Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Individual For Defrauding Investors In Digital Media Company

William McFarland Made False Representations to Investors in Fyre Media LLC and the Fyre Festival

  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of a criminal Complaint charging WILLIAM McFARLAND with wire fraud, in connection with a scheme to defraud investors in a company controlled by McFARLAND, Fyre Media LLC (“Fyre Media”), as well as a related entity responsible for organizing a music festival set to take place in the Bahamas (the “Fyre Festival”). McFARLAND was arrested today in New York, New York, and is expected to be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin N. Fox tomorrow.

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon Kim said: “As alleged, William McFarland promised a 'life changing' music festival but in actuality delivered a disaster. McFarland allegedly presented fake documents to induce investors to put over a million dollars into his company and the fiasco called the Fyre Festival. Thanks to the investigative efforts of the FBI, McFarland will now have to answer for his crimes.”

Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “Under McFarland's direction, Fyre Media created a promoter's marketplace for entertainment bidding. In addition to this initial business venture, McFarland went one step further in establishing a subsidiary of the company, Fyre Festival LLC. But in order to drive the success of both entities, as alleged, McFarland truly put on a show, misrepresenting the financial status of his businesses in order to rake in lucrative investment deals. In the end, the very public failure of the Fyre Festival signaled that something just wasn't right, as we allege in detail today.”

According to the allegations in the Complaint[1] unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:

McFARLAND was the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Fyre Media. In 2016, McFARLAND started Fyre Media to build a digital app that would allow individuals organizing commercial events, such as concerts, to bid for artist and celebrity bookings at such events. According to Fyre Media documents provided to investors by McFARLAND, Fyre Media’s historical and projected revenue from at least April 2016 to November 2017 consisted solely of artist bookings. In late 2016, McFARLAND established a subsidiary of Fyre Media known as Fyre Festival LLC and began promoting the Fyre Festival. McFARLAND promoted the Fyre Festival in part by claiming that it would bring a global audience together to share a life changing experience. Ultimately, the Fyre Festival was widely deemed to have been a failure.

From in or about 2016 through in or about May 2017, McFARLAND perpetrated a scheme to defraud, inducing at least two individuals to invest approximately $1.2 million dollars in Fyre Media and an associated entity based on misrepresentations about Fyre Media’s revenue and income. In order to procure these investments, McFARLAND provided materially false information. For example, McFARLAND told investors that Fyre Media earned millions of dollars of revenue from thousands of artist bookings from at least July 2016 until April 2017. In reality, during that approximate time period, Fyre Media earned less than $60,000 in revenue from approximately 60 artist bookings.

In addition, McFARLAND provided at least one investor an altered stock ownership statement, in an effort to make it appear that McFARLAND could personally guarantee the investment. Specifically, McFARLAND provided an altered brokerage statement that purported to show that he owned shares of a specific stock worth over $2.5 million, when in reality he owned shares of that stock valued at less than $1,500.

McFARLAND, 25, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Kim praised the investigative work of the FBI’s New York Field Office, and thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission for their assistance.

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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

Charges Unsealed Against British Citizen For Defrauding Investors Of More Than $36 Million

Renwick Haddow Misappropriated Investor Funds And Made False And Misleading Representations To Investors In Bitcoin Store, Inc., Bar Works Inc., And Related Entities He Controlled

  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of a criminal Complaint in Manhattan federal court charging RENWICK HADDOW, a British citizen, with engaging in schemes to defraud victims by soliciting, through material misrepresentations, and misappropriating investments in companies created by HADDOW called Bitcoin Store Inc. (“Bitcoin Store”) and Bar Works Inc. (“Bar Works”) as well as related entities HADDOW controlled.  HADDOW remains at large.

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “As alleged, Renwick Haddow misled investors about critical facts, including the performance and operations of companies he controlled, in order to get them to invest more than $36 million.  Haddow also allegedly used the alias ‘Jonathan Black’ to disguise his connection to the companies, and then allegedly misappropriated investors’ money for his own use.  Along with our partners at the FBI and SEC, we will continue to root out fraud schemes perpetrated on investors.”

Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said:  “While seeking investor funding for his purported start-up companies, Haddow allegedly misrepresented key elements of their performance, operations, and management. The alleged twisting of facts not only involved concealing his financial interests, but also his true identity.  And just as Haddow adopted an alias to hide behind, so, too, did he disguise the true state of the businesses he controlled.  But, as alleged, it appears it was all smoke and mirrors—until today.”

