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Wednesday, June 9, 2021
Bronx Jewish Community Council - Summer Volunteer Opportunities
207 Days and Counting
Now look here, I don't care what those mayoral candidates and millennials are saying about defunding the police. I have called in Federal authorities, because the city is in crisis when it comes to gang violence and crime.
I want to thank Councilman Fernando Cabrera for appearing on today's event. Good luck to you on your bid to be the next Bronx Borough President, I do not live in the Bronx (thank god) so I can't vote for you.
Former Olympic Figure Skater Arrested For Role In Defrauding U.S. Small Business Administration Of Over $1.5 Million
Audrey Strauss, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced today the unsealing of a complaint charging LUKA KLASINC, a former Olympic ice skater, with bank fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with his use of falsified documents during his attempts to gain access to over $1.5 million in funds disbursed pursuant to fraudulent U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”) Economic Injury Disaster Loans. KLASINC, a Slovenian national, was arrested Monday afternoon in Manhattan, and will be presented today before Judge Kevin Nathaniel Fox.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As alleged, at a time when U.S. small businesses were struggling because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Klasinc thought he could scam his way to easy money. As alleged, Klasinc used false documents to try and obtain over a million dollars in funds intended to help hard working Americans but, thanks to the diligence of the FBI, his plans have been put on ice. He will now be held accountable for his alleged brazen lies.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney, Jr., said: “Loans issued on behalf of the SBA were intended to provide relief for businesses struggling during the pandemic. Time and again we see instances of fraud and abuse of this program. We will investigate all instances of alleged SBA loan fraud and hold accountable those who take advantage of this program for personal gain.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint[1]:
KLASINC is the sole owner of a company named BOB77, LLC. KLASINC claimed that BOB77, LLC (“BOB77”) is an event management company that, in conjunction with its global partners, stages major ice-themed amusement park style events around the world. Beginning in or around 2019, BOB77 opened three business bank accounts (the “BOB77 Accounts”) with an international financial institution (“Bank-1”). Between July 2020 and September 2020, the BOB77 Accounts received a total of $1,595,800 from the SBA, pursuant to eleven Economic Injury Disaster Loans. In the same period, there were numerous wire transfers from the BOB77 Accounts to international beneficiaries. In late September 2020, after identifying potential fraud, Bank-1 froze all funds in the BOB77 Accounts and contacted KLASINC for additional information regarding the account activity. In response, KLASINC provided documentation — including a falsified document purporting to be a letter from the U.S. Small Business Administration — intended to legitimize the SBA deposits and persuade Bank-1 to release the funds. In or around June 2021, KLASINC traveled to the United States and appeared at in person at a New York branch of Bank-1, where he again attempted to persuade Bank-1 to release the funds by claiming that the SBA deposits were “investments” and not associated with a loan.
KLASINC, 48, of Slovenia, is charged with one count of bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, and with one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory two-year prison term. 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.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint set forth in this release constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Graffiti clean up by City Council Candidate William Rivera in the18th Council District
Sunday was a graffiti clean up afternoon for City Council candidate William Rivera and his anti Graffiti crew as they stood in front of what was to be painted over. A couple of gallons of bright orange paint, rollers, brushes, and gloves were on hand for the volunteers to paint over the graffiti.
In less than one hour their job was done, so they went around the corner to cover some more graffiti until they would run out of paint. 18th City Council candidate William Rivera has quickly jumped into the lead in the 18th City Council District, and he said "I am going all out as if I was the underdog". Early voting begins Saturday June 12th at selected poll sites around the Bronx and city. You can check your early voting site at the Board of Elections website at https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc/
The volunteers working hard at painting.
Candidate William Rivera out on the finishing touches.
The finished Product, a bright clean orange wall.
But the crew went around the corner on Virginia Street to paint over some more graffiti.
Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Attorney General James Delivers More Than $530,000 to New Yorkers Who Lost Power Following Tropical Storm Isaias
More Than 2,800 Consumers in New York City and Westchester Have Already or Will Soon Receive Checks to Reimburse for Food Spoilage from Last August’s Storm
Hundreds of Additional New Yorkers Expected to Receive Reimbursements
New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that her office has helped deliver more than $530,000 to more than 2,800 New Yorkers who went without power and had food spoilage following Tropical Storm Isaias last August. An agreement with Con Edison of New York (Con Edison) has already provided or will soon provide additional reimbursements to thousands of New York consumers who suffered food losses after power outages in New York City and Westchester County took place, last year, following the storm that ravaged the tri-state area. The agreement resolves an investigation of Con Edison in which the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) found that the power company failed to pay reimbursements in accordance with the instructions it had provided to consumers for food spoilage on its claim forms.
“When a natural disaster hits, companies should do everything they can to lift up communities and support those suffering,” said Attorney General James. “While simultaneously battling both a public health and an economic crisis last summer, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers were also subjected to a natural disaster that left them without power for days. The aftermath of these power outages led to hundreds of dollars in food loss for thousands. While Con Edison offered reimbursements to affected consumers, it failed to live up to the commitments it made and left thousands to foot the bills for spoiled food resulting from the power loss. This agreement finally makes things right by putting an average of $185 back into the pockets of more than 2,800 New York consumers.”
