Attorney General James Launches Investigation Into Notorious New York Landlords For Real Estate Fraud

The Edelstein Family Has Been The Subject Of Multiple Enforcement Actions By The Attorney General’s Office Over The Last 30 Years  

  Attorney General Letitia James announced an investigation into Michael, Florence, and Ronald Edelstein regarding their alleged fraudulent business practices and the mismanagement of property related to Rockview Apartment Corporation, a 106-unit Manhattan cooperative of which they were collectively the sponsor. The court order requires the Edelsteins to testify and produce documents relating to their alleged actions, and prohibits them from interfering with the operations of the co-op’s independent board of directors while the investigation proceeds. 

“For decades, the Edelstein family has attempted to bend the law to suit their own needs, while taking advantage of New Yorkers in the process,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “Property owners and management companies have an obligation to be forthcoming with their residents, and my office will continue to hold these entities accountable.” 

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) initiated the investigation after receiving complaints that the Edelsteins had retained voting control over the Rockview board of directors for more than 30 years despite previous representations that they were not in control. By secretly controlling the board for decades, the Edelsteins ensured that the co-op retained their own management company and that financial decisions were made to benefit themselves, rather than independent shareholders. The Attorney General also learned that Ronald Edelstein harassed the co-op’s shareholders by intimidating those who disagree with him, monitoring residents via closed-circuit cameras, and threatening to withhold repairs from some owners. 

While a shareholder election last month voted the Edelsteins off the co-op’s board, the Attorney General has learned that the Edelsteins continue to interfere with the regular operations of the co-op. 

The Court order is pursuant to General Business Law Section 354, a provision of New York’s Martin Act that confers broad power on the Attorney General to halt fraud in the selling or offering of real estate securities. The Court order specifically directs that the Edelsteins and other respondents may not interfere with the newly-elected board of directors, that Ronald Edelstein may not disturb any resident of the co-op in the quiet enjoyment of his or her home, have any involvement in the management of the co-op, and may not take any financial action on behalf of the co-op. 

The OAG has previously issued enforcement actions against the Edelsteins, most recently in 2015, when OAG settled a lawsuit with Florence Edelstein over widespread violations of state oil spill prevention laws that govern the safe handling and storage of heating oil at residential properties.

Attorney General James On Passage Of Tenant Harassment Bill

  In response to the New York State Senate’s passage of the Attorney General's legislation to criminalize landlord harassment of rent-regulated tenants, Attorney General Letitia James released the following statement:

“For far too long, unscrupulous landlords have gotten away with subjecting rent-regulated tenants to dangerous and horrific conditions in an attempt to force them out of their homes. From exposing residents to hazardous materials, to making buildings deliberately uninhabitable, to shutting off heat and hot water, the landlords behind these serious acts of tenant harassment have been able to evade justice because the standard for proving criminal culpability has been impossibly high. Today that begins to change. This bill will go a long way in protecting our most vulnerable tenants by changing the legal standard of harassment and allowing prosecutors to finally pursue these acts that have hurt countless New Yorkers. I thank the Legislature for their partnership on this action to support tenants and ensure bad actors are held accountable.”

BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO 5 TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON FOR STEALING VEHICLES IN MULTIPLE BRONX NEIGHBORHOODS

Defendant Falsified DMV Records and Sold Cars to Scrap Yards

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a 42-year-old man has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to stealing three vehicles from various neighborhoods in the Bronx.

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant committed these crimes within one week of completing a prison sentence for auto theft. These crimes affect residents who spend hard-earned money on their cars and need their vehicles to get to work or transport their families.”

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Reynaldo Nazario, 42, of 3405 Putnam Place, was sentenced today to 5 to 10 years in prison by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Steven Hornstein. Nazario pleaded guilty to three counts of third-degree Grand Larceny on March 8, 2019.

 According to the investigation, between March 13, 2018 and May 22, 2018, Nazario allegedly stole 14 older-model Hondas and Civic vehicles from within the confines of the 46th , 52nd, 45th, 50th and 44th Precincts. The defendant falsely filled out MV-35 DMV forms-- which are intended for use by an owner selling a vehicle without a title-- and sold the cars to scrap yards. He collected $3,500 after selling the vehicles for $250 each.

 District Attorney Clark also thanked retired NYPD Detective Manny Rossi and Detective Ricky Quinones of the Bronx Auto Crime Squad, and NYPD Police Officer Mark Preira of the 52nd Precinct.

BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO 21 YEARS IN PRISON FOR FATALLY SHOOTING MAN DURING ROBBERY; SLASHING NYC DOC OFFICER WHILE IN RIKERS ISLAND

  Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to 21 years in prison for fatally shooting a 40-year-old man in 2016, and for a separate case involving an assault on a Department of Correction Officer on Rikers Island in 2018. 

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant shot and killed the victim, who leaves behind a 6-year-old-daughter. The defendant continued to commit violence while he was held on Rikers Island by slashing a Department of Correction Officer who was trying to protect him during a fight among prisoners.” 

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Elijah Moody, 24, of 1595 Odell Street, was sentenced today by Bronx Supreme Court Justice James McCarty to 21 years in prison and five years post-release supervision for first-degree Manslaughter. He was sentenced to three and a half years in prison and three years post-release supervision for Attempted Assault in the first-degree. Both sentences will run concurrently. The defendant pleaded guilty to the charges on January 8, 2019 before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Barry E. Warhit.

 According to the investigation, on August 3, 2016, in front of 2214 Glebe Avenue, the defendant shot Vivian Connell, 40, causing his death. Prior to the shooting, the victim had gone to buy a money order to pay his rent, but was unable to purchase it because he did not have identification. Connell then went to a bodega. Moody, in concert with other defendants, followed Connell and pulled a gun on him. The victim ran away and was shot in the back. As he lay wounded, Moody and his accomplices stole Connell’s rent money from his pockets. Connell was taken to Jacobi Medical Center and died shortly after. Moody was arrested several days later.

  The cases against the other defendants are still pending.

  According to the investigation, on July 13, 2018, while detained at the Anna M. Kross Center on Rikers Island, Moody slashed a Department of Correction Officer on the left side of his face with a sharp object. The victim was trying to remove Moody from the area after a fight broke out among prisoners, to keep him safe.

 District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detective Jose Ortiz of the 45th Precinct, Bronx Homicide Detectives Earnest Dorvil and Christine Reyes, and Investigators Scott Frank and Anthony Marano of DOC Correction Intelligence for their assistance in the investigation.

MAYOR DE BLASIO SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER TO END CITY RELIANCE ON SINGLE-USE PLASTIC

Executive order directs city agencies to end purchasing single-use plastic foodware and replace it with compostable or recyclable alternatives; also directs them to keep a small supply of plastic items available upon request for people who need them

  Mayor de Blasio signed an executive order today that will end the direct City purchase of unnecessary single-use plastics in favor of compostable or recyclable alternatives. New York City purchases at least 1.1 million pounds of single-use plastic foodware every year, which includes plastic straws, cutlery, plates, bowls, cups, and trays. This Executive Order will reduce New York City’s carbon emissions by approximately 500 tons per year, decrease plastic pollution, and reduce risks to wildlife. The City estimates this EO will reduce the purchase of single-use plastics by city agencies by 95%, and will begin implementation by the end of the year.

The Administration recognizes that certain single-use plastic items including plastic straws are a continued necessity for some people—including New Yorkers with disabilities—who cannot use currently available alternative products and affirms the ability of all individuals to receive single-use plastic items without question or cost upon request. Under this executive order, a sufficient supply of single-use plastic foodware will continue to be made available for anyone who requests such items and maintained for other purposes including emergency preparedness and medical uses.

“Big Oil has been pushing single use plastics for too long – and it stops here,” said Mayor de Blasio. “They litter our beaches and parks, jam our recycling machines, and contribute to climate change. Our actions today will help us build a fairer city for all New Yorkers.”

As a result of the executive order, no new contracts will be signed for single-use plastic foodware other than to maintain a sufficient supply of certain items to be provided upon request. All relevant agencies are directed to begin reducing their use of single-use plastic immediately and must also prepare a reduction plan within 120 days. Full implementation of these reduction plans is targeted for the end of the year. Sustainability and accessibility are not mutually exclusive and this executive order is a model for other municipalities that are working to create an environmentally conscious plan that meets the needs of everyone.

Mayor de Blasio also announced today his support for pending City Council legislation to reduce the single-use plastic foodware in private establishments, and will work with the Council to ensure the legislation includes appropriate accommodations for individuals who cannot use non-plastic alternatives in a similar manner to this executive order.

