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Friday, May 15, 2026
Housing Lottery Launches for 3530 Willett Avenue in Olinville, The Bronx
The affordable housing lottery has launched for 3530 Willett Avenue, a four-story residential building in Olinville, The Bronx. Designed by GRID Drafting and Consulting LLC and developed by Kodra Construction, the structure yields eight residences. Available on NYC Housing Connect are two units for residents at 80 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $82,183 to $116,640.
Amenities include pet-friendly policies, smart controls for heating and cooling, and security cameras. Tenants are responsible for electricity, which includes the stove, heat, and hot water.
3530 Willett Avenue in Olinville, The Bronx via NYC Housing Connect
At 80 percent of the AMI, there are two one-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $2,117 for incomes ranging from $82,183 to $122,160.
Prospective renters must meet income and household size requirements to apply for these apartments. Applications must be postmarked or submitted online no later than May 20, 2026.
ICE Asks Dallas Officials to Not Release Two Illegal Aliens After Shooting that Killed an Unborn Baby
7 of the 10 safest cities cooperate with ICE
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued the following statement after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer asking officials in Dallas, Texas to not release two illegal aliens facing felony charges after a shooting that led to the death of an unborn baby.
On May 3, 2026, police in Dallas arrested Keyner Ariel Calero-Jiron, a criminal illegal alien from Nicaragua, and a 17-year-old illegal alien.
Keyner Ariel Calero-Jiron
According to local reports, Calero-Jiron and his accomplice carried out a shooting at a gas station on May 3 that left three people injured. One of the victims was a pregnant woman whose child died after an emergency C-section. The suspects further endangered the public by fleeing from police in their vehicle. The police chase ended with the suspects crashing their vehicle, where police arrested them and discovered cocaine in their car.
Calero-Jiron now faces felony charges of homicide and aggravated assault with a firearm.
“These monsters shot multiple people and killed an unborn baby,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “They now face multiple felony charges, including homicide and aggravated assault. This is an unspeakable crime, and these criminal illegal aliens should never have been in our country in the first place. ICE asked officials in Dallas to not release these MURDERERS back onto the streets. Thankfully, Dallas cooperates with ICE, so together with our partners we will ensure these criminals can never again terrorize our communities.”
Calero-Jiron illegally entered as a minor in 2022 and was released by the Biden Administration.
VCJC News & Notes 5/15/2026
Van Cortlandt Jewish CenterNews and Notes
Here's this week's edition of the VCJC News and Notes email. We hope you enjoy it and find it useful!
Things to see below
The survey of your preferences for our events - please fill in (#3)
The links to our new social media accounts - please follow us (#6)
Our request for a Google review (#7)
Reminders
- Shabbos scheduleShabbos information is, as always, available on our website, both in the information sidebar and the events calendar.Here are the times you need:Shabbos Candles Friday 5/15/26 @ 7:48 pmShabbos Ends Saturday 5/16/26 @ 8:52 pm
If you require an aliyah or would like to lead services, read from the torah or haftorah please speak to one of the gabbaim.
Come join us for services and stay to enjoy the kiddush and the company.
- About our new kiddushimReminder that kiddush now takes place in the ballroom. There is a greater variety of food, which can be enjoyed while seated at covered tables. Our aim is to offer a more enjoyable and meaningful experience, and to encourage conversation and interaction among attendees. This is an evolving effort. It has received very positive reviews so far; we’d love to have your opinion as well. Please join us for services and kiddush, and let us know what you think!
- What works for you?Please Help Us Plan for EventsWe have created a survey, Van Cortlandt Jewish Center Community Event Planning Survey, to help us set the direction for our activities. We’d really appreciate your taking a few minutes to fill it in. Here’s the link: SURVEY
- The VCJC ChavurahThe VCJC Chavurah will be meeting every Tuesday Night at 7:30PM. All are welcome to join us as we continue to learn Tractate Berachot together.
No cost to attend and no prior experience is needed.
If you are interested in learning torah with a group of fellow members of your community, but want more details, contact the VCJC office at 718-884-6105 or info@vcjewishcenter.org, or speak to Stuart Harris or Matthew Hartstein after davening on Shabbat morning. Shabbos parsha
Parashat Bamidbar 5786 / פָּרָשַׁת בְּמִדְבַּר
16 May 2026 / 29 Iyyar 5786
Parashat Bamidbar is the 34th weekly Torah portion in the annual Jewish cycle of Torah reading.