According to the allegations in the Complaint[1] unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:

RENWICK HADDOW is a citizen of the United Kingdom  From November 2014 through June 2017, HADDOW solicited investments in start-up companies he created and controlled, including Bitcoin Store — a purported online platform for purchasing, selling, and storing the digital currency known as “Bitcoin”—and Bar Works, which purports to be a company that adapts former restaurants, bar premises, and other locations into co-working spaces. When doing so, HADDOW made material misrepresentations about, among other things, the management, operations, and historical performance of those companies.

For example, HADDOW concealed his interest in Bitcoin Store and fabricated the purported “experienced team of leading investment professionals” working at the company.  In connection with Bar Works, HADDOW adopted the alias “Jonathan Black” to further hide his role in the schemes.  HADDOW claimed that “Jonathan Black” had an extensive background in finance and had a role in setting up “Car Share,” a car-sharing app.

HADDOW solicited investments through his control of InCrowd Equity Inc. (“InCrowd”), which represented itself as a type of crowdfunding portal through which investors could purchase shares of start-ups supposedly vetted by InCrowd.  HADDOW did so without disclosing to investors that he had an ownership interest in both InCrowd, on the one hand, and Bitcoin Store and Bar Works, on the other.  HADDOW also misappropriated without permission funds purportedly invested in Bitcoin Store and Bar Works for his own use and the use of others.

RENWICK HADDOW, 48, of the United Kingdom, has been charged in the Complaint with two counts of wire fraud — one relating to the Bitcoin Store scheme and the other relating to the Bar Works scheme.  Each charge carries a maximum prison term of 20 years.

Mr. Kim praised the investigative work of the FBI and thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission, which has brought civil actions against the defendant, for its assistance.  

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

Former Chief Financial Officer Of American Realty Capital Partners (“ARCP”) Found Guilty After Trial Of Accounting Fraud

  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that a federal jury today found BRIAN BLOCK, the former chief financial officer of the publicly traded real estate investment trust (“REIT”) formerly known as American Realty Capital Partners (“ARCP”), guilty of inflating a key metric used to evaluate the financial performance of publicly traded REITs in ARCP’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”).  BLOCK was convicted after a three-week trial before U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken.

BLOCK’s co-defendant, former chief accounting officer Lisa McAlister, pled guilty to securities fraud and related charges on June 29, 2016.           

Acting Manhattan U.S. Joon H. Kim said:  “As a unanimous jury found today, Brian Block, the former CFO of ARCP, intentionally misled investors by overstating the health and profitability of his company.  This trial revealed that when it looked like ARCP would not meet investors' expectations, Block made up numbers and fudged the books.  The integrity of our markets rests on the truth of the financial information provided to investors.  And those like Block who lie and manipulate the markets must be identified and held to account.”

According to allegations contained in the Indictment and evidence presented during the trial in Manhattan federal court:

In 2014, ARCP was a publicly traded REIT headquartered in Manhattan, New York.  ARCP’s securities traded under the symbol “ARCP” on the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (“NASDAQ”) exchange.

ARCP, like many REITs, measured its financial performance through metrics besides, or in addition to, traditional measurements of company performance calculated using Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”).  ARCP calculated and reported to the investing public a non-GAAP measure called adjusted funds from operations, or AFFO, which was designed to more accurately reflect ARCP’s cash flow and financial performance by presenting ARCP’s income before consideration of non-cash depreciation and amortization expense and by excluding certain one-time charges and expenses.  REITs such as ARCP commonly reported their AFFO figures, including AFFO per share, to the investing public and in filings with the SEC.  ARCP also provided forward-looking guidance to the investing public regarding their anticipated AFFO performance in upcoming time periods.      

