Trump first.  We cannot afford her vision for education and it will take each of our efforts, working together in unity to ensure that Secretary DeVos does not take away critical funding from the children that need it the most.”

News From Congressman Eliot Engel





Engel Calls Out GOP Attempts to Repeal Children's Health Care


  Congressman Eliot L. Engel, a leading member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released the following statement on the impact that a Republican repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would have on America’s children:

“Even though they still have no plan for the aftermath, Republicans are plowing away towards their goal to destroy the health coverage of tens of millions, and drive up costs for millions more. Heartbreakingly, their plans would have particularly harmful effects on America’s children.

“Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) cover 40 percent of New York’s children. In addition, Medicaid financed 51 percent of all births in New York in 2014. Yet the GOP wants to undo the Medicaid expansion and radically restructure this program that is a lifeline to so many.

“Repealing the ACA won’t just endanger the millions of young Americans who gained insurance coverage through the law – it will hurt families’ finances. If the GOP succeeds, New York alone will lose 130,700 jobs just in 2019. Imagine a parent who loses a job on account of repeal, suddenly unable to afford a new health plan for the exact same reason.

“I wish my GOP colleagues would consider the consequences before they set this perverse chain of events in motion.”

Engel Statement on the Confirmation of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education

  Congressman Eliot L. Engel, a leading member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, issued the following statement on the confirmation of Betsy DeVos as Secretary of Education:

“As a former classroom teacher, I know firsthand how vital it is to do everything we can for our students, especially in our public school system. We often hear Republicans echo the mantra ‘Make American Great Again’ – but if we fail to educate our future leaders, we can never truly be great.

“I believe Ms. DeVos is woefully unqualified to run the Department of Education. The Secretary of Education should be committed to every child, not just a select few. To all children who seek knowledge, not just the ones she deems worthy. It is clear that the American people share my concerns: the Vice President needed to break a tie—the first in American history on a cabinet pick—in order to confirm her.


“Despite today’s disappointing results, I will continue to speak out in support of policies and programs that help America’s public school students and the hardworking teachers who serve them.”

You're Invited: March Fundraiser in support of Elvin Garcia for City Council




Dear Friends,

 Please join:

Kevin Jennings, Melissa Sklaz, Carmen Neely, Brendan Fay, Alan Reiff, Juan Rosa
Richard Allman, Michael Brady, Tom Kirdahy & James Felton Keith

for a reception in support of:


Elvin Garcia for
City Council - District 18


Monday, March 6th, 2017
6:30PM - 8:30PM 


The Home of
Kevin Jennings & Jeff Davis 
11 West 20th St #7, New York, NY 10011

__________________________________

Co-Host - $500 | Sponsor - $250
Supporter - $175 | Friend - $100

Please RSVP by email at: RSVP@elvingarcia.nyc 
Contribute online by clicking here

EDITOR'S NOTE:

I did not know that the 18th City Council district in the Bronx included 11 West 20th Street Manhattan.

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES NEW PARTNERSHIP TO BOOST M/WBE CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES


The City and its partners will coach M/WBE firms on how to improve their directory profiles to stand out and be most competitive

    Mayor Bill de Blasio and the Office of Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs) today announced a new community partnership to boost City contracting opportunities for M/WBEs. The City is working with community partners to help M/WBEs get certified or re-certified as an M/WBE contractor, working with them to offer advice on how these firms may best compete for contracts.

All registered M/WBE contractors appear in the NYC Business Directory that City agencies use to select contractors for various services. The City and its partners will coach M/WBE firms on how to improve their directory profiles to stand out and be most competitive. This new program is part of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s historic commitment to M/WBEs that aims to award 30 percent of City contract dollars to M/WBEs by 2021. The partnership also will help keep the City on track to reach its OneNYC goal, which is to award $16 billion dollars to M/WBEs by 2025.

“This new partnership will ensure that all businesses and firms led by diverse individuals have the chance to compete for City contracts,” saidMayor Bill de Blasio. “We know that when all people – regardless of race, gender or ethnicity – have the proper resources to reach their full potential, communities across the five boroughs will reap the benefits of their success.”

“Certification is an important first step towards participating in the City’s procurement process. By drastically increasing the number of certified M/WBEs, ensuring they can access our capacity building services and making it easier for City agencies to identify M/WBEs they can and should be doing business with, we can expand opportunity and award more City contracts to M/WBEs than ever before. This partnership demonstrates that we can make New York a fairer place to do business – a place where everyone can succeed," said Richard Buery, Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives and Citywide M/WBE Director.

