VACCINE FOR ALL: CITY EXPANDS WALK-UP APPOINTMENTS FOR NEW YORKERS 50 AND OLDER

Beginning today, New Yorkers 50 and older can walk into any City-run vaccine site and get vaccinated without an appointment 

 Beginning today, April 17^th, New Yorkers who are 50 and older will be able to walk into City-run vaccine sites and get vaccinated without an appointment, Mayor de Blasio announced today. Previously, walk-in appointments were exclusively for New Yorkers 75 and older.  

“Our priority for the next few months is clear: we need to vaccinate as many New Yorkers as possible,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “By making it easier for New Yorkers 50 and older to get vaccinated, we are on our way to fully vaccinating five million New Yorkers by June.”

 

Starting today, the City-run sites offering walk-up appointments to New Yorkers 50 and older are:

 

BRONX

1. Bronx Co-Op City Dreiser Community Center
2. Northeast Bronx YMCA (Edenwald)
3. South Bronx Educational Campus
4. West Bronx Gymnasium 
5. Lehman College - Apex Center
6. Bathgate Contract Postal Station

 

BROOKLYN

7. Coney Island YMCA
8. Teachers Prep High School
9. Starrett City
10. Flatbush YMCA
11. Bushwick Educational Campus
12. Event Space at City Point 
13. Brooklyn Army Terminal

 

MANHATTAN

14. Ford Foundation
15. NFL Experience Times Square
16. Yeshiva University
17. City College 
18. Essex Crossing
19. Abyssinian Baptist Church
20. Fulton Senior Community Center / Hudson Guild

 

QUEENS

21. Modell's - Queens Center Mall
22. Korean Community Services
23. Beach Channel Educational Campus
24. Long Island City Vaccine Site (Plaxall)
25. Queens Public Library - Flushing Library

26. Queens Public Library - Ozone 

27. CitiField

 

STATEN ISLAND

28. Former Babies R Us - Staten Island Mall
29. Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex
30. Empire Outlets
31. St. Thomas St. Joseph's School

 

New Yorkers can schedule appointments and locate their nearest vaccine site by visiting nyc.gov/vaccinefinder or calling 1-877-VAX-4-NYC. The City will be sharing this opportunity widely through local partners and CBOs, as well as through social media, website promotion, and robocalls. 

 

“With more than 5 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered, we’re making incredible progress vaccinating New York City, but the job is not finished — we know we still have more New Yorkers to reach with this life-saving resource,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Melanie Hartzog. “Expanding walk-up appointments to New Yorkers 50 and older is yet another way we’re working to make the vaccine as accessible as possible — and an example of how we will continue to adapt our strategies and expand our efforts to take our progress further.”

 

“We aim to open as many doors as possible to vaccination,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Dave A. Chokshi. “We’re glad that getting the vaccine is now as easy as a walk in the park. Our staff are standing by to serve New Yorkers.”

 

“As we race against COVID-19, we must do everything in our power to help all New Yorkers get vaccinated as quickly as possible,” said Dr. Ted Long, Executive Director of the NYC Test & Trace Corps and Senior Vice President of Ambulatory Care and Population Health at NYC Health + Hospitals. “The expansion of walk-up access for New Yorkers age 50 and older brings us one important step closer to the goal of vaccine for all.” 

 

Councilman Mark Gjonaj's NYC Moving Forward Week in Review - 4/16/2021

 

Dear Friends, I hope you and your families are doing well as we are trying to get back to normalcy, more people are getting the Covid-19 vaccine and getting tested, more businesses reopening and school children going back to in-person classes. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and we are glad to join forces with the NYPD 45th Precinct Domestic Violence Unit to raise awareness about sexual assault and violence. While libraries are important cornerstones of a healthy community and reading to children is an important tool to stimulate their imagination and expand their understanding of the world, I was glad to read “ Maybe Something Beautiful” to families and children in our District, as part of the New York Public Libraries Online Family Storytime. We are also grateful to continue the Book Box Program with the Morris Park Library. In an effort to forge relationships between the police and the community this week we also kickstarted “Let’s Clean Up NYC Together” with the NYPD 49th Precinct, Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association and Wildcats, removing graffiti on Lydig Avenue. Our Adopt-A-Trash Can Program from the commercial corridors throughout District 13 has rolled out today in an effort for cleaner neighborhoods in partnership with Wildcats. We are also looking forward to our Earth Day related events next week as we raise awareness for a cleaner environment, to change our behaviors, to live more sustainably, to act more compassionately toward nature and the earth. Constituents in District 13 can still take advantage of our Free Tax Preparation in partnership with Urban Upbound as the IRS has postponed the Tax Deadline to May 17th. We are proud of serving you and being with you throughout this pandemic. Please do not hesitate to contact my office with any issues or concerns at 718-931-1721 or email at MGjonaj@council.nyc.gov. Sincerely, NYC Councilman Mark Gjonaj District 13, Bronx