Torah Portion: Numbers 1:1-4:20
Bamidbar (“In The Desert”) is the first Torah portion in the Book of Numbers. It describes God's command to take a census and details the camping formation of the Israelites in the desert. It also begins to enumerate the responsibilities of the Levites when transporting the Mishkan (Tabernacle). [1]
- VCJC is now active on social media - follow us!
- You can do it! Give VCJC a boost! Leave a (positive) review for us on Google-->You can do this! We know you can! YES, YOU!
The VCJC is working to build and grow for its next century in Van Cortlandt Village. If you have had a good experience with us or recognize our value to the community, please consider telling the world about it. Go to our Google Business Profile and leave a review. Thanks!
Please help with information about buildings
As part of rebuilding the membership and congregation, the Board of Trustees would like your help. There are a lot of either new or renovated buildings being put up in our catchment area. We would like to seek the cooperation of the owners / developers of those properties in publicizing these opportunities to live near an orthodox synagogue. If you are aware of any of these buildings, please provide what information you can about them. This could include the address, any contact information that might be posted, and any information about the building itself (size, type, etc.). Additionally, if you are aware of vacancies in existing buildings or of houses for sale, please let us know about that as well.
Our mailing address is:
Van Cortlandt Jewish Center
3880 Sedgwick Ave
Bronx, NY 10463
NEW YORK STATE ANNOUNCES EFFORTS TO BOLSTER MATERNAL MENTAL WELLBEING
More than $18.4 Million Available to Expand HealthySteps, an Early Childhood Mental Health Initiative that Screened 108,000 New Yorkers for Maternal Depression in 2025
Office of Mental Health Awards $350,000 in ‘Collaborative Care’ Grants to Help OBGYN and Family Medicine Practices Provide Behavioral Health Support to Patients
The New York State Office of Mental announced the availability of more than $18.4 million to expand HealthySteps, a successful early childhood mental health initiative that provides tens of thousands of critical depression screenings for new mothers annually. The agency also announced $350,000 in awards through the Collaborative Care program to help OBGYN and family medicine practices provide behavioral health support to their patients.
“It is critical that we focus on maternal mental health and develop the preventative services and supports for families in our state that address the long-standing inequities in care,” Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said. “Initiatives like HealthySteps,
“I am grateful to Governor Hochul for her leadership in advancing maternal mental health initiatives in New York State that expand access to critical screenings and services,” Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said. “In recognition of Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, we are reminded that every mother deserves compassion, support, and quality care. We remain committed to ensuring that all mothers feel supported, heard, and empowered.”
The state Office of Mental Health made available more than $18.4 million to continue expanding HealthySteps, an innovative program
HealthySteps pairs behavioral health specialists with pediatricians, who are often the first point-of-contact new caregivers have with the health care system. These specialists then serve as part of the primary care team during well visits, screening children, and parents for a variety of concerns including behavioral health, developmental concerns and social determinants of health and family needs and then linking them to supports.
In 2025 alone, HealthySteps sites
In addition to the funding availability, OMH also awarded seven $50,000 one-time Collaborative Care grants to help OBGYN and family medicine practices implement evidence-
Hudson Valley
- WMC-NY Inc., in Valhalla
New York City
- Jamaica Hospital in Queens
- Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx
- William F. Ryan Community Health Center, Inc., in Manhattan
Western New York
- Jericho Road Ministries, Inc., in Buffalo
- Neighborhood Health Center of WNY in Buffalo
- Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center in Niagara Falls
This funding will expand the psychiatric collaborative care model at these practices so they can increase perinatal depression and anxiety screenings and integrated treatment — a recommendation included in the state’s first-ever maternal mental health report. Directed by Governor Hochul and released by OMH in November, this report detailed the challenges pregnant and postpartum individuals are facing and made recommendations for improvements statewide.
