On Eve of Court Hearing, Comptroller Lander Releases Oversight Report Detailing Abysmal NYC Jail Performance Over the Past Year

 

Since August 2022, NYC Comptroller’s Office has published monthly Department of Correction data to dashboard with metrics on jail population, staffing rate, violent incidents and more

Lander was the first citywide elected official to call for federal receiver at Rikers Island

After a year of publishing monthly updates on key indicators regarding the New York City Department of Correction (DOC) and one day ahead of a court hearing that may consider placing management of New York City’s jails under the control of a federal receiver, City Comptroller Brad Lander released a report on the state of city jails, which finds little progress addressing inhumane conditions over the last year.

“Based on a year of closely watching the data on the Department of Correction, this much is clear: without dramatic changes to management, dysfunction and violence at Rikers will persist. The City of New York has proven unwilling or unable to overhaul its jail operations on its own. Without real change, the costs of injustice and mismanagement to New Yorkers, their loved ones, and our city will only grow,” said New York City Comptroller Brad Lander.

The Comptroller’s office began publishing metrics on jail conditions and operations to a public dashboard in August 2022. A review of the trends over the past year indicates that:

• While slashings, stabbings, and assaults against staff trended downwards in recent months after peaking in 2021, fights spiked significantly and incidents of excessive use of force remain alarmingly high.
• One-in-five people in custody have a serious mental illness with the number of incarcerated people with serious mental illness doubling since before the pandemic.
• People in custody missed 21% more medical appointments than in August 2022, as of the most recently available data.

• While staff sick time usage declined from a dramatic peak in 2021, on average 17% of staff are reportedly out sick or on leave on any given day.
• Monthly overtime earned per employee skyrocketed from approximately $1,500 per month before the pandemic to $4,200 as of June 2023.
• DOC has 9% fewer staff since August 2022, but the ratio of DOC uniformed staff to people in detention is nearly four times the national average.
• The jail population grew to nearly double the planned capacity of the borough-based jails, which intend to replace Rikers Island facilities, raising concerns about the City’s plans to close Rikers Island, consistent with local law.

On Thursday, a federal judge will hold a status conference and hear arguments over whether the federal government should appoint a third-party receiver to take over management of the jails. Comptroller Lander was the first citywide elected official to call for federal receivership in October 2022, and reiterated that call today.

“While we sought to increase transparency of Rikers through our dashboard over the past year, DOC leadership moved in the opposite direction, failing to report the deaths of people in custody and reducing the Board of Correction’s access to camera footage and timesheets. Current leadership made little progress on persistent issues of jail conditions, forcing me to conclude that the City of New York is unwilling or unable to address the humanitarian and safety issues at Rikers. The judge should rule to appoint a federal receiver, who could implement reforms to operations that will improve accountability and conditions in New York City’s jails and work to get the City back on the path to close Rikers Island,” Lander said.

Read the full The State of NYC Jails report here.

See the latest DOC Dashboard update here.

NYC ANNOUNCES THE CREATION OF THE ASYLUM SEEKER LEGAL ASSISTANCE NETWORK, INVESTING $5 MILLION IN ITS EFFORTS

 

Immigration Legal Assistance Will Be Provided to Thousands of Asylum Seekers

New York City Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs (MOIA) Commissioner Manuel Castro today announced that in the absence of a national strategy to support asylum seekers with their legal needs as they are admitted into the country, the City has launched the Asylum Seeker Legal Assistance Network (ASLAN), a $5 million investment to expand community capacity to provide immigration legal assistance for newly arrived asylum seekers. This is in addition to the over 65 million the city invests in legal services to support immigrant New Yorkers - the most of any municipality in the nation. 

 

“New York City continues to be a national leader when responding to this global humanitarian crisis and supporting newly arrived migrants,” said Manuel Castro, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs. “Today, I am proud to announce the network compromised of on-the-ground partners across the City that will work to continue to support our newest New Yorkers. While we wait for a national strategy, our administration will remain committed to being a city of immigrants.”

      

Through this network, the city will expand access to immigration legal assistance for recently arrived migrants and asylum seekers. Services will be provided at community-based locations citywide in addition to the Asylum Application Help Center at the Red Cross building in midtown Manhattan, and remotely. 