“This new partnership will perform mission critical work in helping M/WBEs compete for and win contracts with the City. For some of these businesses, a simple profile reboot can mean the difference between securing a rewarding City contract and missing out on a business opportunity,” said Jonnel Doris, Senior Advisor and Director of the Mayor’s Office of Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises. “By helping us tap into the existing pool of entrepreneurial talent – which we know runs very deep in New York City – these new partners will expand the work of M/WBEs citywide and remove barriers to entry, keeping us on pace to meet the 30 percent contracting goal.”

“City contractors should reflect the diverse talents and skills of all of our people, and that is why Mayor de Blasio has made a historic commitment to expanding contracting opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses,” said Gregg Bishop, Commissioner of the Department of Small Business Services. “Through this new partnership, we are working with partners in each borough to help M/WBEs highlight their services and best compete for City contracts.”

The City is working with 5 community partners, one per borough, to reach local minority- and women-owned businesses through events, workshops and counseling. The program will help these businesses get certified as a designated M/WBE contractor and help them better compete for City contracts. The initiative will help M/WBE firms improve their NYC Business Directory profiles by honing in on each firm’s strongest areas of expertise. City agencies often seek providers who specialize in specific services instead of those who list a large variety of general services. Through coaching and support, firms will be able to make clear how they can best serve as a City contractor. 

M/WBE businesses seeking assistance with certification, recertification, or building their business profile may contact the community partners listed below:

  • Bronx: SOBRO, 555 Bergen Avenue, Bronx, NY, (718)292-3113
  • Brooklyn: Brooklyn Alliance, 335 Adams Street, Brooklyn, NY (718)856-4078
  • Manhattan: Jean Kristensen Associates, 275 Madison Avenue, New York, NY,(917)397-7242
  • Queens: Queens Economic Development Corporation, 120-55 Queens Blvd, Kew Gardens, NY, (718)263-0546
  • Staten Island: West Brighton LDC, 705 Forest Avenue, Staten Island, NY,(718)816-4775
  • For more information on getting certified as a M/WBE contractor or to receive assistance, please visit www.nyc.gov/sbs.

STATEMENT FROM MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO ON STATE ASSEMBLY PASSAGE OF IMMIGRATION BILLS


    
    Our State Assembly voted today to protect the American Dream. I want to thank Speaker Carl Heastie, prime bill sponsors – Assembly Members Marcos Crespo and Francisco Moya – and all members of the Assembly Democratic Conference who voted to protect New York’s immigrants. New York City will defend our people wherever they come from, whatever their immigration status. Together, we will fight to uphold our values, our laws and our Constitution, and we will win.

Senate and Assembly Pass Resolution Memorializing the Life of Fallen Battalion Chief Michael J. Fahy


   Today, State Senator Gustavo Rivera, and Assembly member Victor M. Pichardo introduced a resolution in the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly paying tribute to the life and service of fallen firefighter Battalion Chief, Michael J. Fahy, who tragically perished in a building explosion in the Kingsbridge section of the Bronx on September 27, 2016. 