Morris Park Community Association Meeting Team Gjonaj attended the Morris Park Community Association  meeting where we updated them with our District Office services,  as we heard their issues and concerns. Allerton International Merchants Association Meeting Team Gjonaj attended the Allerton International Merchants Association monthly meeting, while we gave an update on what our office is doing, we also heard concerns and issues from the community.

NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli: 2020-21 Tax Revenues $3 Billion Over Projections

 

Tax collections for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2020-21 totaled $82.4 billion - $3 billion higher than forecast by the state Division of the Budget (DOB) in the Amended Executive Budget Financial Plan in February (latest projections), and $6.8 billion higher than forecast in May 2020 (initial projections), according to the March State Cash Report released today by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Total tax collections for SFY 2020-21 were $513.3 million lower than the previous year.

“The state’s year-end financial position was significantly better than anticipated,” DiNapoli said. “We face a long road to recovery, and the state’s economy still faces serious challenges, both in the short-term and long-term. Better-than-anticipated tax collections, federal resources and new revenues in the recently adopted budget allow for important investments in critical programs and services, but state policymakers must ensure that spending commitments are in line with recurring revenue sources.”

Personal income tax (PIT) collections totaled $55 billion, exceeding prior year collections by $1.3 billion or 2.4 percent. PIT collections exceeded the latest projections by $1.9 billion and initial projections by $5.9 billion, even with $437 million more in refunds being paid in the last quarter than previously anticipated.

Consumption and use taxes, which include sales tax receipts, totaled $16.1 billion, falling short of prior year totals by $1.9 billion or 10.6 percent. Collections were $116.4 million higher than the latest projections and $643.4 higher than initial projections. 

Business tax collections totaled $8.8 billion, which was $203.4 million lower than the previous year. Collections exceeded the latest projections by $614.4 million and were below initial projections by $164.6 million.

State Operating Funds spending totaled $104.2 billion, which was $2 billion, or 2 percent, higher than last year. The General Fund ended the fiscal year with a balance of $9.161 billion, an increase of $216.6 million from opening balance. DOB took the following actions at the end of the year:

• $3.1 billion was paid in debt service prepayments and debt defeasance, which was $1.5 billion higher than the most recent forecast;
• $918 million in payments were made to eliminate all remaining pension amortization costs;
• $692.8 million from the General Fund was used to support education aid to offset lower than anticipated receipts from Video Lottery Terminals, $448.8 million higher than the most recent forecast;
• $513 million in previously collected monetary settlements from financial and other institutions was transferred from the General Fund to the Dedicated Infrastructure Investment Fund, $617 million lower than the most recent forecast; and,
• $3.4 billion in debt service on short-term notes issued earlier in the year was paid as planned.

March Cash Report

260 Days and Counting

 

Things are really crazy up in the Bronx. I thought the Bronx Democratic Party Leader had some influence, but that must have been County Leaders like Jose Rivera, Carl Heastie, and even Marcos Crespo, but now I understand why Crespo bailed for a high paying job with Montefiore Hospital. 

Jamaal Bailey you are abandoning your district leaders, and they are abandoning their assembly members such as in the 80th A.D. Your undeclared Bronx Borough President candidate winds up at the bottom of the list, and your declared candidate for City Comptroller also is at the bottom of the ballot for that position, where former Bronx Assembly candidate Dion Powell (of all people) gets the number one spot for City Comptroller. Go Dion Powell, 'Powell for the People'.