 

The following network contracted partners have received city funding to provide a combination of orientation sessions, legal screenings, application assistance, pro se assistance clinics, self-help materials and workshops, and other services:

  

• African Services Committee 
• CUNY Law
• CUNY Citizenship Now!
• Catholic Charities Community Services
• Lutheran Social Services of New York 
• New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG) and their subcontracted partners, collectively referred to as PSPP+  
• African Communities Together (ACT)
• Catholic Migration Services (CMS)
• Central American Legal Assistance (CALA)
• Masa
• Unlocal

MOIA will provide central coordination of the network’s activities and regularly meet with contracted providers to share information and best practices in response to changing federal immigration policies and practices. 

 

As part of the network, the city is proud to announce a partnership with The City University of New York (CUNY) to support newly arrived asylum seekers by recruiting, training, supervising, and deploying students to provide asylum seekers with information sessions, screenings, and application assistance clinics designed and overseen by CUNY School of Law and CUNY Citizenship Now!. Services will be provided remotely, at CUNY School of Law, and at community-based organizations citywide serving as Asylum Seeker Resource Navigation Centers. Additionally, students and faculty from the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College and the CUNY School of Medicine will collaborate to support the social and mental health needs of newly arrived asylum seekers.  

 

Additionally, the city will fund Catholic Charities Community Services as a network partner to expand the MOIA’s Immigration Legal Hotline to handle higher call volumes and provide tailored assistance and referrals for newly arrived asylum seekers. 

 

Services will be available to migrants and asylum seekers who arrived in the United States on or after January 1, 2022. Providers will prioritize services for individuals approaching critical dates, such as the one-year deadline to file for asylum. Information about accessing services can be found at www.nyc.gov/asylumseekers. 

 

The Adams administration also continues to strongly urge the federal government to immediately use every tool at its disposal to protect and support newly arrived migrants and asylum seekers – and the municipalities welcoming them – by expanding and expediting access to Humanitarian Parole, Temporary Protected Status, and asylum-based work authorization.   

 

“CUNY has a proud history of educating immigrants and first-generation families who have found in our classrooms a path to good-paying jobs and upward mobility. This partnership to assist asylum seekers is another opportunity for the University to support a new generation of New Yorkers whose success will benefit our City and State,” said City University of New York (CUNY) Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez.

 

“CUNY Law is proud to partner with the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs’ ASLAN initiative. CUNY Law students, many of whom are immigrants or children of immigrants themselves, have fought for the rights of New York City’s asylum and immigrant communities for decades. Stepping up at this crucial moment to provide counsel, support, policy advocacy, and community education is not only the expertise of many of our students, faculty, and graduates—it’s also their calling,” states Sudha Setty, Dean of the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law.

 

“CUNY Citizenship Now!, the nation's largest university-based immigration law program, is proud to join the ASLAN partners to help newly arrived asylum seekers. Building on our nationally recognized, naturalization assistance model, we will tap our network of volunteer partner organizations to support the Emerging Needs Clinic of CUNY's School of Law. We thank the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs for creating the ASLAN network to assist eligible migrants in need,” said Monique Francis, Interim Executive Director, of CUNY Citizenship Now!

 

“Within the past year, Catholic Charities staff have seen tens and thousands of asylum-seekers, and their families, arrive in our city, seeking opportunity and legal assistance. We commend the City of New York for not only welcoming them but continuing to work to provide various resources to help these individuals create the lives they dreamed of,” said Beatriz Diaz-Taveras, Catholic Charities Community Services. “From week to week, we see a high volume of individuals who are seeking asylum and in need of legal help, we always need to keep in mind that the surge of asylum-seekers is a national problem needing strong attention, both by Congress and the President. We are grateful to work with New York City and our partner organizations through the Asylum Seeker Legal Assistance Network (ASLAN) to ensure those who have sought refuge in our city receive the resources they deserve.”

 

"African Services Committee is excited to be able to provide much-needed legal services to those NYC newcomers seeking asylum. We thank MOIA for their continued support,” said Amanda Lugg, Executive Director of the African Services Committee (ASC).

“Catholic Migration Services (CMS) welcomes Mayor Adams’ and the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs’ efforts to fund the provision of legal services to the community of new migrants arriving in our city,” said Magdalena Barbosa, Legal Director at Catholic Migration Services (CMS). “Our agency is proud to participate in the Pro Se Plus Program that will use this funding to provide our new neighbors with important legal information and pro se application assistance.”