Prior to the filing of ARCP’s Form 10-Q setting forth ARCP’s financial statements for the second quarter of 2014 (the “Second Quarter 10-Q”), BRIAN BLOCK, along with Lisa McAlister and others, came to understand that the method used by ARCP to calculate AFFO in the first quarter of 2014 and in certain previous quarters was erroneously inflated.  Another employee of ARCP (“CC-1”) had brought this methodological error to the attention of BLOCK, McAlister, and others shortly before the filing of ARCP’s first quarter 2014 10-Q (the “First Quarter 10-Q”), but no corrective change was made to the First Quarter 10-Q while the issue was under review.  Following the filing of the First Quarter 10-Q, CC-1 concluded, and advised BLOCK, McAlister, and others, that the reported AFFO per share calculation for the first quarter of 2014 was overstated by approximately $0.03 per share.  Instead of $0.26 per share, which was publicly reported by ARCP to its shareholders and the investing public, and which placed ARCP on track to meet its full-year AFFO per-share guidance, the correct AFFO for the first quarter of 2014 was $0.23 per share.  

Despite his knowledge of a material error in ARCP’s previous filings with the SEC, BRIAN BLOCK took no steps to advise the Audit Committee of ARCP’s Board of Directors, or ARCP’s outside auditors, of the error in the First Quarter 10-Q.  Moreover, BLOCK, McAlister, and CC-1 then knowingly facilitated the use of the same materially misleading calculations in ARCP’s Second Quarter 10-Q.  For example, on or about July 24, 2014, a draft of ARCP’s Second Quarter 10-Q was circulated to members of ARCP’s Audit Committee.  The draft included an AFFO calculation for the six-month period ending June 30, 2014, that incorporated AFFO figures from the first quarter of 2014 that BLOCK, McAlister, and CC-1 knew to be erroneously inflated.

On or about July 28, 2014, BLOCK met with McAlister and CC-1 in his office in Manhattan for the purpose of finalizing the financial figures that were to be included in ARCP’s Second Quarter 10-Q.  Utilization of a proper method to calculate ARCP’s second quarter 2014 AFFO would have exposed that the reported AFFO and AFFO per share figures from the first quarter were inflated.  Accordingly, during the meeting, BLOCK, McAlister, and CC-1 inserted into a spreadsheet BLOCK was using to calculate AFFO and AFFO per share for the first and second quarters of 2014 and for the first six months of 2014 (“YTD 2014”) figures that fraudulently inflated the AFFO and AFFO per share calculations that were to be included in the Second Quarter 10-Q and the related ARCP press release.  The fraudulent numbers BLOCK, McAlister, and CC-1 used to inflate the AFFO and AFFO per share figures had no basis in fact, were without documentary support, and did not tie to ARCP’s general ledger accounting system, as BLOCK knew and understood at the time.  The fraudulent numbers included in the spreadsheet prepared by BLOCK were then incorporated into ARCP’s Second Quarter 10-Q, which was filed with the SEC the following day.  As a result of the manipulative efforts of BLOCK, McAlister, and CC-1, ARCP’s SEC filings included AFFO and AFFO per share figures for the second quarter of 2014 and for the first six months of 2014 that were fraudulently inflated.    

The Second Quarter 10-Q was signed by, among others, BRIAN BLOCK.  Additionally, on a certification accompanying the 10-Q, BLOCK falsely certified, among other things, that the Second Quarter 10-Q did not contain any materially untrue statements or material omissions.  He further falsely certified that he had disclosed to ARCP’s auditors and the audit committee of its board of directors: “Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.”  In a second certification accompanying the 10-Q, BLOCK falsely certified that: “The quarterly report on Form 10-Q of the Company, which accompanies this Certificate, fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and all information contained in this quarterly report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company.”

With regard to YTD 2014 specifically, the fraud resulted in an intended overstatement of AFFO by approximately $13 million and an intended overstatement of AFFO per share by approximately $0.03, or approximately 5% of total AFFO per share.  By reporting AFFO per share of $0.24 in the second quarter, after having reported AFFO per share of $0.26 in the first quarter, BRIAN BLOCK and his co-conspirators misled ARCP’s shareholders and the investing public by falsely representing that ARCP’s AFFO per share for the first six months of 2014 was consistent with analysts’ expectations and on track to meet ARCP’s guidance for AFFO per share for calendar year 2014, when in fact, they were not.

BRIAN BLOCK, 44, of Hatfield, Pennsylvania, was convicted of one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and other offenses (Count One), one count of securities fraud (Count Two), two counts of making false filings with the SEC (Counts Three and Four), and two counts of submitting false certifications along with required filings with the SEC (Counts Five and Six).  The securities fraud, false filings charges, and false certification charges each carry a maximum prison term of 20 years.  The charge of conspiracy carries a maximum prison term of five years.  