Bronx Democratic Party - Join Team Benjamin and Senator Jamaal T. Bailey for a voter contact session

 

Dear friends, This Tuesday, April 20 at 6 pm, please join us and Senator Jamaal T. Bailey to talk to Bronxites about Brian Benjamin's campaign for New York City Comptroller. We will be calling and texting our neighbors using Hustle to get out the vote for Brian. He is running to be our next NYC Comptroller to bring transparency, accountability, and leadership to New York City. Brian is an experienced financial manager with the background and vision to lead the city through the Covid-19 recovery and beyond. Learn more about Brian at benjamin2021.com. Don't worry if you're new to this or if it's your first time using systems like Hustle, we'll provide you with training to set you up for successful conversations. Training begins at 5:30 pm for those who would like to learn more. Click here to sign up and help us share Brian Benjamin's plans for New York. We look forward to having you join us!

RSVP

Sincerely, The Bronx Dems

Governor Cuomo Announces More Than 40% of New Yorkers Have Received at Least One Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine

 

233,973 Doses Administered in the Last 24 Hours

Nearly 1.5 Million Doses Administered Over Past Seven Days  

Vaccine Dashboard Updated Daily on the State's Vaccine Program; Go to ny.gov/vaccinetracker

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that more than 40 percent of New Yorkers have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. 233,973 doses have been administered across the state's vast distribution network in the last 24 hours, and nearly 1.5 million doses have been administered over the past seven days.       

"We remain locked in a footrace between the rate of infection and the vaccination rate, and we are continuing to work around the clock to get shots in arms as quickly and fairly as possible," Governor Cuomo said. "Our vaccination efforts are going very well - we have opened hundreds of vaccination distribution sites across the state, we've expanded to universal eligibility and we are investing in public awareness and education to make sure every New Yorker knows the vaccine is safe and effective. However, we are still largely dependent on the supply from the Federal Government, and until we have reached herd immunity all New Yorkers must continue with the safe practices we know work to stop the spread."

New York's vast distribution network and large population of eligible individuals still far exceed the supply coming from the federal government. Due to limited supply, New Yorkers are encouraged to remain patient and are advised not to show up at vaccination sites without an appointment.                                                

The 'Am I Eligible' screening tool has been updated for individuals with comorbidities and underlying conditions with new appointments released on a rolling basis over the next weeks. New Yorkers can use the following to show they are eligible:

• Doctor's letter, or
• Medical information evidencing comorbidity, or
• Signed certification                

Vaccination program numbers below are for doses distributed and delivered to New York for the state's vaccination program, and do not include those reserved for the federal government's Long Term Care Facility program. A breakdown of the data based on numbers reported to New York State as of 11 AM today is as follows.                                              

STATEWIDE BREAKDOWN

Total doses administered - 12,872,765

Total doses administered over past 24 hours - 233,973

Total doses administered over past 7 days - 1,485,899

Percent of New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 40.2%

Percent of New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 27.0%  

Governor Cuomo Announces Lowest COVID-19 Hospitalizations Since November 30 April 16, 2021

 

Hospitalizations Drop to 3,884

868 Patients in the ICU; 543 Intubated

Statewide Positivity Rate is 2.81%

Statewide 7-Day Average Positivity Rate Drops to 3.04%--Lowest Since November 25

43 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that COVID-19 hospitalizations dropped to 3,884, the lowest since November 30. The statewide 7-day average positivity rate dropped to 3.04 percent, the lowest since November 25.

"COVID-19 hospitalizations are down to their lowest level since November 30, which is basically Thanksgiving, so we are fully back to the point before the holiday surge. I want to make it especially clear that it is the actions of a community—the actions of individuals as a collective—that matter," Governor Cuomo said. "We know how the virus spreads, so it's a question of your behavior and the precautions you take. The more precautions you take, the fewer people get infected. We're at a point now where we've communicated all the information that we can communicate and everyone knows the facts. We've beseeched people to take it seriously, but it is now up to you. It's up to you as an individual, you as a family, you as a community. Our recovery is going to be a function of how many vaccinations we take, and I believe that there is a civic and community duty for individuals to take a vaccine. No one can be safe unless everyone is safe."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Test Results Reported - 232,929
• Total Positive - 6,555
• Percent Positive - 2.81%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 3.04%
• Patient Hospitalization - 3,884 (-79)
• Net Change Patient Hospitalization Past Week - -467
• Patients Newly Admitted - 472
• Hospital Counties - 52
• Number ICU - 868 (-18)
• Number ICU with Intubation - 543 (-16)
• Total Discharges - 169,765 (+498)
• Deaths - 43
• Total Deaths - 41,391