This resolution sought to memorialize Battalion Chief Fahy's life of service and sacrifice with the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) while further recognizing the innumerable sacrifices made by men and women of the FDNY. This resolution is co-sponsored by State Senator George Latimer in the New York State Senate and Assembly member Shelley Mayer in the New York State Assembly as representatives of the districts that Chief Fahy called home.
"Battalion Chief Michael J. Fahy's remarkable life of service perfectly embodied the values that characterize those who are truly committed to public service. For seventeen years, Chief Fahy, a second generation firefighter, worked tirelessly to provide fire protection and safety to the many communities throughout New York City. He proudly served and performed his responsibilities beyond his call of duty," said State Senator Gustavo Rivera. "I'm profoundly honored to introduce this resolution on the floor of the New York State Senate not only as a token, albeit small, of our State's appreciation and utmost respect to Battalion Chief Fahy, but also as a merited recognition to the courageous and often perilous work performed by our men and women of the FDNY. My thoughts and prayers are with Chief Fahy's widow, Fiona Fahy, and their three children Michael, Cormac and Ann Elisabeth."
"It is important to keep in mind our first responders who face danger every day and the bravery with which they do their job. After 17 years of dedicated service, it is an honor to recognize Battalion Chief Michael J. Fahy, a husband, a father and a valiant member of Battalion 19, Engine Company 75, Ladder Company 33, of the Bronx," said Assembly member Victor Pichardo. "Not only would I like to pay tribute to this courageous man but I would like to honor his memory and thank him and his family for their commitment and faithful service to my neighbors in the West Bronx."
"My heart goes out to Battalion Chief Fahy, his wife and their children. To be a Battalion Chief is not just a commitment of your own, but also a commitment made by those who love you. I so appreciate my colleagues in the State Senate, as well as the Assembly, pausing to honor a great man who so selflessly gave of himself. I deeply admire the work and life of Battalion Chief Michael J. Fahy and thank Senator Rivera and my other colleagues for honoring him," said State Senator George Latimer.
"I am honored to co-sponsor this resolution memorializing Battalion Chief Michael J. Fahy. The resolution is but a small token of what we can do to commemorate his life and his work. We will always be grateful for his bravery and his service, and continue to have his widow, Fiona Fahy, and three children, Michael, Cormac and Ann Elisabeth, in our thoughts and prayers. Chief Fahy put his life on the line for his work, and his family should know just how much of a hero he is in our eyes, too. The men and women of our community who serve as firefighters know the risks their work involves, but they have a deep sense of public service and a love for their work. Chief Fahy embodied these values, and we will continue to remember him in this light," said Assembly member Shelley Mayer.

The resolution honoring Battalion Chief Michael J. Fahy was unanimously adopted by the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly.

Congressman Adriano Espaillat Statement on National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day


18th annual observance of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NBHAAD)

   Today, U.S. Congressman Adriano Espaillat issued the following statement in recognition of February 7th as National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.  First recognized in 1999, National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is an opportunity to reflect on HIV’s impact within the African American community, encourage testing and support of individuals living with the virus, and build awareness of the impact HIV/ AIDS has on African American communities around the nation. 

The 2017 theme of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is “I Am My Brother’s and Sister’s Keeper. Fight HIV/AIDS!”

“HIV/ AIDS continues to have a disproportionate impact on African Americans throughout communities around the nation,” said Rep. Espaillat.  “While much progress has been made, there is still much work that remains in our efforts to increase education and build awareness of HIV and AIDS throughout all communities, but particularly throughout the African American community which according to the CDC represents more than one-third (or 40 percent) of all individuals living with HIV and nearly half (or 45 percent) of all newly diagnosed infections.

“Testing is critical in the prevention of the spread of HIV, and treatment is paramount for individuals living with the virus.  Join me in making today a day of service to encourage friends, family, and neighbors to get tested, get educated, get involved to prevent the continued spread of HIV/ AIDS throughout the African American community, and stop the stigma!”   

Monday, February 6, 2017

Clinic Manager Pleads Guilty In $70 Million Scheme To Defraud Medicare And Medicaid


Fraud Ring, With Three Clinics in Brooklyn and Queens, Paid Kickbacks to Individuals to Undergo Medically Unnecessary Tests

   Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that EDUARD ZAVALUNOV, a manager of two health care clinics in Queens, New York, pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and health care fraud, for his role in a massive health care fraud scheme through which three medical clinics in Brooklyn and Queens submitted over $70 million in fraudulent claims to Medicaid and Medicare. 
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said:  “Eduard Zavalunov has admitted to his role in this $70 million health care fraud  conspiracy.  Zavalunov and his conspirators recruited people from soup kitchens and welfare offices and arranged for them to get medically unnecessary procedures, all so that they could falsely bill Medicaid, Medicare and private insurers.”
According to the Superseding Indictment to which ZAVALUNOV pled guilty, and other publicly filed information in this case:
The Heath Care Fraud Scheme
From 2005 to November 2014, ZAVALUNOV, Victor Lipkin, Vadim Zubkov, Nokoloz Chochiev, Anatoliy Fatkhov, Mariana Swaffar, Jacqueline Pinez, Jonathan Oliver, Jason Brissett, Gilbert Trotman, and Giorgi Buleishvili engaged in a scheme to operate three medical clinics in Brooklyn and Queens, through which they recruited financially disadvantaged and homeless people insured by Medicare and/or Medicaid (the “Phony Patients”) to undergo unnecessary medical tests, typically performed by unlicensed personnel, at the clinics in exchange for cash, and then billed the insurers for administering those unnecessary tests.  Beginning in or about 2005, Lipkin and Zubkov recruited and paid a particular licensed physician (the “Doctor”) to act as the nominal owner and/or physician under whose name three purported medical clinics would bill Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance providers (the “Insurance Providers”) for unnecessary services and tests – including sleep tests and stress tests – performed at the clinics. The clinics were located on Avenue V in Brooklyn, New York, and on Hillside Avenue and Elmhurst Avenue, respectively, in Queens, New York.  Lipkin and Zubkov were, in fact, the beneficial owners of the clinics, but they concealed their ownership through the Doctor’s nominal affiliation with the clinics, and by laundering the proceeds of the clinics’ operation through shell companies that they owned and controlled.  ZAVALUNOV, Lipkin, Zubkov, and Buleishvili operated and controlled the clinics, and ran the clinics’ day-to-day operations, despite the fact that they were not licensed physicians, as required by New York law.
At the direction of ZAVALUNOV, Lipkin, Zubkov, Buleishvili, and other members of the scheme, including Oliver, Brissett, and Trotman (the “Runners”), as well as Chochiev, recruited financially disadvantaged individuals with Medicaid and/or Medicare insurance to act as Phony Patients and undergo unnecessary medical tests at the clinics in exchange for cash payments.  The Runners often recruited such individuals from soup kitchens and local welfare offices, and coached them on what to say on various medical forms in order to make it falsely appear that the medical tests to which the defendants intended to subject them were medically necessary.  In furtherance of the scheme, Chochiev also made threats of physical violence to individuals who Chochiev believed owed money to the scheme members. 
Also in furtherance of the scheme, before the medically unnecessary tests were performed on the Phony Patients, Swaffar and Pinez obtained the Phony Patients’ Medicaid and/or Medicare insurance information, and then contacted the Insurance Providers to confirm that the Insurance Providers would reimburse for the tests.  Swaffar and Pinez engaged in such conduct knowing that the Phony Patients were being recruited and paid by the Runners to undergo the tests.  Once they determined that a particular Phony Patient’s insurance would pay out claims made by the clinic for the planned medical tests, Swaffar and Pinez notified the Runners that the individuals were eligible and could be brought to the clinic to undergo such tests.
After the Phony Patients had been recruited, confirmed to be Medicare and/or Medicaid eligible, and transported to one of the clinics by the Runners or Chochiev, in many instances certain individuals who were not physicians administered a host of unnecessary medical tests to them.  In particular, for example, Fatakhov administered unnecessary medical tests, including stress tests, to the Phony Patients of the Elmhurst Avenue Clinic.  Fatakhov administered these tests outside the presence and supervision of the Doctor or other licensed physician, despite knowing that the presence or supervision of a licensed physician was required.  After the unnecessary medical tests were administered, the Phony Patients were paid cash kickbacks.  The defendants, through the clinics, then submitted fraudulent claims to Medicaid and Medicare seeking reimbursement for the unnecessary medical tests.  In total, in the course of the scheme, the defendants fraudulently billed over $70 million to Medicaid and Medicare, for which they received over $25 million in reimbursements. 

ZAVALUNOV, 36, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and health care fraud.
Victor Lipkin, 52, pled guilty on August 3, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and health care fraud.
Vadim Zubkov, 49, pled guilty on January 13, 2017, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and health care fraud.
Nikoloz Chochiev, 42, pled guilty on August 11, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and health care fraud.
Anatoliy Fatakhov, 60, pled guilty on July 28, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and health care fraud.
Mariana Swaffar, 52, pled guilty on August 15, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and health care fraud.
Jacqueline Pinez, 33, pled guilty on July 11, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and health care fraud.
Jonathan Oliver, 54, pled guilty on September 6, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and health care fraud.
Giorgi Buleishvili, 42, pled guilty on January 31, 2017, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and health care fraud.
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud, and health care fraud carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.  
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentences for the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services. 