The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge. 

Mr. Kim praised the investigative work of the FBI and also thanked the SEC.

DISTRICT ATTORNEY VANCE TO END CRIMINAL PROSECUTION OF APPROXIMATELY 20,000 LOW-LEVEL, NON-VIOLENT MISDEMEANORS PER YEAR

The Vast Majority of Theft of Services Offenses for “Turnstile Jumping” on the Subway Will No Longer Be Criminally Prosecuted in Manhattan; Manhattan DA Early Diversion Program Expanded to Adults; Manhattan “Hope” Program for Drug Possession to be Launched

Manhattan DA’s Office on Track to Reduce Low-Level Offenses Prosecuted in Criminal Court by Nearly Half of 2009 Total

 

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today announced new justice reform initiatives that will end the criminal prosecution of approximately 20,000 low-level offenses annually. Beginning in September 2017, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office will no longer prosecute the overwhelming majority of individuals charged with Theft of Services for subway-related offenses, unless there is a demonstrated public safety reason to do so. 

 

Building on the success of the Manhattan Summons Initiative launched by District Attorney Vance and the NYPD in March 2016 – which was subsequently replicated citywide –  the policies being announced today will:

• Prevent New Yorkers accused of committing these offenses from accumulating a criminal record or ever setting foot in a courtroom
• Reduce the immigration, housing, employment and other collateral consequences associated with criminal prosecution
• Enable the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office to focus its resources on investigating more serious crimes, such as domestic violence, drunk driving, stalking, and assault cases
• Reduce the backlog of cases in Manhattan Criminal Court
• Strengthen bonds between law enforcement and the community members we serve, and
• Reduce the jail population of Rikers Island, in order to achieve the goal of its ultimate closure.   

Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., said: “The criminal prosecution of these low-level, non-violent offenses should not be a part of a reformed 21st-century justice system. Absent a demonstrated public safety risk, criminally prosecuting New Yorkers accused of these offenses does not make us safer. Today, by committing to divert these misdemeanor cases out of Criminal Court in Manhattan, we will further eliminate unnecessary incarceration, and reduce the risks of deportation, loss of housing, and loss of employment that often accompany a criminal prosecution. 

 

“Since 2010, my Office has worked with the NYPD and the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice to end the criminal prosecution of tens of thousands of low-level cases that needlessly bog down our Criminal Court and swell our City’s jail population. In Manhattan, we are embracing the role that District Attorneys must play to achieve the closure of Rikers Island, and proving that New York can safely reduce crime and incarceration at the same time.”

 

Theft of Services – New York Penal Law §165.15(3)

 

Theft of Services, also known as “turnstile jumping,” a class A misdemeanor, is the most common charge in Manhattan Criminal Court: nearly 10,000 individuals were arrested on this charge in Manhattan last year. In the coming months, the Manhattan DA’s Office will work with the NYPD and the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice to drastically reduce the number of people prosecuted in Manhattan for committing this offense, by a combination of issuing summonses in lieu of arrest, and offering pre-arraignment diversion to those individuals who are arrested for this crime and issued a desk appearance ticket (DAT). If those individuals successfully complete the terms of a diversion program, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office will decline to prosecute the case, the individual will need not appear in court, and the record will be sealed. 

 

However, as with all offenses, the District Attorney’s Office will continue to prosecute those individuals who pose a demonstrated threat to public safety.  

Council Member Rory I. Lancman said: "The decision by Manhattan DA Vance to end criminal prosecution of fare evasion in Manhattan is an important step forward to reforming our criminal justice system. For too long, prosecution of fare evasion as a crime has disproportionately impacted people of color, bogged down our courts, and even put immigrants at risk of deportation. Diverting fare evasion cases away from the criminal justice system is a smart and sensible policy that will ensure offenders are held accountable fairly, while not saddling people with a lifetime criminal record or left languishing in custody."

Manhattan DA Early Diversion Program

District Attorney Vance awarded grants to three organizations to create early diversion programs that provide participants with opportunities to avoid prosecution and an arrest record, while being held accountable in a community setting. 