Previously, Governor Hochul secured a $2.9 million increase to expand Project TEACH, an initiative to assists maternal health providers with screening and treatment of maternal depression and related mood and anxiety disorders during pregnancy and the postpartum period within their scope of practice. Adopted as part of the FY 2026 State Budget, the expansion has allowed a wider range of front-line practitioners – including doulas, midwives, therapists, WIC staff, home visiting nurses, lactation consultants, caseworkers and others working directly with the perinatal population for consultations with a reproductive psychiatrist or psychologist – to obtain professional training and with support in assessment, and accessing resources.
Every year, an estimated 500,000 – about one in five – mothers in the United States experience perinatal mood and anxiety disorders during pregnancy or in the first year postpartum. About 75 percent of these individuals are not diagnosed or treated, which can lead to high-risk pregnancies, poor childhood cognitive development due to substance use, self-harm, or suicide.
Governor Hochul Directs Department of Environmental Conservation to Issue Drought Warning for Nassau and Suffolk Counties
Governor Kathy Hochul, with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, elevated Nassau and Suffolk counties from Drought Watch to Drought Warning due to a shortage of rainfall and declining levels of streamflow and groundwater. The action was taken after consulting with the State Drought Management Task Force and federal partner agencies. New York State is encouraging residents in affected counties to conserve water whenever possible.
“Monitoring drought conditions to protect Long Island’s aquifer is critically important to ensuring the health and economic well-being of communities across Nassau and Suffolk,” Governor Hochul said. “We ask all Long Islanders to take simple, voluntary steps to conserve water in homes and businesses to help us protect the water supply.”
A warning is the second of four levels of State drought advisories, which are watch, warning, emergency and disaster. There are no mandatory restrictions under a drought warning. Under a drought warning, voluntary water conservation is intensified, and public water supplies and industries are advised to update and implement local drought contingency plans. Local agencies make plans in case of emergency declaration. New York State encourages ongoing water conservation to ensure adequate supply for all emergency uses.
Observed precipitation deficits across Long Island are 4 inches over the past three months and 9 inches over the past six months. Stream flows and groundwater levels are declining in certain areas and the near-term forecast suggests a minimal likelihood of significant relief from the dry conditions. The upcoming forecast for Long Island is 0.5-0.6 inches of precipitation through next Thursday. The 6-14 day outlook shows an equal chance of wet, normal and dry conditions with warm temperatures being more likely than usual. Average May precipitation for the Islip National Weather Service site on Long Island is 3.3 inches. The total of month-to-date observed and 7-day forecast precipitation would trend towards a monthly deficit for May of 1.0-1.5 inches. This follows an April deficit of 1.9 inches.
To protect water resources, New Yorkers are encouraged to voluntarily reduce outdoor water use. Property owners in Nassau and Suffolk counties, particularly those dependent on private groundwater wells, are encouraged to help prevent worsening conditions during the coming weeks by following tips to reduce water use whenever possible.
For water saving tips, visit DEC's Water Use and Conservation webpage. For more information about drought in New York, visit DEC’s website.
State Drought Index
In New York, drought status determinations are based on a State Drought Index that uses New York State-specific attributes, so it may differ from national drought assessments. In addition, local conditions may vary, so some areas of the state may make their own determinations of drought stage using locally focused criteria. DEC supports efforts by local governments and other stakeholders to undertake water conservation measures based on specific circumstances.
Drought Preparedness
Certain sectors have the potential to be impacted by drought conditions, including water supply, agriculture, ecosystems, navigation and transportation, energy and manufacturing, and planning and preparedness.
Drought preparedness includes monitoring and evaluation of climatology and conditions for early awareness of a potential drought and the implementation of short- and long-term options for programs and projects to minimize drought impacts. DEC and the U.S. Geological Survey are partners in evaluating hydrologic conditions across New York State.
The State’s Drought Management Task Force monitors drought conditions, communicates information, and coordinates with affected communities. The Task Force is governed by the State Drought Management Coordination Annex, which focuses on research, monitoring and possible legislative actions to help prevent and mitigate impacts from droughts. Task Force members include DEC, New York State Office of Emergency Management, Department of Health, Department of Agriculture and Markets, Canal Authority, Thruway Authority, and New York Power Authority. With this coordinated preparedness and response effort, the impact of drought conditions on communities and commerce can be reduced.