Single-use plastic products, which are designed to be used once and then thrown away, are a pervasive threat to our neighborhoods, waterways, and climate. Across New York City, approximately 36 million pounds of single use plastic foodware is collected from our residential waste stream. Tens of millions more pounds are collected from commercial establishments. Discarded plastics also get discarded as litter and washed into waterways, impacting water quality and harming plant and animal life in New York City’s ecosystems. Reducing single-use plastic use, while simultaneously maintaining a sufficient supply of certain single-use plastic items since some people cannot use alternative products, will lessen the City’s reliance on petroleum-based products in a way that takes the needs of all New Yorkers into account.

Reducing the use of petroleum-based products in an inclusive way will help New York City meet its goal of reducing carbon emissions at least 80 percent by 2050. Over 99 percent of plastics derive from fossil fuels and six percent of the global oil market is used to create plastic products. For each ounce of polyethylene produced – the plastic most common for single-use plastics – one ounce of carbon dioxide is emitted. Carbon emissions are the leading cause of climate change, which is causing higher temperatures, more frequent and severe extreme weather events, and sea-level rise, which threatens New York City’s 520 miles of coastline.

This executive order builds on previous progress by the de Blasio administration to protect New York City from the damage done by petroleum-based products and the oil industry that is responsible for them. On January 1, 2019, the City implemented a ban on single-use foam products, such as cups, plates, trays, clamshell containers, or polystyrene loose fill packaging—also known as “packing peanuts.”

The City is also divesting its pension funds from fossil fuel reserve owners, has filed a lawsuit seeking damages from five fossil fuel companies for the billions of dollars that will be spent to protect New Yorkers from the effects of climate change, and has set a goal of doubling its pension fund investments in climate change solutions to $4 billion by 2021. This increased investment will represent two percent of the City’s $195 billion pension portfolio.

“Let’s call single-use plastic what it is: pollution,” said Mark Chambers, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability. “We need to leave theses harmful plastics behind, and reducing the City’s use of plastic foodware is a huge step in that direction.”

“New York City is doing everything it can to end our reliance on fossil fuels and that means tackling the pervasive problem of single-use plastics,” said Daniel A. Zarrilli, NYC’s Chief Climate Policy Advisor and OneNYC Director. “Today’s Executive Order will end the unnecessary use of single-use plastic foodware in City government operations by setting smart, inclusive standards that respect the needs of people with disabilities.”

“New York City is proud to lead the way in striking a balance between sustainability and accessibility,” said Commissioner Victor Calise of the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities. “The Mayor’s Executive Order will significantly reduce plastic foodware purchased using City funds, while simultaneously ensuring that the needs of people with disabilities and others who cannot use alternative products are also at the forefront. MOPD is proud to work with our agency partners to reduce environmental waste in an inclusive way that takes the needs of all New Yorkers—including those with disabilities —into account.”

"Environmental protection is essential at every level- from global agreements, to national green emissions standards and green energy plans, to an individual's actions and choices. Following the statewide plastic bag ban and the citywide foam ban, this effort is another important step in reducing waste and negative environmental impact in any way we can," said Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.

Wave Hill events April 25‒May 2: Arbor Weekend!

Thu, April 25

Garden Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide  for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM

Fri, Sat, Sun, April 26, 27, 28

Arbor Weekend

Celebrate the trees in our garden, with walks, art-making, wellness, cooking and kid-friendly activities all weekend.

Fri, April 26

Garden Walk: Notable Trees of Wave Hill

Wave Hill’s landscape includes magnificent old trees, rare species and native beauties. Wander through the gardens on this special walk with Senior Director of Horticulture Louis Bauer to see some of his favorites from the living collection. Free with admission to the grounds. Arbor Weekend event.

Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM

Sat, April 27

Family Art Project: Tree Ring Mandalas

Each year, a tree produces a new ring of visible growth, marking its life history. In a tree ring, you can find information that the tree has carried about its own personal growth, and the changes in its ecosystem. Count the years of your own life to create your own unique mandala that speaks to your growth and the growth of the community around you. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. Arbor Weekend event.

Wave Hill House, 10AM–1PM

Sat, April 27

In The Shop: Leaf-inspired Pottery, Maple Syrups Galore!

Instore artisan Kerry Goldberg‘s stunning pottery is handcrafted in upstate New York using—and inspired by—leaves. Plus, enjoy 20% off all the delicious maple syrups in stock in The Shop this spring!Arbor Weekend event.

