Coalition of 12 Attorney Generals Halts Paramount’s Merger with Warner Bros. for Months

 

A coalition of 12 other attorneys general Including New York's Attorney General secured a months-long halt to Paramount Skydance Corp.’s (Paramount) $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (Warner Bros.). On July 13, Attorney General James and the coalition sued Paramount and Warner Bros., alleging that their merger would illegally reduce competition throughout the film and television industries, harming workers, consumers, and businesses. Attorney General James and the coalition secured a stipulation from Paramount and Warner Bros. that will delay the merger until after a court ruling on the merits of the lawsuit or June 1, 2027, whichever is earlier.

“From the workers and artists who bring stories to life to the families who buy tickets at the box office, Paramount’s illegal takeover of Warner Bros. is a bad deal for all those who count on a competitive entertainment industry,” said Attorney General James. “Halting this merger while our case proceeds is a critical victory in our efforts to uphold the law and protect the film and television industries. I look forward to continuing our case to stop this illegal merger.”

On July 20, the coalition won a temporary restraining order preventing Paramount and Warner Bros. from carrying out their merger. Under the stipulation announced, Paramount and Warner Bros. will continue to remain separate companies until five days after the court’s decision on the merits of the case or June 1, 2027, whichever comes earlier.

Attorney General James joined the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, and Washington.

State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli's Weekly News - This Week: Homelessness Falls Statewide, But Rises in Many Regions

Homelessness Falls Statewide, But Rises in Many Regions

New York State’s overall homeless population declined in the past year, even as many communities outside New York City saw troubling increases, according to a new analysis issued by Comptroller DiNapoli.

“While the number of homeless New Yorkers declined, there’s a lot of work left to do,” DiNapoli said. “The problem is widespread and it is not confined to major cities. In particular, the public, private and nonprofit sectors need to work together to address the crisis of so many children experiencing homelessness in New York.”

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NYC Department for the Aging Needs to Improve Oversight of Elder Abuse Service Providers

New York City’s Department for the Aging (DFTA) did not effectively monitor providers to ensure that appropriate and timely services were given to individuals referred for elder abuse, potentially leaving older city residents exposed to continued psychological abuse, financial harm, physical injury, or death, according to a recent audit released by Comptroller DiNapoli.

“Victims of elder abuse should not have to wait for help,” DiNapoli said. “When there are delays in getting them assistance, victims are put at further risk of harm. Better training is necessary to ensure service providers can identify abuse and offer counseling to victims. I urge the Department for the Aging to act on our recommendations and follow its own protocols to better protect the elderly.”

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Comptroller DiNapoli's Statement on NYC Rainy Day Fund Ballot Proposal

Comptroller DiNapoli joined Brooklyn DA Eric Gonzalez, NYS AG Letitia James, the NYPD and Emmanuel Baptist Church for a “cash for guns” event that helped remove nearly 200 unwanted firearms from our communities. Brooklyn is experiencing its safest year in modern history and partnerships like these keep us headed in the right direction.

  A L S O  I N  T H E  N E W S

• Op-ed: This industry employs every neighborhood
• Homelessness rises in Capital Region despite statewide declines
• Homelessness increases by 35% in Greater Binghamton
• NYC Hotels 'Vulnerable’ Amid Dip in International Tourists, Comptroller Says
• Investor coalition urges SEC to ‘largely retain’ shareholder proposal rule

P O S T   O F   T H E   W E E K

Housing Lottery Launches for 3312-3314 Decatur Avenue in Norwood, The Bronx

 

The affordable housing lottery has launched for 3312-3314 Decatur Avenue, two adjacent four-story residential buildings in Norwood, The Bronx. Designed by Badaly Architect and developed by Cherryann Sankar of 3312 Decatur CS LLC, the structures yield seven residences each. Available on NYC Housing Connect are six units for residents at 130 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $96,755 to $238,160.

3312-3314 Decatur Avenue in Norwood, The Bronx via NYC Housing Connect

One pet allowed. Tenants are responsible for electricity.

At 130 percent of the AMI, there are four one-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $2,696 for incomes ranging from $96,755 to $198,510; and two two-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $3,027 for incomes ranging from $109,509 to $238,160.

Prospective renters must meet income and household size requirements to apply for these apartments. Applications must be postmarked or submitted online no later than August 13, 2026.

Four Sacramento Men Indicted for Distributing Cocaine, Fentanyl, and Meth

 

A federal grand jury returned a 10-count indictment against four Sacramento residents charging them with multiple counts of distributing controlled substances, U.S. Attorney Eric Grant and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Bob P. Beris announced.

Balentin Quintero, 27, was charged with one count of distribution of cocaine and four counts of distribution of fentanyl.

Francisco Chavez, 39, was charged with one count of distribution of cocaine, two counts of distribution of methamphetamine, and three counts of distribution of fentanyl.

Steven Ortega, 44, was charged with one count of distribution of fentanyl and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms.

Tavarius Montgomery, 41, was charged with two counts of distribution of fentanyl.

According to court documents, between January and June 2026, Quintero, Chavez, Ortega, and Montgomery sold controlled substances to a confidential source and an undercover agent eight times.

On May 1, 2026, Chavez agreed to sell the undercover agent 1 ounce of fentanyl. After stating that they needed to meet a source to obtain the fentanyl, Chavez and the undercover agent met with Ortega, who provided the fentanyl. Chavez then sold the fentanyl to the undercover agent for $900. 

On June 8, 2026, Quintero agreed to sell 3 ounces of fentanyl to a confidential source. When the source arrived, Chavez obtained fentanyl from Montgomery, delivered it to Quintero, and Quintero sold it to the confidential source for $3,300. 

On July 14, 2026, Ortega was found to be in possession of multiple firearms. Ortega is prohibited from possessing firearms because of prior felony convictions in Sacramento County including convictions for distribution of controlled substances, being a felon in possession of a firearm, battery with serious bodily injury, and assault with a deadly weapon.

The Drug Enforcement Administration conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole M. Vanek is prosecuting the case.

If convicted of distribution of methamphetamine, Chavez faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life in prison, and a fine up to $10 million. If convicted of distribution of fentanyl, Quintero, Chavez, and Montgomery face a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million. If convicted of distribution of fentanyl, Ortega faces a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1 million. If convicted of being a felon in possession of firearms, Ortega faces a maximum statutory penalty of 15 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of applicable statutory factors and the federal Sentencing Guidelines, which account for numerous variables. The charges are only allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

ICE Lodges Detainer for Illegal Alien Convicted of Killing Restaurant Owner in Nashville, Tennessee

 

After pleading guilty to murder, the illegal alien was sentenced to 20 years in prison

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer asking officials in Tennessee to not release an illegal alien who was convicted of murder in the killing of a restaurant owner in Nashville.

According to local reporting, the incident occurred on June 19, 2024, in the parking lot of the restaurant Smokin' Thighs. The culprit, Ulises Raigoza-Martinez, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, was driving through the parking lot when he stopped to steal tools from a pickup truck. The truck belonged to the restaurant’s owner, 42-year-old Matt Carney. When Carney came out of the building to confront him, Raigoza-Martinez took off and struck Carney, who landed on the vehicle’s hood. Carney was then thrown off the hood when Raigoza-Martinez made a turn. Carney died of his injuries at the hospital on July 4, 2024.

The victim: 42-year-old Matt Carney

On July 18, police in South Nashville arrested Raigoza-Martinez. Two years later, on July 22, 2026, Raigoza-Martinez pleaded guilty to the charges of murder, theft over $10,000, tampering with evidence, and theft over $2,500. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

The suspect: Ulises Raigoza-Martinez

“This criminal illegal alien pleaded guilty to murder, theft, and tampering with evidence after he ran over and killed Matt Carney in Nashville, Tennessee," said Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “This criminal illegal alien should NEVER have been in our country to commit this heinous murder. We will work with our state and local partners in Tennessee to ensure that he is handed over to ICE custody once his sentence is complete, so that we can remove him from our country.”