Know Your Water
The public can contact their local water system for information about drought preparedness, impacts, and response notices and activities. Additional tips for the public on water conservation can also be found in each water systems Annual Water Quality Report (AWQR).
Water system contact information and AWQR can be accessed using the Know Your NY Water website or water systems own websites.
Wildfire Prevention
Fire departments should check that their sources have adequate supply and that the intakes for dry hydrants are sufficiently submerged.
Residents should check with their local authorities to see if a burn ban is in place before lighting any fires and ensure that any potential fire sources, including campfires and cigarettes, are fully extinguished.
Support for Farmers
It is recommended that on-farm water supplies are monitored regularly, and concerns are communicated with county emergency management and local Soil and Water Conservation Districts. The Cornell Cooperative Extension Disaster Education Network and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets offer additional resources and local support.
Private Water Well Assistance
For assistance with water wells that may be affected by drought:
Report a dry water well using the Dry Water Well Reporting Form.
- Contact a registered water well contractor to discuss appropriate options for individual needs.
- Check that the well is dry due to drought and no other issues. Sometimes the solution is quite simple, like a broken valve or electrical issue. The only way to definitively tell if a well is dry is to measure the water level in the well.
- Conserve water year-round to help prevent the effects of drought on water wells.
- Consider adding a water storage tank to help get through dry periods.
- Clean or redevelop existing wells.
- Deepen existing wells or drill a new well. If drilling a new well, properly decommission the old well to protect groundwater quality.
For more information and resources about drought, visit DEC’s website.
Water Conservation Tips
To protect water resources, water users are encouraged to voluntarily reduce outdoor water use and follow these tips:
- Water lawns only when necessary, choose watering methods that avoid waste and water in the evening to reduce evaporation and maximize soil hydration;
- Reuse water collected in rain barrels, dehumidifiers or air conditioners to water plants;
- Raise lawn mower cutting heights. Longer grass is healthier with stronger roots and needs less water;
- Use a broom, not a hose, to clean driveways and sidewalks;
- Fix leaking pipes, hoses, and faucets;
- Wash only full loads of dishes and laundry;
- Take shorter showers or fill the bathtub partly;
- Install water saving plumbing fixtures;
- Don’t run the tap to make water hot or cold; and
- Wash cars less frequently.
For more water saving tips, visit DEC's Water Use & Conservation webpage. For more information about drought in New York, visit DEC’s website.
Owner of Health Care Software Company Convicted of 1 Billion Dollar Medicare Fraud Conspiracy
A federal jury in the Southern District of Florida convicted the founder and owner of HealthSplash for his role in operating a platform that generated false doctors’ orders and prescriptions to defraud Medicare and other federal health care benefit programs out of more than $1 billion.
Photo of defendant Brett Blackman
“The Department of Justice crushed one of the most egregious fraud schemes in Florida history,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This illegitimate operation stole more than $1 billion from American taxpayers — including hundreds of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries. This was cold, calculated, industrial-scale theft targeting the sick and elderly, coercing vulnerable people into buying unnecessary medical equipment. We will not rest until every fraudster ripping off the American people is held accountable.”
“The defendant orchestrated a massive telemarketing scheme that used foreign call centers and spam mailers to target our country’s senior citizens and defraud government health care benefit programs,” said Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald of the Justice Department’s National Fraud Enforcement Division. “The Fraud Division will continue to aggressively prosecute health care fraud schemes, hold criminals accountable, and protect the integrity of America’s health care system.”
"The scale of greed in this case is staggering. Brett Blackman and his co-conspirators systematically preyed upon hundreds of thousands of elderly and vulnerable Medicare beneficiaries, converting a platform meant for modern healthcare into a $1 billion vehicle for outright fraud,” said Brett Skiles, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Miami. “This verdict sends a definitive message to unscrupulous healthcare executives and fraudulent networks alike: no matter how complex you make your web of sham contracts and shell companies, law enforcement will unravel it, and you will be held fully accountable."
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Brett Blackman, 42, of Johnson County, Kansas, and his co-conspirators aggressively targeted hundreds of thousands of Medicare beneficiaries to get them to accept medically unnecessary orthotic braces and other items. They then arranged for purported telemedicine doctors to sign bogus prescription orders for these items, so that their co-conspirators could bill Medicare for them. All told, Blackman and his co-conspirators billed Medicare and other federal health care benefit programs over $1 billion for this unnecessary equipment.
