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Thursday, August 3, 2023
NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli: Local Sales Tax Collections Up 3% in Second Quarter
MAYOR ADAMS, ‘ITSALLBLACKMUSIC PRESENTS’ ANNOUNCE BLOCK PARTY LINEUPS AND CONVERSATIONS CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF HIP HOP
Conversations Include Special To-Be-Announced Guests at Apollo
Theater, Salt-N-Pepa at LaGuardia Performing Arts Center
DJ Lineup to Include DJ Eneff, Prince Paul, DJ Envy, Kid Capri, and Grand Master Cas
Special Guest Performances from KRS-One, Chuck D, Kool G Rap, and Onyx
Block Parties and Conversations to Take Place Starting August 5 Through August 13
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and ‘ITSALLBLACKMUSIC PRESENTS’ today announced the lineups for the free “5X5 Block Party Series” and live conversations between leaders in hip hop. Notable events include a live conversation with special guests at the Apollo Theater, Salt-N-Pepa discussing women in hip hop at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center, and special guest performances from KRS-One, Chuck D, Kool G Rap, Onyx, and more.
“On August 11, 1973, a back-to-school jam hosted by brother and sister Cindy and Clive Campbell, aka DJ Kool Herc, on Sedgwick Avenue in the Bronx spilled out onto the street. That night, hip hop — and the block party — were born. Fifty years later, both live on,” said Mayor Adams. “As the birthplace of hip hop, New York City is proud to host these free block parties and events as a celebration of that spirit that started 50 years ago.”
“We are thrilled to showcase the brilliance, resilience, and cultural contribution that hip hop has made to the world,” said ‘ITSALLBLACKMUSIC PRESENTS.’ “Through the block parties and edutainment conversations with seminal artists, we are celebrating the core pillars of the culture — DJing, MCing, breaking, and graffiti — embracing the true spirit of this art form, and engaging intergenerational audiences in the greatest city on earth.”
A poster highlighting the upcoming 5X5 Block Party Series. Credit: “ITSALLBLACK MUSIC PRESENTS” and City of New York
Events will feature an exceptional lineup of renowned DJs and seminal artists alongside street art installations, food vendors, interactive experiences, and educational-entertainment talks. Additionally, the city is collaborating with Pixis Drones to create and perform free drone light shows honoring iconic hip hop imagery. As the birthplace of hip hop, New York City will also celebrate and honor the genre’s musical and cultural transformation over the past 50 years through citywide initiatives, including a collaboration with LISA Project NYC to create 50 murals across all five boroughs to pay homage to hip hop’s rich history and community impact. Finally, the presence of KRS-One, representing hip hop’s longtime leadership, ensures that these block parties will be not only a celebration of the past, but also a powerful inspiration for the future of this influential art form.
The free conversations will take place at the following locations, dates, and times. For more information, visit and RSVP online.
BROOKLYN
“BLACK GIRLS ROCK! Presents Who Rocks Next: The Future of Hip Hop”
Saturday, August 5, 2023
1:00 PM
Brooklyn Academy of Music
30 Lafayette Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11217
BLACK GIRLS ROCK! and legendary DJ, author, and producer Beverly Bond will present a live conversation at the renowned Brooklyn Academy of Music, featuring rapper Rapsody, actress and DJ Dede Lovelace, and newcomer Kenya Vaun. This timely discussion explores the role of women in the future of hip hop and the contributions of women in all facets of the culture — from the broad spectrum of emcees and performers to the DJs, storytellers, dancers, cultural content creators, and executive shot callers.
QUEENS
“Very Necessary: A Conversation with Women in Hip Hop”
Sunday, August 6, 2023 1:00 PM
LaGuardia Performing Arts Center
31-10 Thomson Avenue
Long Island City, NY 11101
Multimedia personality and Hot 97’s TT Torrez will moderate a live conversation between Grammy Award-winning artists and seminal hip hop mega-group Salt-N-Pepa, celebrated Bronx rapper Remy Ma, and newcomer Flo Milli at the LaGuardia Performing Arts Center. This cross-generational conversation will explore the global impact of Salt-N-Pepa, how women emcees have laid the foundation for hip hop to evolve, and the continued efforts to push hip hop culture forward.