DYCD OPENS EARLY APPLICATION PROCESS FOR CITY’S SUMMER YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM (SYEP)


City residents ages 14-24 can apply for summer job lottery at www.nyc.gov/dycd through Friday, March 17
Employers interested in supporting NYC’s youth employment programs can apply at the NYC Center for Youth Employment website at www.nyc.gov/cye

    New York City Department of Youth and Community Development (DYCD) Commissioner Bill Chong today announced that applications are open for the 2017 Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) from Monday, February 6 through Friday, March 17, 2017. The application process was launched earlier this year to give New Yorkers additional time to plan for summer. Participants are selected by lottery for the program, which runs from July 5 through August 19.
“Every year we give more and more students the chance at an internship that could change the trajectory of their careers. Last year tens of thousands of young New Yorkers kick started their futures ‎at more than 10,000 job sites across the City, further cementing the Summer Youth Employment Program as the biggest and best summer youth workforce initiative in the nation. This year, we’ll connect even more youth from across the five boroughs to meaningful opportunity,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio.
In the summer of 1973, I worked with the Two Bridges Neighborhood Council cleaning up an empty lot. That summer I earned $320, but more importantly, the job exposed me to the world of public service and taught me work ethic. I look back now as the commissioner of the agency that oversees this program, and realize that SYEP positively affected the career choices I have made. Through SYEP,younger youths learn the importance of showing up on time and working with other people. For older teens and young adults, it’s about lining up the work experience and careers in which they are interested,” said DYCD Commissioner Bill Chong.
SYEP is the nation’s largest summer youth employment initiative, and since 1963 has provided New York City young people between the ages of 14 and 24 with up to six weeks of entry-level experience at worksites in all five boroughs. Last summer, a record 60,113 participants were employed at more than 10,000 worksites. With the support of the Center for Youth Employment, the City more than doubled the number of Ladders for Leaders internships (1,538) and opportunities for young people who are homeless, court-involved or in foster care (3,050).
SYEP participants are compensated for their work at diverse worksites that include government agencies, hospitals, summer camps, nonprofits, small businesses, law firms, museums, sports enterprises and retail. Specialized programming for disabled, foster care, runaway/homeless and court-involved young people are also available. SYEP offers workshops on job readiness, career exploration and financial literacy, and opportunities to continue education and social growth. Ladders for Leaders is an employer-paid internship component of SYEP for youth aged 16-22.
Studies show that SYEP improves school attendance, offers new skills, reduces incarceration rates and keeps teens and young adults safe—including youth who wouldn’t otherwise have access to paying jobs.
As part of a national effort to encourage young people to save and make healthy financial choices,SYEP participants have the option to receive their wages via direct deposit to a bank account of their choiceYouth who signed up for direct deposit and/or opened savings accounts are eligible to receive over 2,000 rewards deposited to their accounts ranging from $25-$500. Last summer, more than 16,000 young people signed up for direct deposit accounts, a 200 percent increase since 2014. The multi-year initiative is funded by the Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE) and the Citi Foundation.

In 2015, Mayor de Blasio, First Lady Chirlane McCray and the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City launched the NYC Center for Youth Employment, a public-private initiative charged with helping to expand the City’s employment services for young New Yorkers, including SYEP. The Center for Youth Employment’s specific goal is to support 100,000 unique work-related experiences each year, including high-quality summer jobs, career exposure, skills-building, and supportive mentorships, by 2020. In collaboration with City agencies, employers and other stakeholders, the Center for Youth Employment is focused on increasing private sector involvement in these programs as well as evaluating the City’s youth workforce system as a whole, with an eye toward expanding effective programs and filling in gaps.
Applications can be completed online or at a participating community-based organization during the application period. Online applications are available at the DYCD website (www.nyc.gov/dycd).Updates will also be posted to DYCD’s FacebookTwitter and Instagram sites. For more information, call 311 or DYCD Youth Connect (1-800-246-4646).
Employers and worksites looking to support New York City’s youth employment programs, including SYEP, should go to the Center for Youth Employment’s website (www.nyc.gov/cye). Interestedemployers can also email the Mayor’s Fund at fund@cityhall.nyc.gov for details.

African American Abrazo (Embrace) in New York


  State Senator Rev. Rubén Díaz together with Assembly Members Marcos Crespo, Luis Sepúlveda, Michael Blake, Victor Pichardo and Councilmember Rafael Salamanca announce the celebration of the Annual “African-American Abrazo” (Embrace) in New York State. 


The six distinguished African-Americans who will be honored during this special occasion are: Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, New York State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, Concourse Village Board Member Ms. Chantel Jackson, Union Grove Baptist Church Rev. Frederick Crawford, Community Advocate Minister Kwame Thompson and 86th AD State Committee Woman Bernice Williams. 

This Annual African American Abrazo (Embrace) will take place on, February 24th  2017 from 7:00 pm to 12 midnight at Maestro’s Caterers located at 1703 Bronxdale Avenue, in Bronx County. 