Governor Cuomo Signs Legislation Establishing First-in-the-Nation Program to Provide Affordable Internet to Low-Income Families

 

Program Requires Internet Service Providers to Offer an Affordable $15 per Month High-Speed Internet Plan to Low-Income Households, as Proposed in the Governor's 2021 State of the State

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today signed legislation establishing the first-in-the-nation requirement for affordable internet for qualifying low-income families, as proposed in the 2021 State of the State. This legislation requires providers operating in New York State to offer $15/month high-speed internet to low-income families across the state. New Yorkers qualifying for this affordable internet program include households who are eligible or receiving free or reduced-price lunch, supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits, Medicaid benefits, the senior citizen or disability rent increase exemptions, or an affordability benefit from a utility. It also requires providers to report to the Public Service Commission annually on their offers and uptake. This new affordable internet program will impact seven million New Yorkers and 2.7 million households.​

"High-speed internet is essential to our everyday lives, and as we continue to reopen our state and adjust to new norms that have been shaped by the pandemic, we need to make sure every household has access to affordable internet," Governor Cuomo said. "Remote learning, remote working, and telemedicine are not going away. This program - the first of its kind in the nation - will ensure that no New Yorker will have to forego having reliable home internet service and no child's education will have to suffer due to their economic situation."   

Affordability is a key issue in the fight for universal broadband, as many families cannot afford to pay for broadband service in their homes. A basic high-speed internet plan, on average, costs more than $50 per month. Nationwide, 43% of those earning less than $30,000 are not connected to internet at home, and 26% of those making $30,000 to $50,000 remain unconnected at home. It closes to 8% unconnected for those making $75,000 or more. Meanwhile, nationwide only 66 percent of Black households, 61 percent of Hispanic households, and 53 percent of Native Americans living on tribal lands are connected to internet at home, compared to 79 percent of White households.

To further bridge the internet gap in New York, the State has partnered with Schmidt Futures and the Ford Foundation to launch ConnectED NY, an emergency fund to provide approximately 50,000 students in economically disadvantaged school districts with free internet access through June 2022.   

In addition, Governor Cuomo launched the Affordable Broadband Portal to help New Yorkers find the affordable broadband programs in their area. This website also includes critical information about the FCC's Emergency Broadband Benefit Program ($50/month subsidy for broadband service, plus a one-time discount of up to $100 on computers and tablets). 

Furthermore, New York State will conduct an in-depth statewide mapping study of broadband to identify the availability, reliability and cost of high-speed broadband services and report on its findings within one year. This study will map the quality -- not just the availability -- of coverage. This is part of the State's effort to make broadband accessible and affordable for all. 

The Governor's comprehensive 2021 Connectivity Agenda builds on his work leading the nation in delivering equitable internet access for all New Yorkers. In 2015, the State undertook the largest and most ambitious broadband initiative in the nation, dedicating $500 million to broaden internet access statewide. This investment, coupled with regulatory reforms, expanded the reach of broadband so today 98 percent of New York households have access to high-speed broadband with download speeds of at least 100 Mbps. Furthermore, the Governor took critical steps to tackle the digital divide in schools by signing the 2014 Smart Schools Bond Act. This Act made $2 billion available to school districts across the state for technology devices and classroom enhancements to improve school connectivity, making it possible for schools to weather today's challenges of remote learning. 

Attorney General James Releases Grand Jury Proceedings Related to the Death of Daniel Prude

 

 New York Attorney General Letitia James today released the transcripts of the grand jury proceedings in her office’s investigation into the March 2020 death of Daniel Prude. The transcripts of the proceedings were released after a judge granted Attorney General James’ motion to unseal and publicly release them. This is the first time in New York history that grand jury proceedings in a case of a police-involved death have been made public.

“This nation has a long and painful history of injustice, and every day, we are working to create a fairer and more equal system,” said Attorney General James. “Our efforts to balance the scales of justice and ensure accountability can only go so far in the absence of transparency. We took the unprecedented action of seeking to release the grand jury transcripts because the public deserves to know what happened in these proceedings. As I have throughout my career, I will continue to use every tool at my disposal to shine a light in the corners of our system that have been hidden for too long.”