MANHATTAN
“A Live Talk with Special To-Be-Announced Guests”
Saturday, August 12, 2023
1:00 PM
The Apollo Theater
253 West 125th Street
New York, NY 10027
This event will celebrate 50 years of hip hop at Harlem’s world-famous Apollo Theater with a live talk featuring a special to-be-announced guest. This moderated conversation will explore the incredible cultural and global impact of hip hop, the continued growth and innovation of the genre, and the many ways the culture has dominated all areas — from sports to business to lifestyle.
In addition to the free conversations, the free block parties will take place at the following locations, dates, and times. For more information, visit and RSVP online.
BROOKLYN
Saturday, August 5, 2023
3:00 PM – 9:30 PM
Fulton Street & Washington Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11238
DJ sets and performances by:
DJ Enuff
DJ mOma
DJ Mister Cee
DJ Prince Paul
DJ Camilo
DJ Niara Sterling
Special guest performances by:
KRS-One
Dead Prez
Jungle Brothers
Fu-Shnickens
QUEENS
Sunday, August 6, 2023
3:00 PM – 9:30 PM
Vernon Boulevard & 41st Avenue
Long Island City, NY 11101
DJ sets and performances by:
DJ Envy
DJ Prince Paul
DJ mOma
DJ JS
DJ Sylk
Roxanne Shante
Onyx
Kool G Rap
Mobb Deep
STATEN ISLAND
Friday, August 11, 2023
3:00 PM – 9:30 PM
Castleton Avenue & Davis Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10310
DJ sets and performances by:
DJ Red Alert
DJ Prince Paul
DJ Drewski
Statik Selektah
DJ Evil Dee
KRS-One
Jungle Brothers
Nems
Dres from Black Sheep
THE BRONX
Saturday, August 12, 2023
1:00 PM – 9:30 PM
1520 Sedgwick Avenue
Bronx, NY 10453
DJ sets and performances by:
DJ Kid Capri
Grandmaster Cas
Talib Kweli
Chuck D
KRS-One
MANHATTAN
Sunday, August 13, 2023
3:00 PM – 9:30 PM
West 125th Street & Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard
New York, NY 10027
Special guests and performances to be announced soon.
The block parties and events were made possible thanks to Sony Corporation, UMe Urban Legends, Adidas, Certified, and The Recording Academy.
‘ITSALLBLACKMUSIC PRESENTS’ is a nascent integrated edutainment media platform and live events company dedicated to celebrating and amplifying the rich history of the Black experience. Through events, storytelling, and education, the company explores the past, present, and future of influential genres of music and culture. ‘ITSALLBLACKMUSIC PRESENTS’ honors the values of peace, love, unity, and having fun, and pays homage to the artists, movements, and communities that shape the world.
Wednesday, August 2, 2023
Representative Adriano Espaillat Highlights New Benefits For Veterans Under The PACT Act
Today, Representative Adriano Espaillat (NY-13) issued the following statement to highlight new benefits that veterans exposed to toxic substances can receive under the PACT Act, which was signed into law last year, and to encourage veterans and their families from New York’s 13th congressional district to apply by an important August 9 deadline.
“With the PACT Act, Democrats put People Over Politics and kept the promise we made to our veterans by providing veterans exposed to toxic substances like burn pits the care and benefits they have earned,” said Rep. Espaillat. “To get the benefits you are entitled to, I urge veterans in my district to file a claim by the August 9 deadline for receiving backdated benefits.”
The PACT Act makes nearly 3.5 million veterans across the country eligible right now for the care and benefits they earned. The legislation ensures eligibility for benefits for veterans who were exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, Gulf War toxins, and radiation.
PACT Act-related claims submitted by August 9 will be backdated to August 10, 2022, so eligible veterans are encouraged to file their claims as soon as possible. Veterans and their families can find more information on PACT Act benefits by visiting VA.gov/pact or by calling 1-800-MyVA411 (1-800-698-2411)(TTY: 711).