Blackman owned, controlled, and was the CEO of HealthSplash, which acquired Power Mobility Doctor Rx, LLC (DMERx) in September 2017. DMERx was an internet-based platform that generated false and fraudulent doctors’ orders for durable medical equipment (DME) and prescriptions for other items. As part of the scheme, Blackman and his co-conspirators connected pharmacies, DME suppliers, and marketers with telemedicine companies that would accept illegal kickbacks and bribes in exchange for signed doctors’ orders created using the DMERx platform. Blackman and his co-conspirators took a cut for themselves in exchange for the referrals.
Photo of mansion used in defendant's music video
“This conviction further underscores our dedication to protecting the integrity of military healthcare from large-scale exploitation,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason J. Sargenski of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southeast Field Office. “Fraud of this magnitude drains vital resources and jeopardizes the care promised to our service members, retirees, and their families. DCIS, alongside our partners, remains steadfast in rooting out and dismantling these schemes, ensuring every conspirator faces justice.”
“This verdict shows exactly what happens when people exploit Medicare for personal gain,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS‑OIG). “The actions of this defendant severely undermined the integrity of the Medicare program. Working alongside our law enforcement partners, HHS‑OIG will continue to relentlessly pursue those who try to profit by defrauding federal health care programs.”
“This conviction sends a clear message that those who exploit VA programs and services for personal profit will be found and held accountable,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Greg Wentz with the VA Office of Inspector General Southeast Field Office. “The VA OIG remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to uncover complex fraud schemes, protect veterans and taxpayers, and ensure accountability.”
The fraudulent doctors’ orders and prescriptions generated by DMERx falsely represented that a doctor had actually examined and treated the Medicare beneficiaries when, in fact, the doctors were simply paid to sign orders and prescriptions without any meaningful interaction with the beneficiary, and in some cases, no interaction at all. Doctors signed these orders and prescriptions without regard to whether the equipment was medically necessary. Testimony and evidence presented at trial from an undercover agent who posed as a Medicare beneficiary showed the scheme in action—starting with a foreign call center that pushed the undercover agent to agree to multiple braces to a doctor signing bogus orders for the braces using Blackman’s DMERx platform. The doctor’s order for one of these undercover agent beneficiaries claimed that the doctor conducted various tests that can only be performed in person even though the doctor never even spoke with the undercover agent “patient.”
The DME suppliers and pharmacies that were paying illegal kickbacks for these orders billed Medicare and other insurers for more than $1 billion. Medicare and the other insurers paid more than $450 million based on these claims. According to evidence presented at trial, Blackman and his co-conspirators concealed the scheme through sham contracts and by manipulating the doctors’ orders to avoid Medicare audits.
The jury convicted Blackman of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud, conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks, and conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make false statements in connection with health care matters. Blackman’s co-defendant, Gary Cox, was convicted in a prior trial and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Blackman faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for the conspiracy to commit health care fraud and wire fraud conviction, five years for the conspiracy to pay and receive health care kickbacks conviction, and five years for the conspiracy to defraud the United States and to make false statements in connection with health care matters conviction. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for August 26, 2026. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HHS-OIG, FBI, VA-OIG, and DCIS investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Darren C. Halverson and Reginald Cuyler Jr. of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case. Trial Attorneys Shane Butland and Jennifer E. Burns assisted in the prosecution. Trial Attorney Evan N. Schlom with the Fraud Section’s Special Matters Unit provided valuable assistance.
On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the 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 supports 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.
Thursday, May 14, 2026
Candidate for New York City Public Advocate Charged With Wire Fraud
Defendant Allegedly Attempted to Defraud the New York City Campaign Finance Board of $1 Million in Public Matching Funds
Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, a criminal complaint was unsealed charging Angela Aquino, a 2025 candidate for New York City Public Advocate, with wire fraud in connection with her scheme to defraud New York City’s campaign finance system to obtain public matching funds. Aquino was arrested today and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon by United States Magistrate Judge Clay H. Kaminsky.
Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Nadia I. Shihata, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation, and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrest and charge.