The initiative is modeled after the success of the Office’s signature Project Reset pilot program, a collaboration by the District Attorney’s Office, the Center for Court Innovation (CCI), and NYPD. Under Project Reset, 16- and 17-year-old first-time arrestees who are arrested for low-level offenses are eligible to complete a counseling program, or other age-appropriate interventions, administered by CCI. To date, 432 teens have successfully completed Project Reset and have had their cases dismissed without ever setting foot in a courtroom. 51 additional teens are currently enrolled in the program. 

The groups receiving grants today will serve eligible participants over the age of 18 – first-time arrestees, charged with non-violent misdemeanor crimes – with similar pre-arraignment intervention opportunities throughout Manhattan. Certain programs will target young adults between the ages of 18-to-20-years-old. The District Attorney’s Office will provide total funding, initially estimated at approximately $6.5 million, over three-and-one-half years. The following vendors receiving awards are expected to help serve an estimated 5,000 people each year: 

• Center for Court Innovation 
  • Primary Demographic: Young adults and adults arrested in Midtown Manhattan, and adults arrested in Lower Manhattan
  • Services and Programming:  Individuals may participate in a range of diversion workshops focused on topics such as public health, legal resources, community service, education, and workforce; individual counseling; or a restorative justice program, as well as be linked – if interested - to additional outside services
• Osborne Association 
  • Primary Demographic: Young adults and adults arrested in Northern Manhattan
  • Services and Programming: Individuals will participate in one of four core interventions: a trauma-coping intervention, a restorative justice intervention, a Naloxone treatment training program, and community benefit projects, as well as be linked – if interested - to additional outside services
• Young New Yorkers 
  • Primary Demographic: Young adults arrested in Lower Manhattan 
  • Services and Programming: Individuals will participate in an arts-based restorative justice intervention that engages participants in taking responsibility for their actions through storytelling, utilizing video, photography, and collage, as well as be linked – if interested – to additional outside services

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office is providing these grants through its Criminal Justice Investment Initiative (“CJII”), which District Attorney Vance created using criminal forfeiture funds obtained through the Office’s settlements with international banks for violating U.S. sanctions. These awards follow an open-solicitation, Request for Proposals and review process led by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and facilitated by the CUNY Institute for State and Local Governance (ISLG), CJII’s technical assistance provider.

SIX INDIVIDUALS AND ONE COMPANY INDICTED FOR THEFT OF $270,000 THROUGH SHELL CORPORATION SCHEME

  Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., today announced the indictment of six individuals and one company, 92K BLVD., for the theft of more than a quarter of a million dollars through a scheme involving credit card fraud and shell corporations. The defendants are charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with Grand Larceny in the Second and Third Degrees.[1]

“There’s no question that criminal actors benefit from a lack of transparency in our banking system,” said District Attorney Vance. “As alleged in this case, a single corporation served as the front for a wider network of shell companies, which enabled the defendants to conceal their activities and steal more than a quarter of a million dollars. For precisely this reason, my Office has long supported measures such as mandatory identification of beneficial owners on state incorporations forms, which would deter the use of private companies for illicit purposes and protect the integrity of the financial marketplace.”

According to the indictment and documents filed in court, between November 2013 and January 2014, SAMUEL BERKOVITS, 50, BEZALEL MERMELSTEIN, 40, MOSHE POMERANTSEV, 22, NAFTALI SAFERN, 30, and YEHUDA TYRNAUER, 29, used their personal credit cards to make thousands of dollars’ worth of purchases from 92K BLVD., a shell company, which maintained an American Express merchant account linked to a Bank of America account, both of which were owned by ISRAEL FISCHER, 62. During the same period, numerous checks in amounts ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 were written from 92K BLVD.’s account to other outside companies, through which thousands of dollars in checks were then distributed back to the individual defendants in amounts ranging from $4,000 to $9,000.

As part of the defendants’ scheme, the supposed buyers requested refunds shortly after making the purchases, prompting American Express to credit their accounts and attempt to retrieve the matching funds from 92K BLVD.’s merchant account. However, American Express was unable to so, and when Bank of America was contacted about the missing funds, American Express received information that there were insufficient funds in the account, causing American Express to suffer more than $270,000 in losses.