MAYOR ADAMS, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT COMMISSION ANNOUNCE RESULTS OF “THE PEOPLE’S MONEY,” CITYWIDE PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING VOTE
$5 Million Will Fund 46 Projects to Address Community Needs
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Civic Engagement Commission (CEC) Chair and Executive Director Dr. Sarah Sayeed today announced the results of “The People’s Money” — New York City’s first-ever citywide participatory budgeting vote. The 46 projects funded as a result of this participatory budget will address community needs as identified by residents, with an overwhelming focus on youth and mental health services. Residents also chose projects that will focus on supporting the health and well-being of New Yorkers, food access, job training, workers’ rights, senior services, immigrant services, arts and culture, and the environment.
“Through this historic process, we are learning more about the needs and priorities of New Yorkers and taking steps to effect change by investing directly into our communities,” said Mayor Adams. “This administration believes in the power of community voice, and by providing opportunities like ‘The People’s Money,’ we strengthen our democracy and deepen civic engagement.”
“There’s no one better to decide how the New York City budget is spent than New Yorkers themselves,” said New York City Chief Engagement Officer Betsy MacLean. “We all have an important part to play in making our beloved city work better and be better for all of us. Huge congratulations to Dr. Sayeed and the powerhouse ‘People’s Money’ team for leading this groundbreaking effort — the first of its kind so focused on equity and inclusion and at this scale. I am deeply inspired by the more than 100 community partners and over 100,000 New Yorkers who rolled up their sleeves and got in the weeds of city-making. We cannot wait for next year and even more ‘People’s Money’ for New Yorkers to spend!”
“When New Yorkers speak, we listen. That’s what participatory budgeting is all about — active listening, empowering communities, and building civic power,” said CEC Chair and Executive Director Dr. Sayeed. “Since its inception, the CEC has placed equity and justice at the center of our work to build trust in democracy. This historic process has inspired tens of thousands of new voices into the democratic process, providing a unique, accessible pathway into civic engagement, and we are incredibly grateful for the unprecedented level of participation. We will continue to partner with communities through the implementation of these exciting projects.”
“New York City’s first-ever citywide participatory budgeting process has been an exciting opportunity for the Adams administration to connect directly with communities as partners in government,” said New York City Community Affairs Unit Commissioner Fred Kreizman. “Congratulations to Dr. Sayeed and the Civic Engagement Commission team on engaging New Yorkers across all five boroughs to allocate $5 million! These funded projects will help address important community issues, including job training, senior services, and the environment.”
“Citywide participatory budgeting represents a powerful paradigm shift in governance, broadening decision-making power from a limited few to the collective wisdom of the community,” said Mayor’s Public Engagement Unit Executive Director Adrienne Lever. “When we embrace public engagement through participatory budgeting, we bridge the gap between city government and residents, cultivating stronger and more resilient communities.”
“I applaud this groundbreaking approach to allocating funds, which demonstrates a true commitment to engaging our community and addressing pressing needs in a collaborative way,” said New York City Department of Veterans’ Services Commissioner James Hendon. “These efforts will undoubtedly foster a stronger and more supportive environment for the community and our veterans and create a brighter future for this great city as a whole.”
“New Yorkers have ensured that $5 million goes toward the community needs that they feel are most deserving,” said New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “Youth and senior services, food access, job training, environmental sustainability — these are paramount issues for New Yorkers, including NYCHA residents, and it is empowering to see them rally to get them funded through ‘The People's Money.’”
Between May 10 and June 25, New York City residents voted on how to spend part of the city budget in their communities. The CEC provided $1.7 million in funding to 105 community partners to engage in grassroots outreach directed toward New Yorkers who have typically been left out of the democratic process. This included a targeted effort in 33 neighborhoods, as identified by the Task Force on Racial Inclusion and Equity as most heavily impacted by COVID-19, and with specific communities, such as those with limited English proficiency, youth (11-21), veterans, people with disabilities, immigrants, NYCHA residents, older adults, the faith-based community, LGBTQIA+, and justice-impacted residents.