The claim forms Con Edison provided to consumers who lost power after Tropical Storm Isaias offered to reimburse consumers up to $235 for spoiled food if they provided just an itemized list of the food without any other proof. But to receive more — up to a maximum of $540 per account — Con Edison instructed consumers to provide a proof of loss, and gave as examples cash register tapes, store receipts, credit card statements, cancelled checks, or photographs of spoiled items. In numerous cases, however, consumers who provided just photographs were sent letters saying that Con Edison required receipts for the spoiled food. In other cases, the company rejected claims for food that was purchased more than 30 days before the storm, notwithstanding that there was no such requirement on the claim form’s instructions. Because the nation was simultaneously battling the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many consumers had stocked up on groceries that could be frozen and held in their freezers for several months.
Under the terms of this agreement, Con Edison has already paid or will soon pay more than $534,500 to reimburse consumers who claimed more than $235 in spoiled food. The company will review those claims previously submitted and will send checks for remaining balances owed — an average of $185 for 2,874 consumers. Hundreds of additional consumers will likely be eligible for reimbursements in the coming weeks. Consumers eligible for the supplemental reimbursement do not need to do anything to receive their checks, and the vast majority of checks — more than 2,600 — have already been sent out.
Con Edison will also pay the state of New York $20,000 in costs and penalties for violating both New York General Business Law 349 and Executive Law 63(12) law.
Pennsylvania Man Charged With Using Identities Of Then-President’s Family Members To Perpetrate Online Fraud Scheme
Joshua Hall Allegedly Used Social Media and a Crowdfunding Website to Defraud Hundreds of Victims
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney, Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing of a Complaint charging JOSHUA HALL with fraud and identity theft offenses for impersonating family members of the then-President of the United States on social media to fraudulently raise funds for a fictitious political organization.
HALL was arrested this morning and will be presented later today in Harrisburg federal court before United States Magistrate Judge Susan E. Schwab.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Joshua Hall allegedly impersonated family members of the then-President of the United States on social media to fraudulently induce hundreds of victims to donate to a political organization that did not exist, and then pocketed those funds for his own use. We thank the FBI for their partnership in the investigation of this case, and we remain dedicated to rooting out and prosecuting fraud wherever we find it.”
FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney, Jr., said: “Hall led hundreds of people to believe they were donating to an organization that didn’t exist by pretending to be someone he wasn’t, as alleged. As we continue to investigate fraud in all its many forms, we urge the public to remain aware of the prevalence of online scams and exercise due diligence when making donations online.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint[1]:
HALL defrauded hundreds of victims by making false representations in the course of raising funds for a purported political affinity organization (“the Fictitious Political Organization”), for the ostensible purpose of supporting the reelection of the individual who was at that time serving as President of the United States (“the President”). However, the Fictitious Political Organization did not exist and HALL used the funds for his own personal living expenses.
Central to the scheme was the impersonation by HALL of members of the President’s family, including the President’s minor child, among others, through his creation and use of social media accounts bearing those family members’ names and photographs. HALL used those accounts to amass more than 100,000 followers on social media and obtain media coverage, a public platform he then exploited to confer on himself and the Fictitious Political Organization a false imprimatur of close ties with the President’s family and to encourage victims to make monetary contributions to the Fictitious Political Organization.
In total, the scheme devised and executed by HALL yielded thousands of dollars from hundreds of victims located throughout the United States, including in the Southern District of New York.
HALL, 22, of Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, is charged with wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years of imprisonment, and aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of 2 years of imprisonment. 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.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.
The charge contained in the Complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.
Governor Cuomo Announces New Record-Low Statewide COVID Positivity
Statewide 7-Day Average Positivity is 0.51% -- Has Declined for 64 Consecutive Days - Lowest in the Country per Johns Hopkins University
75,883 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours - Statewide Vaccination Rate is 68.9%
796 Patient Hospitalizations Statewide
14 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combatting COVID-19.
"COVID positivity rates keep falling every day and it's a direct result of the hard work and commitment New Yorkers have displayed throughout this entire pandemic," Governor Cuomo said. "We have never been closer to the light at the end of the tunnel, but to fully return to normal, we must continue to do all we can to get New Yorkers vaccinated. Over 9 million New Yorkers have already done their part and gotten their shot -- now is the time for the rest of the state to follow suit. The vaccine has never been easier to access and with a multitude of incentives now in place, there are truly no excuses left. So, if you still haven't been vaccinated, please, do the right thing to protect your community and get vaccinated today."
Today's data is summarized briefly below:
- Test Results Reported - 71,953
- Total Positive - 442
- Percent Positive - 0.61%
- 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 0.51%
- Patient Hospitalization - 796 (-3)
- Patients Newly Admitted - 72
- Patients in ICU - 206 (0)
- Patients in ICU with Intubation - 120 (0)
- Total Discharges - 183,157 (+66)
- Deaths - 14
- Total Deaths - 42,813
- Total vaccine doses administered - 19,614,673
- Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 75,883
- Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 533,489
- Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 66.4%
- Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 58.7%
- Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 68.9%
- Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 59.8%
- Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 54.8%
- Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 47.5%
- Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 56.9%
- Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 48.4%
New Ad from 13th City Council candidate Monique Johmson
We received this AD for Monique Johnson from the Friends of Monique Johnson