"Lutheran Social Services of NY is pleased to partner with the City of NY and the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs in ensuring that the legal rights of asylum seekers are protected. As an organization originally founded more than 130 years ago to work with newly arriving German immigrants, this partnership is consistent with our founding principles. In light of the absence of a national strategy to address the increasing migrant issue in the city, we are pleased that the City has provided the funding necessary to protect and address the legal needs of those seeking asylum. The Asylum Seeker Legal Assistance Network will also provide the mechanism for collaboration and information sharing for those who seek to do so," said Dr. Damyn Kelly, President and CEO, of Lutheran Social Services of New York (LSSNY).

“NYLAG is proud to partner with immigrant communities and to welcome newly arrived immigrants to New York City. Working alongside the City, fellow legal services, and community-based organizations, including through the Pro Se Plus Project (PSPP) we aim to bring needed information, guidance, and legal assistance to newly arrived New Yorkers,” said Lisa Rivera, President and CEO of New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG). “Through these partnerships, NYLAG hopes to share our expertise in asylum law and empower New York City’s asylum seekers and immigrant communities.”

MAYOR ADAMS APPOINTS DENISE C. CLAY AS CITY’S CHIEF EFFICIENCY OFFICER

 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced the appointment of Denise C. Clay as the city’s new chief efficiency officer. In her position, Clay will help ensure that city agencies operate as effectively and efficiently as possible by tracking their performance, assessing budgets and operation systems to find cost savings, and identifying opportunities to remove red tape and streamline regulations. Created early in the Adams administration, the chief efficiency officer is an integral part of Mayor Adams’ commitment to making government more effective and accountable to New Yorkers.

 

“From leading strategic initiatives at the Department of Finance to driving change at Fortune 100 companies, Denise brings the experience and expertise to make sure that our government is working for every New Yorker every day,” said Mayor Adams. “Inefficiencies lead to inequity, which is why one of our administration’s top priorities has always been to ensure that our agencies are run the right way. As our city’s next chief efficiency officer, Denise will work to fulfill that mission and build a smarter, stronger city government for all of New York’s residents."

 

“Denise C. Clay brings decades of experience in making government work faster, smarter, and, most importantly, more efficiently,” said First Deputy Sheena Wright. “As chief efficiency officer, Denise will continue the work of making sure taxpayer resources are well spent and managed. I’m looking forward to working with Denise to find ways to streamline operations while maintaining our pledge to deliver quality services to all New Yorkers.”

 

"I'm honored to have the opportunity to serve New York City in the role of chief efficiency officer,” said Chief Efficiency Officer Denise C. Clay. “It is an exciting time to work in city government, and I look forward to leveraging my more than 20 years of process reengineering experience, including eight years leading Lean Six Sigma initiatives at the New York City Department of Finance, to help city agencies better serve their constituents and customers. New Yorkers deserve nothing less than the best from their city government, and we will continue to deliver results for the residents and visitors we have the privilege to serve.”

 

“Denise will be an excellent chief efficiency officer. During my tenure as commissioner of the Department of Finance, she was instrumental in restructuring our operations and implementing new initiatives in timely and cost-effective ways that helped make the agency more efficient and customer-centric,” said New York City Office of Management and Budget Director Jacques Jiha. “She has the knowledge, skill, and drive to work across agencies and help city government make more effective use of taxpayer dollars in order to better serve New Yorkers, and I look forward to working with her in the future.”

 

“Denise has unparalleled expertise in performance management, and during her eight years with the Department of Finance led many successful initiatives to improve city services, deliver budget savings, and bring innovative ideas to enhance customer service,” said New York Department of Finance (DOF) Commissioner Preston Niblack. “It is terrific that she is bringing her considerable skills and knowledge to benefit city operations more broadly in her new role as chief efficiency officer, and I am excited to see all she accomplishes to make city government more accessible and easier to navigate for all New Yorkers."

 

“Denise’s commitment to public service and focus on the use of data analytics to improve performance make her the perfect fit for this role,” said former DOF First Deputy Commissioner Michael Hyman. “As chief of staff to the commissioner of finance, Denise led initiatives that greatly improved DOF operations and provided important tools to help agency staff manage their units effectively. I know that she will bring that same ingenuity to the entirety of city government, and I look forward to her leadership as chief efficiency officer.”

 

Mayor Adams created a chief efficiency officer to monitor city agencies, make recommendations to improve performance, and help build a more dynamic and productive public sector. The position was formalized with Executive Order 13 last April, instructing the chief efficiency officer to develop metrics that track government performance, identify opportunities to improve the delivery of services and increase customer satisfaction, locate ways to reduce regulation and streamline procedures, and review the city budget to evaluate new needs and ensure public funds are being spent responsibly. City agencies regularly work with the chief efficiency officer as well as with the Mayor’s Office of Operations to set goals and make the delivery of services more productive, efficient, and timely for New Yorkers.