New Yorkers living in any one of the five boroughs were able to vote on a ballot for their borough, while those living in one of 33 equity neighborhoods were also able to vote on a ballot for their neighborhood. Funding for projects will be based on population and poverty indicators, as approved by New Yorkers via a public hearing. The breakdown of funding for the 46 projects is:
- Bronx: Three projects with the highest number of votes will be funded for $265,000 each.
- Brooklyn: Four projects with the highest number of votes will be funded for $250,000 each.
- Queens: Three projects with the highest number of votes will be funded for $280,000 each.
- Manhattan: Two projects with the highest number of votes will be funded for $262,500 each.
- Staten Island: One project with the highest number of votes will be funded for $177,000.
- 33 Equity Neighborhoods: One project per neighborhood with the highest number of votes will be funded for $50,000.
Residents voted online, while paper ballots were also available at accessible sites across the city. The CEC co-hosted five flagship events, one in each borough featuring The People’s Bus, a retired New York City Department of Correction vehicle transformed into a mobile community center, where residents were also able to vote.
The CEC will announce the organizations responsible for implementing funded projects and will work closely with the implementing organizations over the course of the year to ensure they are supported and that projects are effectively monitored and are completed successfully. All projects must be completed by June 2024. The CEC will report back the results of the projects upon completion, including metrics such as the number of residents served, outcomes, highlights, successes, and challenges.
Detailed vote totals and more information about “The People’s Money” can be found online.
“As a profoundly democratic space, The New York Public Library was proud to offer New Yorkers of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences the opportunity to engage in open and free discussion, collaboration, and civic engagement,” said Gesille Dixon, vice president, branch programs and services, The New York Public Library. “Partnering with The Civic Engagement Commission in ‘The People’s Money’ program, branches throughout the Bronx, Manhattan, and Staten Island provided resources and information that educated communities about the participatory budgeting process, allowing them to actively engage in their civic responsibility and advocate for themselves.”
“We were thrilled to participate as an institution throughout the participatory budgeting process,” said Doug Israel, director of government and community relations, Borough of Manhattan Community College. “Not only did our students, staff, and faculty have an opportunity to weigh in on the projects they support in their neighborhoods, but our student ambassadors gained incredibly valuable experience engaging the campus community and being active participants in the civic engagement process. It was a win-win overall for our college and for the city.”
“Across all five boroughs, NYCHA residents engaged their neighbors and held voting sessions in their communities, and thousands of NYCHA residents participated and got out the vote for ‘The People’s Money,’” said Alex Zablocki, executive director, Public Housing Community Fund. “The Public Housing Community Fund, in collaboration with NYCHA and the Civic Engagement Commission, partnered with NYCHA resident leaders in all boroughs during the voting phase. Residents used their knowledge of community to host voting events that were fun and engaging while giving their community a voice and opportunity to vote on projects. This truly was a partnership between government, nonprofit organizations, and people, in an effort to include all New Yorkers in this first-ever citywide participatory process.”
“It is a historic moment for people with disabilities living in New York City. ‘The People’s Money’ project is an opportunity for people with disabilities to make their vote count and voice heard. People with disabilities can vote on projects that impact their lives and can truly improve the quality of their lives,” said Sharon McLennon-Wier, Ph.D., MSEd., CRC, LMHC, executive director, Center for Independence of the Disabled, NY (CIDNY). “CIDNY is pleased to participate in this initiative, and we support the mayor’s call to action to ensure that all people living in New York City have equity, resources, and access to a better quality of life.”
“Participatory budgeting gave so many of our neighbors in the Mott Haven/Melrose community a voice to highlight their needs and concerns and the power to meet those needs through a better understanding of the public budget,” said Aleciah Anthony, director of community engagement; and Carmen Pineiro, director of organizing, Bronx Defenders. “The challenge of civic engagement is the real sense of connectedness in community that we lose when resources and opportunities are scarce. This process allowed for those who feel most marginalized in the community to not only feel valued and heard but recognize their own power to make changes in their communities.”
“At The Door, our community is at the forefront of our work. Through cultivating partnerships with our supporters, The Door’s youth leadership program was able to effectively participate in ‘The People’s Money’ to ensure we continue to provide transformative and quality arts programming for New York City youth,” said Kelsey Louie, CEO, The Door and Broome Street Academy Charter High School. “Our members learned valuable skills through thought leadership while advocating for a cause they believed in.”
“Being part of a process that directly asked for community input on how to spend funds for their neighborhoods has been a rewarding and insightful experience,” said Maria Deaquis-Cornejo, director, Community Mediation Services. “It been a wonderful reminder that people who live in these communities know the most about how continue to support their neighborhoods. They are the most important stakeholders in the process.”
“New Immigrant Community Empowerment seeks to empower immigrant workers in life and at work. NICE members have had the powerful opportunity to participate in CEC’s ‘The People’s Money’ since the beginning — they gathered in the community to select an idea that contributes to the economic development of Queens borough, made it to the ballot, voted, and encouraged the community participation in this historic event,” said Nilbia Coyote, executive director, New Immigrant Community Empowerment (NICE). “CEC’s ‘The People’s Money’ provided NICE members — immigrant workers that contribute to building New York City every day — a powerful and empowering opportunity to contribute and get their voices heard across New York City. NICE thanks the New York City Civic Engagement Commission for the opportunity to participate in this initiative.”
“Participatory budgeting allows our SI TRIE Task Force to reach many different places in our community — the young in their classrooms to the elderly in our food pantry lines. We conducted participatory budgeting in four languages — Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, and English — and did balloting any many local community events to capture the vote of many different community members,” said Reverend Dr. Terry Troia, president and CEO, Project Hospitality. “It was an exciting mission to draw local community members from NYCHA housing to senior centers to intermediate schools to centers for disabled persons to Juneteenth and Cinco de Mayo celebrations!”
“LiveOn NY was proud to partner with the New York City Civic Engagement Commission on such a successful citywide effort to engage New Yorkers directly with the budget process. We were able to mobilize over 50 older adult centers and naturally occurring retirement communities in all five boroughs to ensure older adults’ voices were counted in this vote,” said Allison Nickerson, executive director, LiveOn NY. “We look forward to growing our partnership with the CEC, and we congratulate them on such an unprecedented success!”
“We’re excited about the results of this year-long process that have engaged members of the Lower East Side and Chinatown communities through every phase. It’s been incredible to see how eager folks have been to be a part of this project, whether that’s through identifying the needs in their community or spending time talking to their neighbors to collect thousands of votes,” said Damaris Reyes, executive director, Good Old Lower East Side. “We look forward to more projects and processes where our communities can lead the way.”
Rhode Island Man Pleads Guilty To Conspiring To Traffic “Ghost Guns” And To Laundering Money
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ROBERT ALCANTARA pled guilty today in Manhattan federal court to conspiracy to traffic firearms and conspiracy to launder money from his firearms trafficking. ALCANTARA conspired to sell more than 100 “ghost guns” to individuals in the Dominican Republic.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Robert Alcantara built untraceable ghost guns and conspired to sell more than 100 of them to individuals in the Dominican Republic. Thanks to the work of our law enforcement partners, his brazen gun trafficking scheme has been stopped.”
According to the Indictment and statements made in court proceedings and filings:
On November 20, 2021, ALCANTARA was stopped in his vehicle in possession of kits to build approximately 45 ghost guns. ALCANTARA was interviewed by law enforcement agents and stated that he was planning to turn the 45 kits into working firearms and that he had 50 additional similar ghost guns at his home. A photograph of the 45 seized ghost gun kits is below:
ALCANTARA used his Rhode Island home as a factory to machine ghost gun kits into working firearms. Below is a photograph of his home factory:
After ALCANTARA purchased ghost gun kits and machined them into working firearms, he sold those working firearms in the Dominican Republic. Below are photographs of firearms ALCANTARA sent to buyers in the Dominican Republic to advertise the firearms he had available for sale:
ALCANTARA received payments for the guns he sold in the Dominican Republic and laundered those funds.
ALCANTARA, 36, of Providence, Rhode Island, pled guilty today to one count of conspiring to traffic firearms, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of conspiring to launder money, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge. ALCANTARA is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Broderick on November 15, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Department of Commerce. Mr. Williams also thanked the New York City Police Department, the New York State Police Department, the Providence Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Rhode Island for their assistance in the case.