Mayor de Blasio and NYPD Commissioner O’Neill will host a press conference to discuss crime statistics



Chief Ben Tucker NYPD, Mayor Bill de Blasio, NYPD Commissioner James O'Neil, and Chief of Crime Strategy Dermot Shea.

  Mayor Bill de Blasio and Police Commissioner James O'Neil brought the brass from One Police Plaza where this type of press conference is normally held to discuss crime statistics to the Justice Sonya Sotomayor Community Center in the 43rd precinct covering the Soundview section of the Bronx. 
   Year-to-date the 4-3 is down more than 22 percent in index crime – 151 versus 194. Grand larcenies dropped by 30 percent and robberies dropped by nearly 50 percent – 30 versus 55.
   Mayor de Blasio said it is a particular pleasure to be here in the 4-3 Precinct. This is a precinct that is doing amazing work. The men and women of this precinct are definitely a winning team and they’re proving all the time how much can be achieved. I want to give a special thanks to Inspector Pichardo who is clearly a rising star in this department for all he has done.

And there is – look, obviously, a bittersweet reality as we’re here. We’re proud of what the men and women of this precinct have achieved but we also know the sense of loss that they feel. And it was only three months ago that we lost Sergeant Tuozzolo, and the whole city grieved. But no one grieved more than his family and no one grieved more than the men and women he served with in the 4-3.

So, we’re going to keep Sergeant Tuozzolo in our hearts, in our prayers. We’re also going to remember his wife, Lisa, his two young children – his young sons, Austin and Joseph. Let’s keep them in our thoughts and prayers always.it is a particular pleasure to be here in the 4-3 Precinct. This is a precinct that is doing amazing work. The men and women of this precinct are definitely a winning team and they’re proving all the time how much can be achieved. I want to give a special thanks to Inspector Pichardo who is clearly a rising star in this department for all he has done.
 And January of 2017 had the lowest number of homicides and the lowest number of shootings in the modern era in New York City. So – a great month of January for any January in our recorded history the mayor added.
  The mayor and police commissioner went over the COM STAT report which gave the lowest crime index for the month of January in 2017 since the statistics have been recorded. 
  Homicides – we recorded 20 homicides in January. That’s down two from 22. That 20, as the Mayor alluded to, is the lowest January that we have ever recorded going back a minimum into the 1960s.

Shooting incidents – down 1.7 percent in January. Last January we hit the modern mark with 59 shooting incidents. We came in with 58 this January.

Talking about momentum again – nine of the last 13 months we’ve had a reduction in shooting incidents. Nine of the last 13.

Three months in a row we’ve had a reduction in shooting incidents in New York City. We have now, when you look at New York City as a whole, we now have 24-hour periods where we do not record a shooting incident in New York City. That kind of thinking was impossible in the not too distant past.

This is the new normal. We want to build on it and we feel that we will build on it but there’s still plenty of work to do.

Stabbings and slashings for January – down 7.2 percent.

Robberies – down 7.5 percent. Lowest January robbery number we’ve seen.

Felony assaults in New York City – down 5.4 percent.

Burglaries tied the lowest mark set last year.

Transit crime – down 1.4 percent.

And housing crime – not to be outdone – down 1.9 percent.

Clearly, a wide breath of crime across New York City – property and violent crime, down.

But there is, I alluded to, there is still work to do – three categories we saw increases in January.

Rape was up 8.9 percent.

Grand larceny, specifically, credit card related skimming and forging of checks – those two drove grand larcenies. And grand larceny was up for the month of January 4.7 percent.

And lastly, rounding out the crime totals – stolen vehicles which we have seen drop to unprecedented lows saw an increase of ten cars for January. So, that’s 480 versus 470 – a two percent increase.

Both congratulated the fine work of the NYPD, and then took questions. 

  Questions included the arrest of a suspect in the high profile Queens rape and killing, costs for security and other questions regarding to Trump Towers and the president, but there were no local issues except for the mayor commenting on the killing of a police sergeant a few months ago in the 43rd precinct. That may have been one of the reasons this press conference was held in the 43rd precinct.


Above - Chief Boyce (far right) is called upon to discuss the rape/slaying three months ago in Queens where a suspect has been arrested, but would not say anything further due to an ongoing investigation. 
Below - Mayor Bill de Blasio in answering a question if crime can go any lower in NYC, gives a definite yes answer.