Raigoza-Martinez claims to have illegally entered the United States through Texas in 2021 under the Biden Administration.

Attorney General James and Governor Hochul Announce First Enforcement Action by New Office of Immigrant Trust to Ensure Compliance with the Local Cops, Local Crimes Act

 

OAG Notifies 12 Law Enforcement Agencies of Legal Responsibility to End 287(g) Agreements by August 25

New OAG Bureau Will Enforce State Civil Laws Protecting Immigrant Communities and Limiting State and Local Collaboration with Federal Immigration Enforcement

New York Attorney General Letitia James and Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the new Office of Immigrant Trust (OIT), a first-of-its-kind statewide bureau within the Office of the Attorney General (OAG), sent letters to the 12 local law enforcement agencies in New York that currently have 287(g) agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), informing them that state law requires they unwind the agreements by August 25, 2026. Created as part of a legislative package championed and signed by Governor Hochul on May 27, 2026, OIT is dedicated to enforcing New York laws that protect immigrant communities, strengthen public trust, and limit the use of state and local resources for federal civil immigration enforcement. As part of its duties, OIT will receive complaints, provide guidance to state and local agencies, conduct investigations, and take legal action when necessary to ensure compliance with state law.

“New York is strongest when every community is able to trust the institutions meant to serve them,” said Attorney General James. “The Office of Immigrant Trust will help ensure that schools, local governments, and public agencies remain places of safety and support, rather than agents of the federal administration’s campaign of fear and intimidation. My office is proud to stand up for immigrant New Yorkers and prepared to hold anyone who violates our laws accountable.”

“Nobody is above the law. In New York, we will not tolerate the diversion of local resources for federal civil immigration enforcement at the expense of public safety. That is why we passed a commonsense set of laws standing up against federal overreach and ensuring that local law enforcement is not deputized by the highest funded law enforcement agency in the country,” said Governor Hochul. “My top priority is keeping New Yorkers safe. Ensuring our law enforcement remains focused on local crimes is essential to protecting our communities and maintaining public safety.”

The letters sent today notify the 12 local New York law enforcement agencies with existing 287(g) agreements that New York law now prohibits local governments and law enforcement agencies from participating in any formal or informal 287(g) agreement and using correctional facilities, juvenile detention facilities, and facilities for youth to house federal civil immigration detainees. Under the new state law, existing 287(g) agreements must be terminated by August 25, 2026.

Section 287(g) agreements allowed local officers or employees to engage in or assist with federal civil immigration enforcement or otherwise perform the functions of federal immigration officers, eroding trust between immigrant communities and local institutions, and making residents less likely to report crimes, seek help, or cooperate with law enforcement. The Local Cops, Local Crimes Act prohibits local governments and law enforcement agencies from entering into 287(g) agreements or similar arrangements that use local resources to detain people for federal immigration violations. This provision ensures that New York’s local law enforcement resources are directed toward local public safety priorities, rather than the federal government’s mass deportation agenda. Through OIT, Attorney General James will ensure that municipalities comply with New York law and that state and local institutions remain focused on protecting and serving New Yorkers.

The OIT was established as part of a package of state laws designed to limit state and local involvement in federal civil immigration enforcement, safeguard local resources and public safety, and protect immigrant communities across New York. These laws:

• Restrict the use of state and local resources for civil immigration enforcement;
• Limit sharing certain sensitive information with federal immigration authorities;
• Implement new protections for students and families in schools; and
• Ban local governments and law enforcement agencies from having or entering into agreements for civil immigration enforcement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) under Section 287(g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

The OIT is part of OAG’s Social Justice Division and is authorized to investigate complaints and potential violations involving state and local entities, officers, employees, contractors, and schools. The OIT may issue subpoenas, interview witnesses, review records, and bring civil actions for potential violations when warranted. The OIT will also develop guidance and training recommendations to help state and local governments protect sensitive information from improper immigration enforcement consistent with applicable law.