Assistant District Attorney Alona Katz is handling the prosecution of the case under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys Daniel Holmes, Elizabeth Roper, and Jeremy Glickman, Deputy Chiefs of the Cybercrime and Identity Theft Bureau, Assistant District Attorney Brenda Fischer, Chief of the Cybercrime and Identity Theft Bureau, and Executive Assistant District Attorney Michael Sachs, Chief of the Investigation Division. Cybercrime Analyst Lilianna Rembar and Detective Ramon Velez, of the Cybercrime and Identity Theft Bureau Squad, and supervising Sergeant Robert Li, also of the Cybercrime and Identity Theft Bureau Squad, provided additional assistance with the investigation. 

District Attorney Vance thanked American Express, and in particular, Investigator Al Cavuto, for their assistance with the investigation. 

[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.

Defendant Information:

92K BLVD.
Brooklyn, NY

Charged:

• Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony, 1 count

ISRAEL FISCHER, D.O.B. 4/18/1955
Brooklyn, NY

Charged:

• Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony, 1 count

SAMUEL BERKOVITS, D.O.B. 11/05/1966
Brooklyn, NY

Charged:

• Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class D felony, 1 count

BEZALEL MERMELSTEIN, D.O.B. 3/19/1977
Brooklyn, NY

Charged:

• Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony, 1 count

MOSHE POMERANTSEV, D.O.B. 11/1/1994
Woodridge, NY

Charged:

• Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class D felony, 1 count

NAFTALI SAFERN, D.O.B. 6/19/1987
Brooklyn, NY

Charged:

• Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class D felony, 1 count

YEHUDA TYRNAUER, D.O.B. 5/11/1988
Brooklyn, NY

Charged:

• Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, a class C felony, 1 count

Wave Hill Events Jul 13–Jul 21

This week, our summer exhibition opens in Glyndor Gallery, and I am thrilled at the thought of how gorgeous it will be: Flora Fantastica! showcases the work of four artists who create fantastic hybrid forms using pattern derived from cultural and botanical sources. Take a look at the first two attachments to see what I mean. This week we also offer a wellness workshop—Mandalas and Meditation—keyed to the show in Glyndor. The week opens and closes with late Thursdays in the garden and a jazzy Sunset Wednesday. Summer bliss!

Thu, July 13    Evening Garden Walk

Enjoy an evening stroll in the gardens with a Wave Hill Garden Guide. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT THE PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 6:30PM

Thu, July 13    Evening Yoga

Enjoy yoga on the lawn select Thursday evenings. Participants should bring a mat, dress appropriately and expect to be outside unless precipitation or excessive humidity occurs. Classes are offered in partnership with Yoga Haven. All levels welcome. $25/$15 Wave Hill Member. Pre-registration recommended, online atwavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center.

ON THE GROUNDS, 6:30PM–7:30PM

Sat, July 15    Family Art Project: Handmade River Rafts

Collage a mixture of buoyant materials cut from repurposed foam trays, colorful foam sheets and reeds. Make it into an all-natural raft or handmade boat. Keep it as a small sculpture—or see if it floats. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. 

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sat, July 15    Garden Highlights Walk

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

Sat, July 15    Wave Hill History Walk

Discover the fascinating history of Wave Hill’s architecture and landscape on a walk with a Wave Hill Garden Guide. Hear about the people who once called Wave Hill home, among them Mark Twain, Theodore Roosevelt, Bashford Dean and Arturo Toscanini. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 1PM

Sat, July 15    No Gallery Tour

Tours in Glyndor Gallery resume Tuesday, July 18.

Sun, July 16    Family Art Project: Handmade River Rafts

Collage a mixture of buoyant materials cut from repurposed foam trays, colorful foam sheets and reeds. Make it into an all-natural raft or handmade boat. Keep it as a small sculpture—or see if it floats. Free with admission to the grounds. 

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sat, July 16    Wellness Workshop: Mandalas and Meditation

Tour Flora Fantastica! in Glyndor Gallery with a Wave Hill curator to see paintings inspired by mandalas—geometric patterns representing the circle of life and the energy of the universe. Then get centered with a few yoga poses, introspective meditation and art-making with artist, yogi and dosha healer Sara Hart. All skill levels welcome. Ages 12 and up welcome with an adult. $55/$45 Wave Hill Member. Registration required, online at wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center. 