After impanelment, the grand jury convened on nine separate occasions between October 2020 and February 2021 for more than 45 hours in total. As ordered by the court, the transcripts of the grand jury proceedings have minimal redactions to protect the identities of the jurors and witnesses who testified.

Session One – October 28, 2020

Session Two – November 4, 2020

Session Three – November 18, 2020

Session Four – December 9, 2020

Session Five – December 16, 2020

Session Six – December 17, 2020

Session Seven – December 21, 2020

Session Eight – January 13, 2021

Session Nine – February 23, 2021

Attorney General James has a long history of pushing to change grand jury secrecy laws. Following the death of Eric Garner, then-Public Advocate Letitia James filed a lawsuit to release the minutes of the grand jury proceeding to ensure full transparency.

Mayoral Candidate Andrew Yang Visits Westchester Square

 

Mayoral candidate Andrew Yang came to Westchester Square Friday to give out food bags, but wound up holding a press conference, then left after bringing some bags of food to the table set up on the sidewalk in front of the Huntington Library. There were many reporters who wanted to ask candidate Yang several questions now that he has become the leading candidate according to recent polls. 

My question to Mayoral candidate Andrew Yang was about the proposed two, two-hundred bed Single Adult Homeless men's shelters proposed only blocks from the Westchester Square Business District. I said that Community Board 11 was responsible for 748 homeless people, and the two Single Adult men's shelters would account for over fifty percent of the boards requirement when DHS had a formula of no more than twenty-five percent allocation of Single Adult Males candidate Yang did not know what I was talking about. I added that Community Board 11 where both were to be built, the second one by a developer who was a big contributor to the Bill de Blasio campaign, I said what will Mayor Yang do to stop the second Adult Men's 200 bed shelter? I could see that candidate Andrew Yang knew nothing about the homeless situation and in my opinion will make a mayor just like Bill de Blasio if not worse, as he tried to bluff his way through my question. 

Candidate Yang attempts to answer my question on two, two-hundred bed Single Adult men' Shelters near Westchester Square in CB 11, showed that he knew nothing about the homeless problem in New York City. 

Candidate Yang is being showed the historical importance of the Huntington Library by a Community Board 10 member where the library is located.

Mayoral candidate Yang talks to one of a few people who passed by.

261 Days and Counting

 

I am not having a press conference today. Where is Dr. Choskhi?

The Winners of he Special Election are finally Announced, and it is Off to The June Primary.

 

At the Board of Elections during Rank Choice Voting count, a worried Oswald Feliz pulled out a victory in the 15th City Council District taking over for Congressman Ritchie Torres. Of the 3,976 votes cast, new Councilman Oswald Feliz wound up with 1,766 votes to second place finisher Ischia Bravo's 1,362 votes, with 848 of the original votes becoming exhausted in Rank Choice Voting, 

It was a different story in the 11th City Council race where Eric Dinowitz breezed to an easy victory, taking over for Judge Andrew Cohen. Of the 9,555 votes cast now Councilman Eric Dinowitz wound up with 5,579 to second place finisher Mino Lora's 3,188 vote, with 788 of the original votes becoming exhausted in Rank Choice Voting. 

Now both winners have to do it again for the June 22nd Democratic Primary which in the Bronx is the real election. 

Governor Cuomo Announces More than Half of New Yorkers 18 and Older Have Received at Least One Dose of the COVID-19 Vaccine

 

More than 1 in 3 New Yorkers 18 and Older Now Fully Vaccinated 

More than 12.5 Million Total Doses Administered Statewide

198,257 Doses Administered in the Last 24 Hours 

More than 1.5 Million Doses Administered Over Past Seven Days 

Vaccine Dashboard Updated Daily on the State's Vaccine Program; Go to ny.gov/vaccinetracker 

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that more than 50 percent of New Yorkers 18 years of age and older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, and more than one in three in the same age group have been fully vaccinated. More than 12.5 million doses of the vaccine have been administered in New York State. 198,257 doses have been administered across the state's vast distribution network in the last 24 hours, and more than 1.5 million doses have been administered over the past seven days.      