 

About Denise C. Clay

 

Before her appointment as chief efficiency officer, Clay served as chief operating officer for First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright at City Hall. In this role, she collaborated with various city agencies to streamline business functions while launching a new Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and multiple Cash Assistance initiatives.

 

Previously, Clay spent eight years as chief of staff and senior advisor of strategic initiatives for the New York City Department of Finance, where she led COVID strategy and the agency’s ‘Return to Work’ initiative, reduced processing cycle times by 80 percent, and oversaw the rollout of the Office of the Parking Summons Advocate and Treasury & Payment Operations programs.

 

Clay previously worked with Sand Cherry Associates, Medtronic, Johnson & Johnson, and GE Capital. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and her M.B.A. from Columbia University.

 

Clay will report to First Deputy Mayor Wright.

Housing Lottery Launches For Garden Towers Seniors Apartments In Morrisania, The Bronx

 

The affordable housing lottery has launched for Garden Towers, a new affordable housing building for seniors, located at 1323 Boston Road and 1332 Clinton Avenue in Morrisania, Bronx. Designed by Newman Design Architects and developed by Foxy Management, the seven- and eight-story residential structures yields 150 residences total. Available on NYC Housing Connect are 104 units for residents at 50 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $0 to $63,550.

Garden Towers Seniors Apartments in Morrisania, The Bronx via NYC Housing Connect

Amenities include a shared laundry room, outdoor areas, security guard, green space, elevator, attended Lobby, laundry room, on-site social services, community rooms, computer lab, and bike storage. Residences include energy-efficient appliances, intercoms, and air conditioning. Tenants are responsible for electricity.

At 50 percent of the AMI, there are 78 studios with a monthly rent of $0 for incomes ranging from $0 to $56,500; and 26 one-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $0 for incomes ranging from $0 to $63,550.

Prospective renters must meet income and household size requirements to apply for these apartments. Applications must be postmarked or submitted online no later than October 2, 2023.

Attorney General James and NYSED Commissioner Rosa Issue Guidance to Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in New York Public Schools

 

New York Attorney General Letitia James and New York State Education Department (NYSED) Commissioner Betty A. Rosa issued guidance reminding New York public schools and local education agencies of their obligation to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in educational planning and decision-making. As states and school districts across the country adopt exclusionary educational policies that deny students from diverse backgrounds and identities access to a safe and affirming learning environment, Attorney General James and Commissioner Rosa are providing resources to school leaders that assist in fulfilling their commitment to ensuring every student in New York has the opportunity to learn free from the fear of discrimination, harassment, or intimidation.

The joint guidance issued today offers recommendations for upholding the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in three key areas of the school experience: 1) learning and teaching; 2) student discipline; and 3) addressing bullying and harassment. The guidance also warns against actions that may contribute to a hostile environment for students of diverse backgrounds and identities, such as banning books, and provides schools with resources to help create and foster environments that protect every student’s right to access equal education.

“Every student in New York is entitled to learn, grow, and discover in an environment free from discrimination or harassment,” said Attorney General James. “As states such as Texas, Florida, and Missouri are banning books and canceling classes, New York is making clear that diversity, equity, and inclusion will always be protected and central to our children’s education. We know that our kids and teachers thrive when they feel seen and heard, and I thank Commissioner Rosa and Chancellor Young for their partnership in supporting our communities. If any student, parent, or teacher has concerns, I encourage them to contact my office.”

“We are urging every school district to reflect on local policies, strategies, and tactics and advance the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion to ensure all students have the supports necessary to be fully engaged,” said Commissioner Rosa. “Students cannot learn and develop socially and emotionally when they feel disconnected, intimidated, harassed, or discriminated against. We have a responsibility to remove the barriers that stand in the way of success for many students. In partnership with Attorney General James and our school and district leaders, the Department and Board of Regents can foster a safe, supportive environment where all New York State students feel included and welcome.” 

“As citizens of this great state, we are responsible for prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion in our education system. It is crucial that all school districts develop and implement policies that promote these values with urgency and fidelity,” said Board of Regents Chancellor Lester W. Young, Jr. “By incorporating diverse perspectives into the curriculum, our students can learn to respect and value others, ultimately fostering a culture of tolerance and dignity. As future leaders of New York State, it is essential that our students are equipped with critical thinking skills and a deep understanding of civic engagement. These are the building blocks for a better future, and we must ensure that they are given the tools they need to succeed.”