Perkins Visitor Center, 10AM–4:30PM

Sat, April 27

Trees HQ

Stump the educators! Look at tree silhouettes, shapes and sizes, see what trees look like on the inside using “tree cookies.” Learn how to identify common trees and leave no question unanswered. Free with admission to the grounds. Arbor Weekend event.

On the grounds, 11AM–3PM

Sat, April 27

Junior Arborist Station

Kids can don harnesses and hardhats and ascend into the canopy of our old black cherry tree to get a birds-eye view of Wave Hill. Arborists from Almstead Tree, Shrub & Lawn Care are on hand to assist budding arborists and answer questions about the trees at Wave Hill. Ages five and older welcome with an adult. Arbor Weekend event. This program, free with admission to the grounds, is generously sponsored by Almstead Tree, Shrub & Lawn Care.

On the grounds, 11AM–3PM

Sat, April 27

Wellness: Spritz Station—The Healing Power of Pine

Stop by our spritz station to sample some exhilarating tree scents. Learn about the medicinal qualities of Wave Hill’s trees and mix your own herbal, pine-scented spritz to soothe your skin, refresh your linens and enhance the ambience of your home. Ages eight and older welcome with an adult. Free with admission to the grounds, with a $10 materials fee. Arbor Weekend event.

On the grounds, 11AM–1PM

Sat, April 27

Garden Walk: Trees and the Designed Landscape

Trees are integral to landscape design, from defining garden spaces to softening architecture and acting as focal points. Take a stroll with Director of Public Programs Laurel Rimmer to see how trees enhance the design of Wave Hill’s gardens. Free with admission to the grounds. Arbor Weekend event.

Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM

Sat, April 27

Family Walk: Totally Trees

Wave Hill boasts a collection of extraordinary, stately and old trees. Discover how trees grow by looking at a tree’s parts and the role each part plays in a tree’s life cycle. With trees as your inspiration, embark on an adventure across the grounds with an environmental educator. Ages six and older welcome with an adult. Free with admission to the grounds. Arbor Weekend event.

Meet at Wave Hill House, 1PM

Sat, April 27

Gallery Tour

Tour Glyndor Gallery with Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow or Gallery Greeter to get an insider’s view of current exhibitions. Here We Land features three, former Winter Workspace artists Camille Hoffman,Maria Hupfield and Sara Jimenez who return explore narratives about contested space that draw on personal and cultural touch points in their immersive installations. Rachel Sydlowski fills the Sunroom Project Space walls with complex, screen-print collages of flora and fauna, architectural details and decorative motifs from Wave Hill, Inwood Hill Park and other surrounding green spaces. Free with admission to the grounds.

Glyndor Gallery, 2PM

Sun, April 28

Family Art Project: Tree Ring Mandalas

Each year, a tree produces a new ring of visible growth, marking its life history. In a tree ring, you can find information that the tree has carried about its own personal growth, and the changes in its ecosystem. Count the years of your own life to create your own unique mandala that speaks to your growth and the growth of the community around you. Free with admission to the grounds. Arbor Weekend event.

Wave Hill House, 10AM–1PM

Sun, April 28

In The Shop: Maple Syrups Galore!

Enjoy 20% off all the delicious maple syrups in stock in The Shop this spring! Arbor Weekend event.

Perkins Visitor Center, 10AM–4:30PM

Sun, April 28

Wellness: Forest Bathing

Forest bathing, inspired by the Japanese practice of shinrin-yoku, deepens relationships to the natural world. Boost your immune system and cardiovascular strength, reduce stress and improve cognitive functioning, with Gerti Schoen, a certified forest therapist, as your guide through Wave Hill’s woodland trails. Limited space, please register and arrive early to secure your place. Free with admission to the grounds. Adults only, please. Arbor Weekend event.

Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 10AM–NOON

Sun, April 28

Family Walk: Totally Trees

Wave Hill boasts a collection of extraordinary, stately and old trees. Discover how trees grow by looking at a tree’s parts and the role each part plays in a tree’s life cycle. With trees as your inspiration, embark on an adventure across the grounds with an environmental educator. Ages six and older welcome with an adult. Free with admission to the grounds. Arbor Weekend event.

Meet at Wave Hill House, 1PM

Sun, April 28

Garden Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide  for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 2PM

Sun, April 28

Cooking Demo: Culinary Conifers

Versatile conifers enhance our landscape year-round, and provide flavorful accents for both sweet and savory dishes. With the Conifer Slope as a backdrop, Horticultural Interpreter Charles Day and a chef from Great Performances reveal the origin and history of some of our edible conifers. Sample delicious, coniferous recipes featuring juniper berries and pine nuts. Appropriate for ages 10 and older.Free with admission to the grounds. Arbor Weekend event.

Wave Hill House, 3PM

Mon, April 29

Closed to the public.

Tue, April 30

Gallery Tour

Tour Glyndor Gallery with Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow or Gallery Greeter to get an insider’s view of current exhibitions. Here We Land features three, former Winter Workspace artists Camille Hoffman,Maria Hupfield and Sara Jimenez who return explore narratives about contested space that draw on personal and cultural touch points in their immersive installations. Rachel Sydlowski fills the Sunroom Project Space walls with complex, screen-print collages of flora and fauna, architectural details and decorative motifs from Wave Hill, Inwood Hill Park and other surrounding green spaces. Free with admission to the grounds.

Glyndor Gallery, 2PM

Wed, May 1

Garden Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM

Thu, May 2

Garden Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM

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

HOURS – Open all year, Tuesday through Sunday and many major holidays: 9AM–5:30PM, March 15–October 31. Closes 4:30PM, starting November 1.

ADMISSION – $10 adults, $6 students and seniors 65+, $4 children 6–18. Free Saturday and Tuesday mornings until noon. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.

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

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

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

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

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. - Bronx Week 2019

To register for the parade, you can apply online at:http://bit.ly/bxweekparade2019

Former Director Of Financial Aid At New York Graduate School And Two Former Students Sentenced To Prison For Bribery And Kickback Scheme

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that MELANIE WILLIAMS-BETHEA, the former director of financial aid at Teachers College, Columbia University, and two former Teachers College students, MAWULI HORMEKU and CARMEN CANTY, were sentenced to prison terms for their respective roles in illicitly obtaining hundreds of thousands of dollars from Teachers College through a years-long bribery and kickback scheme.  WILLIAMS-BETHEA was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan, who previously sentenced HORMEKU and CANTY.  The defendants received the following sentences:

MELANIE WILLIAMS-BETHEA	40 months in prison
MAWULI HORMEKU	12 months and one day in prison
CARMEN CANTY	3 months in prison

WILLIAMS-BETHEA pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery on October 17, 2018; HORMEKU pled guilty to committing bribery on July 26, 2018; and CANTY pled guilty to committing bribery on July 31, 2018.  Two additional students who participated in the scheme, ANNICE KPANA and KYLA THOMAS, also have pled guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced later this month.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “These defendants exploited and stole from an institution of higher learning, taking money that was intended to help provide opportunities for individuals training to teach future generations.  They cumulatively pocketed more than $2 million, and their prison sentences reflect the significant harm caused by their conduct.”

According to the Indictment, other filings in Manhattan federal court, and evidence presented in court at the sentencings:

From 2008 through 2017, the defendants engaged in bribery and kickback schemes resulting in the loss of more than $2 million from Teachers College.  WILLIAMS-BETHEA, who was employed by Teachers College as the director of financial aid during the relevant time period, perpetrated the scheme by approving aid payments to HORMEKU, CANTY, KPANA, and THOMAS (collectively, the “Students”) far in excess of their actual need, and then obtaining portions of the unjustified aid allotments she approved as kickback payments from the Students. 

Specifically, WILLIAMS-BETHEA approved excessive “cost of attendance” figures for the Students that did not comport with their actual needs or costs of living, which had the effect of increasing the amount of financial aid they were eligible to receive, and by then approving stipends for the Students up to – and at times exceeding – these inflated amounts.  To facilitate some of the stipends, WILLIAMS-BETHEA created fraudulent stipend request forms for financial awards to the Students, which gave the appearance that professors or other administrators had requested stipends, when in fact they had not, and then approved the fraudulently requested stipends herself.

After WILLIAMS-BETHEA facilitated these awards of unjustified financial aid, HORMEKU, CANTY, KPANA, and THOMAS paid WILLIAMS-BETHEA nearly $1 million in kickbacks.

In addition to the prison terms, Judge Nathan ordered WILLIAMS-BETHEA, 49, to pay restitution and forfeiture in the amount of $2,067,349; ordered HORMEKU, 39, to pay restitution and forfeiture in the amount of $620,010; and ordered CANTY, 40, to pay restitution and forfeiture in the amount of $166,105.

Mr. Berman praised the investigative work of the Department of Education, Office of the Inspector General in this investigation.