Attorney General James and Acting Tax Commissioner Hiller Announce Convictions of Nassau County Collision Repair Shops and Owner for Tax Fraud
Defendants Cardona, No Limit Auto Body, and Henry Street Auto Body Stole More Than $700,000 in Sales Tax
New York Attorney General Letitia James and Acting New York Commissioner of Taxation and Finance Amanda Hiller today announced the sentencing of Jose Cardona, 45, of Oceanside, for felony Tax Fraud related to his ownership and operation of two Nassau County collision repair shops. Today, in Nassau County State Supreme Court, Cardona was sentenced to six months in jail and five years of probation, after having already paid more than $700,000 in restitution. Cardona’s two businesses previously pleaded guilty to felony Tax Fraud charges, and his wife — Veronica Cardona, 44, also of Oceanside — previously pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor False Filing charge related to a fraudulent personal income tax return.
“When individuals and businesses line their pockets with tax money, they steal services and resources from New Yorkers,” said Attorney General James. “Jose Cardona and his businesses took advantage of taxpayers and tried to cheat our state out of over half a million dollars. I thank DTF and Acting Commissioner Hiller for their partnership and coordination to address this crime and carry out justice. My office will continue to protect New York taxpayers and ensure public resources are used for their intended purposes.”
“By fraudulently disregarding his tax obligations, Mr. Cardona violated the trust of his customers, deprived his own community of revenue needed for vital programs and services, and put other businesses at a competitive disadvantage,” said Acting Commissioner Hiller. “I thank the attorney general for her work on this case. We’ll continue to work with all levels of law enforcement to bring tax criminals to justice.”
Jose Cardona was the owner and operator of two collision centers: No Limit Auto Body, Inc., also known as Perry’s Hub Auto Care — located at 10 Jerusalem Avenue in Hempstead, NY — and Henry Street Auto Body, Inc., also known as No Limit Auto Body II — located at 110 Henry Street in Freeport, NY. A joint investigation by the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) Auto Insurance Fraud Unit and the Department of Taxation and Finance (Tax Department) revealed that Cardona and No Limit Auto Body collected but failed to remit to New York state over $584,000 in sales taxes between June 2010 and May 2016, and that Cardona and Henry Street Auto Body collected but failed to remit over $117,000 in sales tax between June 2011 and November 2015.
Cardona previously pleaded guilty to one count each of Criminal Tax Fraud in the Third Degree (a Class D Felony) and Criminal Tax Fraud in the Fourth Degree (a Class E Felony). Pursuant to his pleas, Cardona paid more than $700,000 in restitution to the Tax Department prior to being sentenced. Today, before Acting Supreme Court Justice Meryl J. Berkowitz, Cardona was sentenced to six months in jail, followed by five years of probation.
In addition to sales tax fraud, Cardona and his wife were both charged with filing a false personal income tax return for 2011 and failing to file personal income tax returns for 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 — thereby underpaying over $204,000 in personal income taxes.
Additionally, prosecutors previously charged No Limit employee Peter Bifolco with Felony Insurance Fraud for adding additional damage to a car brought to the shop and then billing more than $3,000 in unnecessary repairs.
Veronica Cardona, Bifolco, and Cardona’s two businesses previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced before Acting Supreme Court Justice Berkowitz in Nassau County. Henry Street Auto Body pleaded guilty to one count of Tax Fraud in the Fourth Degree, and No Limit Auto Body pleaded guilty to one count of Tax Fraud in the Fourth Degree and one count of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree (a Class E Felony). Veronica Cardona pleaded guilty to one count of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the Second Degree (a Class A Misdemeanor), and Bifolco pleaded guilty to one count of Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree (a Class A Misdemeanor). The defendants were previously sentenced to a conditional discharge.
This case was investigated by the Tax Department’s Criminal Investigations Division, and then referred to OAG for further investigation and prosecution.
The OAG thanks the Tax Department, New York State Department of Financial Services, National Insurance Crime Bureau, and GEICO Insurance for their valuable assistance in this investigation.