New Yorkers who witness federal enforcement actions anywhere in the state should report them to OAG through the federal action portal. New Yorkers who believe that a state or local agency, employee, contractor, school, or other covered entity has violated state laws related to civil immigration enforcement are encouraged to contact the OAG hotline at 1-800-771-7755. The Office of Immigrant Trust will also be launching an online civil complaint form in the coming weeks.

Three Individuals Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulently Billing Medicare and Medicaid Through Opioid Addiction Treatment Clinics in Kentucky

 

A Texas businessman, a Kentucky doctor, and a Kentucky woman were sentenced to prison for their roles in fraudulently billing Medicare and Kentucky Medicaid over $4.8 million through a series of addiction treatment facilities.

Michael Bregenzer, 53, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to 48 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.

In February 2026, José Alzadon, M.D., 62, of Paintsville, Kentucky, was sentenced to 60 months in prison.

In January 2026, Barbie Vanhoose, 63, of West Van Lear, Kentucky, was sentenced to 24 months in prison.

All three defendants were ordered to pay restitution of $812,881.09.

According to evidence presented at trial, Bregenzer, Alzadon, and Vanhoose orchestrated their health care fraud scheme through Kentucky Addiction Centers or KAC, which operated in Winchester, Paducah, Paintsville, and London, Kentucky. As part of his role as KAC’s medical director, Alzadon prescribed Suboxone, a controlled substance that is used to treat opioid addiction. Bregenzer served as KAC’s CEO and Vanhoose as KAC’s billing manager.

Together, Bregenzer, Alzadon, and Vanhoose ran a scheme that falsely billed taxpayer-funded health programs like Medicare and Medicaid for medical services that were not provided or were billed as more complex and expensive services than the services patients actually received. They also conspired to falsely bill for services in the name of Alzadon’s elderly father when the services either were not provided at all or were provided by Alzadon — who was unable to bill certain health plans as he was not credentialed as a provider with those plans. Bregenzer, Alzadon, and Vanhoose also conspired to use Alzadon’s father’s prescribing credentials, including his DEA registration number and electronic prescribing token, to prescribe Suboxone, even though Alzadon’s father had not seen the patients for whom he was supposedly issuing prescriptions.

In March 2025, Bregenzer, Alzadon, and Vanhoose were each convicted at trial of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, eight counts of health care fraud, and conspiracy to distribute controlled substances using the registration number of another person. Alzadon and Vanhoose were also convicted of two counts of aggravated identity theft.

Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division; Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Scott of the DEA Louisville Division; Special Agent in Charge Olivia Olson of the FBI Louisville Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Kelly Blackmon of the Department of Health and Human Service Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG); Regional Director Joe Rivers of the Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration (DOL-EBSA); and Kentucky Attorney General Russell Coleman made the announcement.

The DEA, FBI, HHS-OIG, DOL-EBSA, and the Kentucky Medicaid Fraud Control Unit investigated this case.

The Winchester Police Department provided substantial assistance during the investigation and trial.

Trial Attorneys Dermot Lynch, Sarah Edwards, and Samad Pardesi of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the National Fraud Enforcement Division (Fraud Division). The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people. The Department’s work to combat fraud support President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

The Department of Justice’s Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in federal districts across the country, has charged more than 6,200 defendants who collectively billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $45 billion since 2007. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

Bronx River Art Center (BRAC) - NYC Civic Corps Offering Opportunities at BRAC - Applications Close July 26th

Bronx River Art Center is teaming up with NYC Service and AmeriCorps to host two positions at our organization as part of the NYC Civic Corps, from September 2026 to June 2027:

• Community Outreach & Development Member: Help BRAC create outreach plans and materials, as well as collaborate with community partners
• Program Development Member: Plan arts and environment education programming and assist in documentation and data collection.

If you have any interest in promoting the creative arts and environmental awareness amongst NYC residents, apply today via the link below.

Applications close on July 26th!

Apply to the NYC Civic Corps