MEET AT GLYNDOR GALLERY, 12:30–2:30PM

Sun, July 16    Garden Highlights Walk

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

Sun, July 16    Summer Exhibitions Reception

Meet the artists and curators for our summer exhibitions. Flora Fantastica! shows the work of four artists who share an interest in using pattern derived from cultural and botanical sources to create fantastic hybrid forms. In the Sunroom Project Space, Jan Mun explores the movement of plant species and the immigrant experience, while a window installation by David Rios Ferreira contains drawings, collages and historical, cultural and contemporary pop references. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2‒4:30PM

Mon, July 17    

Closed to the public.

Tue, July 18    Garden Highlights Walk

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights on this special, holidayTuesday. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

Tue, July 18    Gallery Tour

Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow will lead a tour of the summer exhibitions in Glyndor Gallery. An exuberant counterpoint to Wave Hill’s lush summer gardens, Flora Fantastica! shows the work of four artists who share an interest in using pattern derived from cultural and botanical sources to create fantastic hybrid forms. Nancy Blum, Amy Cheng and Elisabeth Condon each has an entire room for their paintings. Jill Parisi creates an installation for the entry foyer. In the Sunroom Project Space, Jan Mun combines digital and living media to explore the movement of plant species and the immigrant experience, while a window installation by David Rios Ferreira contains drawings and collages with cartoon-inspired characters, along with historical, cultural and contemporary pop references. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

Wed, July 19    Sunset Wednesdays Outdoor Music: Alan Hampton & Gretchen Parlato

This concert marks the second appearance of Alan Hampton (strings and vocals) at a Sunset Wednesday as he introduces us to jazz singer Gretchen Parlato. Together, they offer original tunes and Stevie Wonder’s flower-themed “Send One Your Love.” With two CDs, "The Moving Sidewalk" and "Origami for the Fire," to his credit, Alan Hampton has been called a musician with “loads of talent” by The New York Times. When not working on his own projects, he may be on tour, playing bass and singing with Andrew Bird, Meshell N’Degeocello, Sara Bareilles or Robert Glasper, or in the studio, laying down tracks for Sufjan Stevens, Derrick Hodge or Esperanza Spalding. In the ten years since her arrival in New York City, Gretchen Parlato has emerged as one of the most inventive and mesmerizing vocalists of her generation. Style Weekly states: "in performance, jazz vocalist Gretchen Parlato is a revelation… her diaphanous voice expands into an instrument of impressive range, rhythmic sophistication and emotional power." Free with admission to the grounds. On Sunset Wednesdays, admission is $10, $6 for students and seniors 65+, and $4 for children ages six to 18. Free to Members and children under six.

ON THE GROUNDS, 7PM

Thu, July 20    Evening Garden Walk

Enjoy an evening stroll in the gardens with a Wave Hill Garden Guide. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT THE PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 6:30PM

Thu, July 20    Evening Yoga

Enjoy yoga on the lawn select Thursday evenings. Participants should bring a mat, dress appropriately and expect to be outside unless precipitation or excessive humidity occurs. Classes are offered in partnership with Yoga Haven. All levels welcome. $25/$15 Wave Hill Member. Pre-registration recommended, online atwavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center.

ON THE GROUNDS, 6:30PM–7:30PM

A 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River  and Palisades, Wave Hill’s mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscape, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts.

HOURS  Open all year, Tuesday through Sunday and many major holidays: 9AM–5:30PM, starting March 15.  Closes 4:30PM, November 1–March 14.

ADMISSION  $8 adults, $4 students and seniors 65+, $2 children 6–18. Free Saturday and Tuesday mornings until noon. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.

PROGRAM FEES  Programs are free with admission to the grounds unless otherwise noted.

Visitors to Wave Hill can take advantage of Metro-North’s one-day getaway offer. Purchase a discount round-trip rail far and discount admission to the gardens. More at http://mta.info/mnr/html/getaways/outbound_wavehill.htm

DIRECTIONS – Getting here is easy! Located only 30 minutes from midtown Manhattan, Wave Hill’s free shuttle van transports you to and from our front gate and Metro-North’s Riverdale station, as well as the W. 242nd Street stop on the #1 subway line. Limited onsite parking is available for $8 per vehicle. Free offsite parking is available nearby with continuous, complimentary shuttle service to and from the offsite lot and our front gate. Complete directions and shuttle bus schedule at www.wavehill.org/visit/.

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at www.wavehill.org.