State and federal human rights laws prohibit discrimination in educational institutions on the basis of race, national origin, disability, sex, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and age, among other protected classes. In addition, New York’s Dignity for All Students Act, which took effect in 2012 and was updated in 2021, requires that public schools create an educational environment where students are free to learn without fear of discrimination, harassment, or intimidation. In 2021, the Board of Regents adopted a policy urging districts to develop and implement policies and practices advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.

In the guidance, Attorney General James and Commissioner Rosa identify three core principles that public schools and local education agencies can implement to honor their obligations to their students under the law:

1) Ensure teaching and learning reflect the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

All students should be provided with the opportunity to learn from multiple perspectives, and curricula should be up-to-date, accurate, and reflect the truth of the struggles diverse groups in this country have endured. Schools cannot ban curricular materials such as textbooks that accurately portray and critically analyze topics related to protected classes such as race, national origin, gender identity and expression, and sexual orientation.

2) Address disproportionately punitive student disciplinary policies and practices.

Discipline policies and practices should be designed and implemented in a non-discriminatory way to ensure all students have equal educational opportunity. According to the U.S. Department of Education, student discipline disproportionately involves students of color, particularly Black students, and students with disabilities, likely attributable to implicit systemic biases. Schools should expand efforts to train personnel on developmentally appropriate, restorative alternatives to punitive punishment to foster a safe and positive school environment so every student can learn.

3) Establish effective policies and procedures to prevent and respond to bullying and harassment.

The law requires schools and local education agencies to take a proactive approach to protect students from bullying and harassment. Schools should enact policies and procedures to create a school environment free from harassment, bullying, and discrimination and implement training and counseling that discourage the development of hostile environments.  

The guidance also warns schools and local education agencies against actions that may violate the law, including but not limited to: banning books; prohibiting discussions of slavery, disability, or the LGBTQ+ community; preventing students from joining extracurricular activities or using specific facilities because they may not conform to gender stereotypes; barring a non-binary student from a single-gender extracurricular program; and forbidding natural hair or hairstyles most closely associated with Black people.

A school’s climate is one of the most critical predictive factors of its capacity to provide every student with an equal opportunity to learn and succeed, and the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and NYSED are committed to ensuring that students’ rights are protected at school. New Yorkers with information regarding misconduct such as discrimination or harassment in and out of the classroom are encouraged to contact OAG’s Civil Rights Bureau.

Governor Hochul Announces Nation-Leading Cybersecurity Strategy

 

Backed by $600 Million Commitment to Bolster Cybersecurity for All New Yorkers

Representatives from the White House, Critical Infrastructure, and the Private Sector Joined Governor Hochul for Announcement

Advances Governor’s State of the State Priority to Improve New York’s Cybersecurity Posture

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced New York’s first-ever statewide cybersecurity strategy aimed at protecting the State’s digital infrastructure from today’s cyber threats. The Strategy articulates, for the first-time, a set of high-level objectives for cybersecurity and resilience across New York. It clarifies agency roles and responsibilities, outlines how existing and planned initiatives and investments knit together into a unified approach, and reiterates the State's commitment to providing services, advice, and assistance to county and local governments. New York State’s cybersecurity strategy provides public and private stakeholders with a roadmap for cyber risk mitigation and outlines a plan to protect critical infrastructure, networks, data, and technology systems.   

"Our interconnected world demands an interconnected defense leveraging every resource available," said Governor Hochul. "This strategy sets forth a nation-leading blueprint to ensure New York State stands ready and resilient in the face of cyber threats."  

The strategy unifies New York’s cybersecurity services in order to safeguard critical infrastructure, personal information and digital assets from malicious actors. It also provides a framework to align the actions and resources of both private and public stakeholders, including county and other local governments.  

New York's cybersecurity strategy is not just about protecting our digital assets. It is about ensuring the safety and security of all New Yorkers and maintaining our ability to function and thrive in the digital age. From the State employees who deliver digital services to the residents who access and rely on them, the strength of the State’s cyber defense impacts all New Yorkers. This strategy highlights the Governor's commitment to cybersecurity, not just for State Government systems but for New Yorkers everywhere, as a core responsibility of the State.