“The defendant, a former candidate for citywide office, allegedly engaged in a months’ long brazen scheme to obtain fraudulently $1 million in public funds, exploiting a matching funds program designed to reduce corruption in the city’s campaign finance system,” stated United States Attorney Nocella. “Our Office will aggressively hold accountable would-be public officials out to steal taxpayer dollars.”
“New Yorkers deserve political candidates who uphold the highest standards of public service, demonstrating their integrity and commitment to the City and its people. Instead, as charged, this defendant allegedly orchestrated a bold scheme to manipulate the public matching funds system in an illegal attempt to unlawfully secure $1 million for her campaign, none of which she was entitled to receive,” stated DOI Commissioner Shihata. “I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the New York Office of the FBI for their partnership in rooting out corruption and protecting public funds.”
“Angela Aquino allegedly attempted to steal one million dollars from New York taxpayers by fraudulently inflating her campaign’s bank account to receive matching public funds. The FBI continues to hold accountable corrupt political candidates who try to buy the public’s support,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.
New York City’s Matching Funds Program
The New York City Campaign Finance Board (“CFB”) offers a voluntary public financing program matching small-dollar contributions from New York City residents to candidates for city office. The program is available to any candidate running for city office, including Public Advocate. To be eligible for matching funds, candidates must meet a two-part fundraising threshold: first, they must collect a minimum number of contributions of $10 or more; and second, they must raise a minimum number of qualifying contributions from residents of New York City. To be eligible for the matching funds program, a candidate for Public Advocate must have raised at least $125,000 from at least 500 qualifying contributors. In addition, cash contributions are capped at $100 per contributor for purposes of qualifying for matching funds.
For a candidate to apply cash contributions toward the threshold necessary to become eligible for public matching funds, a candidate’s authorized committee was required to submit contribution cards to the CFB that listed, among other information, each contributor’s name, residential address, employer, occupation, and date and amount of contribution. The contribution cards also had to be signed by the contributors.
Candidates were prohibited from giving false information to the CFB. Candidates were also prohibited from using public matching funds for purposes that were illegal, improper, or not in furtherance of the candidate’s nomination or election. Violation of these prohibitions would render the candidate ineligible to receive public matching funds.
Once a candidate met the eligibility requirements to join the program, the CFB would provide the campaign with public funds at a matching rate of $8 to $1. Therefore, if a candidate raised $125,000 toward the fundraising threshold, the CFB would provide that candidate with $1 million in public matching funds.
The Fraudulent Scheme
As alleged in the complaint, the defendant engaged in a scheme to obtain $1 million in public matching funds, knowing that her campaign committee was not entitled to such funds. In particular, the defendant took numerous steps to artificially inflate the deposits into her campaign committee’s bank account to make it appear that the committee had met the $125,000 threshold for public funds. In fact, very little of the deposits were eligible contributions from New Yorkers.
In the first months of 2025, the defendant’s personal bank account received more than $130,000 that originated from the Philippines. Of this amount, at least $34,000 was a loan to the defendant from a contact there. The defendant, with others, repeatedly withdrew funds from her personal bank account in cash and deposited cash into her campaign committee’s bank account. These contributions were then identified to the CFB as contributions from residents of New York City that were eligible for public matching funds. Contribution cards submitted in support of these supposed contributions, which purported to identify the contributors and included their personal identifying information and their signatures, were falsified.
Aquino also cycled funds out of, and back into, the campaign committee’s bank account, sometimes using bank accounts of friends and associates as intermediary accounts to obscure the true source of the funds. The purpose of cycling the funds in this way was to make the total amount of deposits into the campaign committee’s account appear higher, such that the total contributions would appear to meet the CFB’s threshold.
Aquino also used funds from the campaign committee account to pay for her personal expenses, including the rent for her apartment, falsely reporting to the CFB that the payments were for legitimate campaign expenses. Aquino also lied to federal agents as to her relationship with the recipients of some of these expenditures. For example, Aquino told federal agents that her landlords helped with petitions and with campaigning, justifying the campaign’s payments to them. In fact, Aquino’s landlords had nothing to do with her campaign.
The charge in the complaint is an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted of the charge, the defendant faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment.