MAYOR ADAMS, SPEAKER ADAMS, DSS COMMISSIONER PARK ANNOUNCE $20 MILLION INVESTMENT, ELIGIBILITY EXPANSION TO HELP MAKE MORE NEW YORKERS ELIGIBLE FOR FAIR FARES TRANSIT DISCOUNT

 

Influx of Funds Announced With First Eligibility Expansion in Program’s History   

New York City Mayor Eric Adams, New York City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, and New York City Department of Social Services (DSS) Commissioner Molly Wasow Park today announced a substantial investment and an expansion of eligibility to the Fair Fares transit discount to help make the program more accessible to more New Yorkers. The Fair Fares program gives eligible New Yorkers with low incomes a 50 percent discount on buses and trains.  

 

“New York City has recovered all of the nearly 1 million jobs lost during the pandemic, and public transit is a key component of building on that momentum and ensuring that our recovery continues to be inclusive for working families,” said Mayor Adams. “The $20 million we are investing — in partnership with the City Council — coupled with the program expansion will ensure even more New Yorkers can keep more money in their pockets while making the Fair Fares program — and our city’s public transportation system — more accessible, so additional New Yorkers can utilize this critical discount to commute to work, visit friends and family, access medical care, get to class, and enjoy all our great city has to offer. I encourage all eligible New Yorkers to go online and apply to join.”  

 

“Expanding access to our city’s public transit system is vital to helping New Yorkers access opportunities and meet their basic obligations,” said Speaker Adams. “The expansion of Fair Fares eligibility to more riders is an important step that the council advocated for and secured in the budget together with Mayor Adams’ administration. With so many New Yorkers struggling to make ends meet amidst an affordability crisis, we encourage all eligible New Yorkers take advantage of the Fair Fares program. The city must continue pursuing expanded eligibility to truly ensure this critical benefit reaches people in need of affordable transit access, who can benefit from the opportunities the program helps unlock. I look forward to working with my colleagues, advocates, and all stakeholders to continue our efforts to make public transit more affordable and accessible to all." 

  

“We all swipe our metro cards or tap our phones to enter the subway or take a bus ride. The expansion of Fair Fares helps offset that cost for more New Yorkers so they can move about the city with more ease and continue to build toward a stronger financial future for themselves and their families,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom. 

  

“Hundreds of thousands of low-income New Yorkers are already saving on transit costs through DSS’s Fair Fares program, and as a result of this expansion of the program’s income eligibility standards, many more will soon be spending less on transit costs and saving more for themselves,” said DSS Commissioner Park. “Our public transit system is one of the greatest benefits New York City has to offer, and it is crucial that access to this benefit is fair and equitable so every New Yorker can get to where they need to go. The Fair Fares program helps our low-income neighbors do just that, and we look forward to helping newly eligible New Yorkers enroll in the program.”  

  

“Mobility is a critical piece of equity. When New Yorkers can navigate our city more easily and affordably, that means they have better access to jobs, health care, friends and family, and cultural enrichment,” said New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “We thank Mayor Adams, Commissioner Park, and DSS, as well as our numerous sister agencies for their support of working-class New Yorkers through this important expansion of the Fair Fares program.”  

  

“Fair Fares is crucial for providing affordable access to New Yorkers who depend on transit to get to move around the city,” said Metropolitan Transportation Authority Acting Chief Customer Officer Shanifah Rieara. “Increasing the program's eligibility rate is a win for the city, the transit system, and the countless customers who will now benefit."  

   

The city is investing an additional $20 million into the program to expand eligibility to more New Yorkers, on top of the $75 million the Adams administration and City Council already baselined for Fair Fares in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 budget. Additionally, the administration, as part of its budget agreement with the City Council, has implemented a rule change increasing the program’s income eligibility standard for the first time — raising it to 120 percent of the federal poverty level, a 20 percent increase over the prior standard. Previously, the Fair Fares discount was available only to New Yorkers between 18 and 64 years old with incomes at or below 100 percent of the federal poverty level. 

    

The expansion brings the total baseline funding of Fair Fares to $95 million annually beginning in FY24. This additional funding will ensure that DSS can effectively and efficiently connect newly eligible New Yorkers to Fair Fares, while continuing to provide discounted fares to existing clients. Currently, more than 300,000 New Yorkers are enrolled in the Fair Fares program. Due to the new expansion, many additional low-income New Yorkers will now qualify for the program’s 50 percent discount on subway and eligible bus fares or MTA Access-A-Ride paratransit trips.   

 

 

New Fair Fares income limits per household size.

 

DSS continues to work with other city agencies, elected officials, and community-based organizations to promote the Fair Fares program and connect eligible New Yorkers to discounted fares through extensive outreach and education efforts. The Fair Fares transit discount is available to all New Yorkers who meet the eligibility criteria, including non-citizens. New Yorkers can visit the Fair Fares website to learn more and apply online.   

 

“Fair Fares is a vital public benefit for several hundred thousand New Yorkers and its growth is essential to economic security for working families," said Danna Dennis, senior organizer, Riders Alliance. “The city's additional investment of $20 million in a tight budget is a testament to the commitment of Speaker Adams, Council Transportation Chair Brooks-Powers, and Mayor Adams. Having seen how transformative the program has already proven, riders look forward to its continued robust expansion in the near future.” 

  

“The Fair Fares transit discount program is a critical lifeline to education, employment, medical care and other basic necessities for low-income New Yorkers,” said David R. Jones, president and CEO, Community Service Society of New York. “With that in mind, Mayor Adams and the City Council, under the leadership of Speaker Adams, included an additional $20 million for the program in the FY24 adopted city budget while expanding income eligibility for the program from 100 to 120 percent of the FPL. By doing so, the mayor and speaker made it possible for more low-income New Yorkers to take advantage of the program. The next step should be to make Fair Fares available to those with incomes under 200 percent of the FPL – a large swath of whom are working class New Yorkers who rely on the transit system to get to work, school, medical appointments and economic opportunities.” 

 

Bronx's Second Cannabis Dispensary Opens On Williamsbridge Road

 

HUSH aka Cannabis Emporium located at 2460 Williamsbridge Road opened Thursday to a rush of customers which included several people from the Office of Cannabis Management. The first customer was Hal Ozkurt,  the father of the owner of HUSH, Dennis Ozkurt. HUSH is the second legal cannabis dispensary in the Bronx, but several more applications have gone before Bronx community boards within the past few months. 

The application for HUSH to Community Board 11 for review was dated April 24, 2023 with thirty days for the community board to comment. The matter came before the Economic Committee of the board on May 17, 2023, which sent a resolution to the full board against the cannabis license application due to the location being directly across the street from the play yard of PS 89. The cannabis dispensary was however beyond the five-hundred foot rule from the entrance to the school. At the May 23, 2023, CB 11 full board meeting the resolution failed by a vote of eight in favor, twelve against, and one recusal.   

The CB 11 Economic Committee again discussed the matter of the cannabis dispensary at its June 21, 2023, meeting, and again sent a resolution to the full board opposing the location. At the June 22, 2023, CB 11 full board meeting the resolution passed this time with only one abstention. Another motion was passed to the OCM requesting a thirty day extension for CB 11 to submit its recommendation for 2460 Williamsbridge Road, which passed unanimously. CB 11 took 59 days to pass a resolution on 2460 Williamsbridge Road.  

Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson was on hand for the opening and said that she hopes this cannabis dispensary is successful because it will provide jobs to the community as unemployment in the Bronx is 6.5%. She added that there are rules to owning a cannabis dispensary and the owner has followed the rules. Dasheeda Dawson of Cannabis NYC said there are new stores opening up, and two hundred registrants are in training. Chris Alexander, the Executive Director of OCM said OCM is making sure that New Yorkers have access to legal cannabis, and encouraged people to support this business. Dennis Ozkurt the owner of HUSH said he was glad this day came so he could do business. His father Hal was the dispensary's first customer. There is a 9% state tax and 4% local tax on all legal cannabis products. 

It was the ribbon cutting for HUSH, the second legal cannabis dispensary in the Bronx. Owner Dennis Ozkurt is in the middle.

Chris Alexander, Executive Director of the Office of Cannabis Management asked people to patronize this legal cannabis store rather than the illegal ones because of the quality of legal cannabis.

Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson spoke of the 6.5% unemployment rate in the Bronx, and that this store is employing local residents. 

Dasheeda Dawson of Cannabis NYC was there to help HUSH open.

The first customer, the owner's father, shows off what he purchased.

Empty packages of various cannabis merchandise are in display cases throughout the dispensary.

Other items on display included HUSH hats and t-shirts.

Another display area which is empty packages with no cannabis inside.

There was time to celebrate, and yes that is a cannabis roll being smoked.

Directly across the street from HUSH are the Waring Avenue NYCHA Houses on the left, and PS 89 and it play yard on the right.      

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson - YOU ARE INVITED: Bronx Gospel Concert for Seniors

  

RSVP Here

MAYOR ADAMS, DSNY COMMISSIONER TISCH ANNOUNCE NEXT-GENERATION TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE SNOW OPERATIONS IN PREPARATION FOR WINTER SEASON

 

Bladerunner 2.0 Technology Will Better Deploy, Track Snowplows, Salt Spreaders,  and Brining Vehicles to Help City Clear More Streets More Efficiently 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) Commissioner Jessica Tisch today unveiled new technology to modernize and enhance DSNY’s snow cleanup operations in preparation for the upcoming winter season. The state-of-the art system, known as BladeRunner 2.0, centralizes the deployment and real-time tracking of snowplows, salt spreaders, and brining vehicles, and replaces outdated technology first launched in 2015. Bladerunner 2.0 has been deployed ahead of this year’s snow season, which forecasters predict will be heavier than last year’s. The system will also be used to track DSNY collection and cleaning operations year-round. 

  

“With forecasters predicting a snowy winter, we’re revolutionizing how we track our snow operations and using new technology to keep New Yorkers safe,” said Mayor Adams. “We’ve never been more ready for snow season, thanks to our new Bladerunner 2.0 software that will allow us to better track and support our fleet of approximately 5,000 vehicles across all five boroughs. And we’re doing this in a way that is fair and equitable, so that there is no longer a system of first-, second-, and third-tier streets with different communities receiving different levels of service. Now, every street in all five boroughs is on a plow and salt route. And to help support our efforts, the best thing New Yorkers can do to help us get the roads clear when there is a storm is to stay off them — use mass transit if you must travel, so our plows, salters, and briners, now powered by Bladerunner 2.0, can do their jobs. We’re ready, New York.” 

  

“New York is good to snow,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “With new investments in our snow management technology, we are ensuring that New York is second to none in winter storm preparedness. We’re readying ourselves for whatever the season throws our way.” 

  

“New York City is ready for whatever winter weather comes our way,” said Chief of Staff Camille Joseph Varlack. “DSNY, and agencies across the administration, have been hard at work drilling and preparing for the snow season. We won’t let snow stop the city that never sleeps.” 

  

“There’s no business like snow business — and there’s no city that can come close to New York when it comes to preparing for snow season,” said DSNY Commissioner Tisch. “As the city’s former chief information officer, I know firsthand the transformative impact that smart, innovative, technology can have on government. BladeRunner 2.0 is a state-of-the art system that reflects this administration’s commitment to using technology to better serve this city, and I’m proud of DSNY’s continuous efforts to enhance and streamline snow cleanup operations.” 

  

“I’m ‘snow’ excited about the rollout of BladeRunner 2.0,” said New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) Commissioner Zach Iscol. “BladeRunner 2.0 ensures that every corner of our city receives timely and efficient snow removal services — reflecting this administration’s commitment to keeping New York City safe and operational, regardless of the weather. As winter gets underway, I encourage New Yorkers to stay informed through Notify NYC, the city’s verified emergency alert system — the coolest way to keep up and stay ahead of winter weather.” 

  

“Whether the forecast calls for a few flurries or a blizzard, New York City never flakes on winter weather responses,” said Chief Technology Officer Matthew Fraser. “The deployment of BladeRunner 2.0 is yet another example of this administration using real-time data to improve city government operations and benefit the lives of New Yorkers.”   

  

BladeRunner 2.0 features significant technology enhancements to better support snowplow, salting, cleaning, and collection operations, including:  

  

•    Enhanced GPS tracking data for broader time windows, multiple vehicles, and extended history; 
•    Google map integration to provide a modern view — with satellite and street view access — for vehicles and facilities; 
•    Real-time brine progress data; 
•    New visual layer data with brine coverage locations, snow preposition points, and protected bike lane information; 
•    Ability to locate vehicles of interest through proximity features and advanced time frame and location search capabilities; 
•    Significantly enhanced search capabilities; and 
•    New cloud-based system to allow for more concurrent users and faster response times. 

  

Ahead of any predicted snowfall, DSNY will activate its snow command center, where Bladerunner 2.0 is housed, to track operations around the city. Each of the thousands of DSNY superintendents have been trained to use the system, which will be available in all 59 DSNY garages. New Yorkers will still be able to utilize PlowNYC to track snowplowing progress in their neighborhoods. 

  

In addition to this new technology, DSNY is also heading into snow season with its highest headcount in 20 years. This, in addition to a nearly $500 million investment in new trucks in the past two years, means DSNY is better equipped than ever to clear snow on the city’s 19,000 lane-miles of roadway. 

  

As a result of this investment and other operational changes, streets will no longer be categorized as “primary, secondary, and tertiary,” a system where different communities received different levels of service. Every street in New York City is on a plow and salt route, and every route will be dispatched when conditions warrant. This includes real-time service of bike lanes as well. 

  

New Yorkers can follow NYCEM’s Notify NYC page on social media for the latest updates on weather operations as they develop and subscribe to Notify NYC to receive e-mail and text updates. 

Owner And Senior Executive Of New York Contracting Company Charged For Paying Bribes To Obtain Construction Contracts From A Fortune 500 Company

 

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the unsealing of charges against TROY CARUSO, the owner and chief executive officer of a commercial construction and contracting company headquartered in New York, New York (the “Contracting Company”), and JOHN NOLAN, a senior executive at the Contracting Company, for their participation in a scheme to bribe a senior project manager at a Fortune 500 real estate services firm in order to obtain contracting work.  CARUSO was arrested this morning in Melville, New York, and NOLAN was arrested this morning in Brooklyn, New York.  Both CARUSO and NOLAN are expected to be presented in federal court in Manhattan later today.  

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Troy Caruso and John Nolan bribed a senior-level individual at a Fortune 500 company to award their company favorable contracts, resulting in the parties involved fraudulently obtaining millions. In the construction world, fair bidding is crucial to the success or downfall of a business, and kickback schemes like the one we allege in this case can undermine that process. Those attempting to corrupt the bidding process by gaining an unfair advantage over their law-abiding counterparts will face criminal prosecution.” 

According to the allegations in the Indictment:[1]

From at least in or about February 2021, up to and including in or about September 2023, CARUSO and NOLAN agreed to pay and did pay kickbacks to an employee of a global and publicly traded commercial real estate services company (the “Real Estate Firm”) in exchange for assistance and preferential treatment so that the Contracting Company would be awarded projects managed by the Real Estate Firm (the “Kickback Scheme”). 

In or about March 2021, CARUSO and NOLAN were introduced by an individual (“CC-1”) to a senior project manager at the Real Estate Firm (“CC-2”).  CC-2 managed the process by which contracting companies bid for and were awarded contracts to work on construction projects for various of the Real Estate Firm’s clients.  Beginning in or about March 2021 because of the Kickback Scheme, CC-2 took a series of actions CC-2 otherwise would not have taken to ensure that the Contracting Company was awarded a pre-construction contract and a construction contract relating to a certain project (“Project-1”), which was managed by the Real Estate Firm on behalf of its client, a health services business that provides hospital, medical, and other health services to patients.  For example, CC-2 ensured that the Contracting Company was on the Real Estate Firm’s “bid list” so that it could submit bids relating to Project-1 that it otherwise could not have submitted.  CC-2 also provided non-public information to CARUSO and NOLAN about the bidding process and recommended the Contracting Company for both the pre-construction contract and the construction contract relating to Project-1.  As a result of the Kickback Scheme and CC-2’s actions, the Contracting Company was awarded the pre-construction and construction contracts for Project-1, the latter of which was valued at approximately $3.55 million (to be paid to the Contracting Company). 

In exchange for CC-2’s assistance and preferential treatment, CARUSO and NOLAN agreed to pay kickbacks to CC-2 in the amount of approximately one percent of the construction value of any project managed by the Real Estate Firm that resulted in a contract award to the Contracting Company.  Accordingly, CARUSO and NOLAN agreed to pay CC-2 approximately $35,500 for Project-1 and ultimately paid CC-2 approximately $33,000 in kickbacks for CC-2’s assistance on Project-1.  Most of these payments were made in cash at locations around New York City.  CARUSO and NOLAN also paid CC-1 approximately $15,000 for CC-1’s assistance in the Kickback Scheme, which included connecting CC-2 with CARUSO and NOLAN.

CARUSO and NOLAN attempted to obtain additional contracts from the Real Estate Firm with CC-2’s assistance as part of the Kickback Scheme.  Between in or about 2022 and in or about 2023, in exchange for CARUSO and NOLAN’s promise of payment for any contract awarded to the Contracting Company, CC-2 provided CARUSO and NOLAN with assistance relating to two additional construction projects managed by the Real Estate Firm that did not result in contract awards to the Contracting Company. 

CARUSO, 56, of Smithtown, New York, and Ludlow, Vermont, and NOLAN, 42, of Brooklyn, New York, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and one count of honest services wire fraud, which each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants would be determined by a judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Special Agents and the Task Force Officers of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.  Mr. Williams also thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation for their assistance in the investigation.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jane Kim and Nicholas Folly are in charge of the prosecution.

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

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

Four Individuals Charged for Laundering Millions from Cryptocurrency Investment Scams

 

A seven-count indictment was unsealed yesterday in Los Angeles charging four individuals for their alleged roles in a scheme to launder the proceeds of cryptocurrency investment scams and other fraudulent schemes involving millions of dollars in victim funds.

Lu Zhang, 36, of Alhambra, California; Justin Walker, 31, of Cypress, California; Joseph Wong, 32, Rosemead, California; and Hailong Zhu, 40, Naperville, Illinois, are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, concealment money laundering, and international money laundering. Zhang and Walker were arrested and made their initial appearances in federal court yesterday.

According to court documents, Zhang, Walker, Wong, and Zhu allegedly conspired to open shell companies and bank accounts to launder victim proceeds of cryptocurrency investment scams, also known as “pig butchering,” and other fraudulent schemes. They transferred the funds to domestic and international financial institutions. The overall fraud scheme in the related pig-butchering syndicate involved at least 284 transactions and resulted in more than $80 million in victim losses. More than $20 million in victim funds were directly deposited into bank accounts associated with the defendants.

According to court documents, “pig butchering” fraud schemes (a term derived from a foreign-language phrase used to describe these crimes) consist of scammers encountering victims on dating services, social media, or through unsolicited messages or calls, often masquerading as a wrong number. Scammers initiate relationships with victims and slowly gain their trust, eventually introducing the idea of making a business investment using cryptocurrency. Victims are then directed to other members of the scheme operating fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platforms and applications, where victims are persuaded to make financial investments. Once funds are sent to scammer-controlled accounts, the investment platform often falsely shows significant gains on the purported investment, and the victims are thus induced to make additional investments. Ultimately, the victims are unable to withdraw or recover their money, often resulting in significant losses for the victims.

If convicted, Zhang and Walker face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada for the Central District of California, and Special Agent in Charge William Mancino of the U.S. Secret Service’s Criminal Investigative Division made the announcement.

The U.S. Secret Service’s Global Investigative Operations Center is investigating the case.

The case is jointly prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California and the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section’s (CCIPS) National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET), which was established to combat the growing illicit use of cryptocurrencies and digital assets. CCIPS’ NCET conducts and supports investigations into individuals and entities that enable the use of digital assets to commit and facilitate a variety of crimes, with a particular focus on virtual currency exchanges, mixing and tumbling services, and infrastructure providers. The NCET also works to set strategic priorities regarding digital asset technologies, identify areas for increased investigative and prosecutorial focus, and lead the department’s efforts to collaborate with domestic and foreign government agencies as well as the private sector to aggressively investigate and prosecute crimes involving cryptocurrency and digital assets. 

CCIPS/NCET Trial Attorney and Assistant U.S. Attorney Maxwell Coll for the Central District of California, CCIPS/NCET Trial Attorney Stefanie Schwartz, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nisha Chandran for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case.  

If you or someone you know is a victim, report it to the IC3.gov. In the report, please reference “Pig Butchering PSA” and include as much information as possible in the complaint including names of investment platforms, cryptocurrency addresses and transaction hashes, bank account information, and names and contact information of suspected scammers. Maintain copies of all communications with scammers and records of financial transactions.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Attorney General James Takes Legal Action to Support Women of Color Entrepreneurs

 

 New York Attorney General Letitia James led a coalition of 19 attorneys general urging the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit to affirm that the Fearless Foundation can continue its philanthropic efforts to provide grants to women of color entrepreneurs. The American Alliance for Equal Rights is attempting to use a law enacted in 1866 to protect newly freed slaves from discrimination as a basis to stop the Fearless Foundation from uplifting historically marginalized communities by providing grants, mentorship, and assistance. 

“Using a law to protect newly freed slaves from discrimination as a basis to stop charities from investing in women of color entrepreneurs is not only legally wrong, it defies common sense,” said Attorney General James. “Historically marginalized communities have long been overlooked by traditional banks and investment firms, and organizations like Fearless Foundation provide access to capital that allows small business owners and entrepreneurs to thrive. I will always use my office to advance the cause of true justice and equality, and I am proud to take a stand in support of groups that help uplift, empower, and inspire.” 

The plaintiff in this case, the American Alliance for Equal Rights, is claiming that a section of the Civil Rights Act of 1866, 42 U.S.C. § 1981, would prohibit the Fearless Foundation from implementing its grant program for Black women entrepreneurs. Attorney General James and the coalition note that this argument is flawed, as this statute should not be applied to private charitable donations aimed at historically marginalized communities. The coalition further notes that the legislation itself was intended to facilitate the entry of marginalized people and groups into economic life at a time when access to capital was severely limited on racial and gender lines.  

Attorney General James and the coalition explain that Congress enacted 42 U.S.C. § 1981 during Reconstruction to outlaw discrimination that prevented African Americans from exercising basic economic rights, particularly the right to enter into commercial transactions. The coalition notes that Congress passed this law against a background of charitable giving aimed at helping marginalized groups, especially newly freed slaves, and there is no indication that Congress intended to put an end to this practice. Based on these considerations, Attorney General James and the coalition urge the appeals court to reject efforts to shut down the Fearless Foundation, and affirm the lower court decision in this case. 

This amicus brief is part of Attorney General James’ ongoing efforts to promote equality and combat racial discrimination. In October, Attorney General James released a landmark report detailing deep racial disparities in homeownership and access to home financing across the state. In July, Attorney General James led a coalition of 16 attorneys general and New York City in calling on the Federal Communications Commission to expand language access for critical government alerts sent to cell phones, known as Wireless Emergency Alerts. Also in July, Attorney General James reached an agreement with the Mamaroneck Union Free School District over its failure to respond to instances of race- and gender-based bullying and harassment against students. Attorney General James also secured agreements with Long Island real estate brokerages, including Coldwell Banker and Keller Williams Greater Nassau, Keller Williams Realty Elite, and Laffey Real Estate, to resolve alleged discrimination against Black, Hispanic, and other homebuyers of color. In October 2022, Attorney General James released a report on the role of online platforms in the tragic, racially motivated Buffalo mass shooting.  

Joining Attorney General James in filing today’s brief are the attorneys general of Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai’i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.