"Thanks to the extraordinary efforts and commitment of our providers and volunteers, more than half of New Yorkers who are 18 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and more than a third are fully vaccinated," Governor Cuomo said. "You take the vaccine not just for yourself - you take it to keep other people safe. COVID is still with us, but if we remain "New York Tough," we can continue to reopen our economy and gradually defeat this beast."   

New York's vast distribution network and large population of eligible individuals still far exceed the supply coming from the federal government. Due to limited supply, New Yorkers are encouraged to remain patient and are advised not to show up at vaccination sites without an appointment.                                               

The 'Am I Eligible' screening tool has been updated for individuals with comorbidities and underlying conditions with new appointments released on a rolling basis over the next weeks. New Yorkers can use the following to show they are eligible:

·     Doctor's letter, or

·     Medical information evidencing comorbidity, or

·     Signed certification               

Vaccination program numbers below are for doses distributed and delivered to New York for the state's vaccination program, and do not include those reserved for the federal government's Long Term Care Facility program. A breakdown of the data based on numbers reported to New York State as of 11 AM today is as follows.                                             

STATEWIDE BREAKDOWN

Total doses administered - 12,638,792

Total doses administered over past 24 hours - 198,257

Total doses administered over past 7 days - 1,546,338

Percent of New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 39.6%

Percent of New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 26.4% 

Percent of New Yorkers 18+ with at least one vaccine dose - 50.7%

Percent of New Yorkers 18+ with completed vaccine series - 34.1%

Manhattan Construction Business Operator Sentenced To 19 Months In Prison For Tax Fraud

 

 Audrey Strauss, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that BILAL SALAJ was sentenced in Manhattan federal court to 19 months in prison for perpetrating tax fraud.  SALAJ previously pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang to conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”), tax evasion, and failure to pay over payroll taxes.  U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel, who accepted SALAJ’s guilty plea, imposed today’s sentence.

U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said:  “Bilal Salaj failed to pay his tax obligations to the IRS and maintained a cash payroll for his business while cheating the government out of almost $1 million. Our self-assessment system of tax reporting is not synonymous with ‘forthrightness optional.’ The government — and especially our law enforcement partners — won’t miss, overlook, or ignore those who misreport on their tax returns. In the competitive small business world, being dishonest and underreporting tax obligations might be tempting. But Salaj’s sentence is a reminder that tax fraud is a serious federal crime and not worth the risk.”

According to the allegations contained in the Information to which SALAJ pled guilty, court filings, and statements made in public court proceedings:    

At all relevant times, BILAL SALAJ, a citizen and resident of the United States, operated a construction business in Manhattan.  Initially, SALAJ was the record owner of the business, but in approximately July 2014, SALAJ began operating the business under a new entity that, on paper, was wholly owned by a third party (“Individual-1”), who worked for SALAJ in the construction business.  Despite this purported change in ownership, SALAJ continued to exercise principal control and decision-making authority over the business and its financial affairs.  In particular, SALAJ was a responsible person under federal law for collecting, truthfully accounting for, and paying over payroll taxes for the business to the IRS.

Between at least in or about 2014 and in or about June 2019, SALAJ devised and perpetrated a scheme to evade a substantial portion of both the payroll taxes for the construction business and SALAJ’s personal income taxes for the period 2014 through 2018.  During this period, SALAJ cashed, and caused Individual-1 to cash, approximately $3.2 million in business checks payable to the construction company at check cashing facilities in Manhattan, instead of depositing them into the company’s operating bank account.  SALAJ and Individual-1 used a portion of the proceeds from the cashed checks to pay cash wages to employees of the construction business, and spent most of the rest on personal expenses.  SALAJ did not withhold or pay over to the IRS any payroll taxes on the cash wages paid to the employees, and did not report to the IRS or pay any personal income taxes on the cash income he realized through the cashed checks.  As part of the tax evasion scheme, SALAJ fraudulently withheld from his accountant any records relating to the cashed business checks, and thereby caused false tax returns to be filed with the IRS.  The tax evasion scheme, including relevant conduct, resulted in a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $952,778.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Castel ordered SALAJ, 56, of Morganville, New Jersey, to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $952,778.  SALAJ was also ordered to serve three years of supervised release.

Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding work of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, in this case. 

This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit.  Assistant United States Attorney Olga I. Zverovich is in charge of the prosecution.