Governor Hochul announced her commitment to bolster New York State’s centralized cybersecurity during this year’s State of the State address. The historic $90 million investment for cybersecurity included in the Fiscal Year 2024 Budget made $30 million in shared services funding available to assist local governments in strengthening their own defenses against cyber threats. This initiative signaled a new and stronger collaboration between the state and its local governments on this critical and evolving issue. A part of this strategy includes providing $500 million to enhance New York State’s healthcare information technology, primarily cybersecurity infrastructure, as well as $7.4 million to expand the New York State Police’s Cyber Analysis Unit, Computer Crimes Unit and Internet Crimes Against Children Center.

The state’s comprehensive cybersecurity strategy is defined by three central principles: Unification, Resilience and Preparedness.  When taken together, New York State can lean on these tenets to present a unified and more resilient defense against new and more sophisticated cyber threats; preventing the vast majority of attacks but also isolating, controlling and mitigating potential threats; and preparing, adapting and always being ready for the cyber challenges of the future. This strategy offers a blueprint for cybersecurity stakeholders across New York, from State agencies to local governments, to understand how they fit into a larger plan. The blueprint provides objectives, lines of effort, and a commitment from the Governor that they can use when doing future planning and program design.

Governor Hochul also signed legislation to expand New York's technology talent pool and provide funding to help ensure that New York-based employers are able to hire and retain necessary cybersecurity personnel. Governor Hochul acknowledged the importance of strengthening this sector during today’s announcement, which was attended by recent graduates of the MTA’s Operational Technology Cybersecurity Program. 

Statement from NYGOP Chair Ed Cox on Democrats' Ongoing Migrant Crisis

 

NYGOP Chair Ed Cox today released the following statement:

 

"New York's Democratic leaders, including Kathy Hochul and Chuck Schumer, still have yet to meaningfully address our migrant crisis, which continues to spiral out of control. The willful policy of de facto open borders by the Biden Administration has come home to our state.

 

"New York City shelter policies, which never anticipated hundreds of thousands of migrants from around the world, should be reversed. These policies are attracting migrants and nothing Hochul and Schumer propose addresses that. Their continued inaction is impacting taxpayers and communities across the state."

Florida Woman Charged With Defrauding SNAP Recipients

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Jocelyn E. Strauber, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment today charging GUYATREE SINGH with engaging in a years-long scheme to defraud at least approximately 120 low-income residents of New York City out of tens of thousands of dollars of their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (“SNAP”) benefits.  SINGH was arrested yesterday and will be presented today in the Southern District of Florida.  The case has been assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Jed S. Rakoff.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Over the course of years, Guyatree Singh is alleged to have cheated at least approximately 120 low-income, primarily elderly residents of New York City.  Singh allegedly preyed on some of the most vulnerable people in our community, leaving the victims with no money to buy food.  Today’s arrest demonstrates this Office’s commitment to ensuring that our justice system protects everyone from fraud.”

DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said: “The SNAP program provides food support to low-income New Yorkers.  This defendant posed as a New York State employee to deceive more than a hundred SNAP recipients and gain access to their accounts, defrauding the recipients of about $50,000 in benefits, as charged in the Indictment.  I thank HRA for referring the matter to DOI, and the Office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York for their partnership in thwarting such predatory schemes.”

According to the allegations contained in the Indictment:[1]

From at least in or about April 2019 through at least May 2023, SINGH engaged in a scheme to defraud at least approximately 120 SNAP recipients living in the Southern District of New York — a majority of whom appear to be elderly — of their SNAP benefits.  In total, SINGH defrauded the victims out of at least approximately $49,754.52 in benefits. 

SNAP provides low-income individuals with electronic benefits that can be used like cash to purchase food.  People eligible for SNAP benefits are given an electronic benefits transfer (“EBT”) card, which looks like a debit card and gives a person access to his or her SNAP benefits, allowing the SNAP recipient to buy groceries and other items at participating stores. 

SINGH called SNAP recipients and pretended to be a New York State employee working for SNAP.  SINGH then asked the victims for their personally identifiable information, including their dates of birth and social security numbers.  Unbeknownst to the victims, SINGH then used this information to reset the personal identification numbers (“PIN”) on their EBT cards.  Once the PINs were reset, SINGH used the victims’ EBT account numbers and new PINs to make purchases for herself at grocery stores in Florida using the victims’ SNAP funds. 

SINGH, 51, of West Palm Beach, Florida, is charged with one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison.

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

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the DOI and the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Sowlati is in charge of the prosecution.

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