80 Days and Counting

 

I am making more appearances in the Bronx, because as your current Governor said, the state goes the way the Bronx goes. Governor Hochul's power is in conservative upstate New York where she comes from, and it was upstate New York's loss of population that will make New York lose one congressional district.

Thanks to me New York City grew by over 500,000 people, and I am the one person who can repopulate upstate New York. I did it in New York City, and I can do it for upstate New York. New York City has survived the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to my quick thinking, and under my guidance New York City is returning better than it was. However just like my mentor Former Mayor David Dinkins who started the Safe Streets program, it was Mayor Giuliani who got all the credit. So as I have laid all the groundwork, it will be Mayor Adams who will get all the credit, not me. People will say Thumbs down, call me a Commie, and the worse mayor New York City ever had, but that's all right because I will become the next governor of New York State.

Sean Merchant, a/k/a “Bronxwood,” Sentenced To More Than 16 Years In Prison For Sex Trafficking Of Minors

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that SEAN MERCHANT was sentenced today to 196 months in prison for sex trafficking of three minor females.  MERCHANT was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimba M. Wood, before whom he previously pled guilty to one count of sex trafficking of a minor.  As part of his plea, MERCHANT acknowledged that he trafficked three minor females.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Sean Merchant preyed upon three minor females who had previously resided at a residential treatment facility for at-risk children and adolescents.  Merchant placed these young women in harm’s way by enticing them to perform commercial sex acts for money, and in turn providing them with addictive drugs.  It is hard to imagine a more selfish and inhumane act than coercing a minor to have sex with strangers for profit, and Merchant has justly been sentenced to more than 16 years in prison for his outrageous conduct.”  

According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and other court documents filed in Manhattan federal court:

From at least in or about March 2017 to at least in or about October 2017, SEAN MERCHANT, a/k/a “Bronxwood,” the defendant, engaged in the sex trafficking and sexual exploitation of three minor victims (“Minor Victim-1,” “Minor Victim-2,” and “Minor Victim-3,” and together, the “Minor Victims”).  The defendant recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, obtained, and maintained the Minor Victims for the purpose of commercial sex.  Prior to being trafficked by MERCHANT, each of the Minor Victims previously resided at a residential treatment facility located in Westchester County, which provided housing for at-risk troubled children and adolescents on behalf of department of social services for certain counties in New York State.           

The defendant recruited the Minor Victims to engage in commercial sex.  Subsequently, the defendant used the website Backpage.com, an online classifieds website, to post advertisements of the Minor Victims for commercial sex.  The defendant provided Minor Victim-1 and Minor Victim-2 with drugs, and directed them to engage in commercial sex acts in particular locations in the Bronx, New York.

In addition to his prison sentence, MERCHANT, 32, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.

MERCHANT is the third defendant to be sentenced in this case by Judge Wood for his participation in sex trafficking of minors.  Steven Lesane, who pled guilty to sex trafficking of two minor victims, was sentenced to a term of 256 months in prison on July 27, 2021.  Jermaine Myrie, who pled guilty to participating in a conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor, was sentenced to a term of 135 months in prison on February 12, 2020.  Reuben Sands, who pled guilty to conspiracy to violate the Travel Act, was sentenced to a term of 60 months in prison on December 18, 2019.  The final defendant, Martique Mcgriff, is scheduled to be sentenced on December 8, 2021.

This case is part of an ongoing prosecution of 19 defendants, set forth in eight indictments, for the sex trafficking of at least 20 minor girls and young adults in New York State’s social services system.  All 19 of the defendants have been convicted, either via guilty plea or following trial. 

Any individuals who believe that they have information that may be relevant to this investigation should contact the FBI at 1-212-384-1000 or https://tips.fbi.gov.

Mr. Williams thanked the FBI and the NYPD for their outstanding work in this matter and, in particular, the New York Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force.

Sat. Oct 23 - The Bronx People's Festival Is Happening!

 

The Bronx-wide Coalition took some time this summer to rest and reflect on all that we accomplished in the first half of the year, including launching a massive civic engagement campaign and kicking off our Bronx-wide planning process through a series of virtual People’s Assemblies over the spring and early summer. 

We are excited to share that our borough-wide planning process is back in action! We are coming together again for the Bronx People’s Festival on October 23 between 11am-3pm. Join the Coalition for our first in-person gathering (outdoors!) at the Mary Mitchell Center Courtyard at 2007 Mapes Avenue where we will continue our work of building power and co-creating the future of the Bronx--for us, by us!

At the Festival, you’ll be able to: 

• Share your ideas for how we can transform our Bronx economy and society to prioritize self-determination, wellbeing, and dignity for all,
• Learn about exciting projects happening locally and beyond that are aligned with our vision and values,
• Get all the information you need to vote in NYC’s general election this November,
• Reflect on the loved ones we’ve recently lost, and access resources for healing, like Reiki,
• Connect with the organizations, staff, and delegates in our leadership team and learn how you can stay engaged, and
• Eat delicious food, play games, win prizes, build community, and a lot more! 

Mark your calendars, invite your family, friends, and neighbors, and join us on October 23rd.

We want to hear from you!

Did you attend one of our virtual People's Assemblies this past spring/early summer? if so, we'd love to hear from you! Fill out this short survey to share: feedback on the events, what you learned, and what else you're looking forward to in our planning process.

Best,

The Bronx-wide Coalition Leadership Team

       

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - OCTOBER 12, 2021

 

40,233 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours

35 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday 

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.

"Millions of New Yorkers have been vaccinated and life is returning to a semblance of normalcy, but COVID-19 still threatens our communities and New Yorkers every single day," Governor Hochul said. "We have to increase the vaccination rate even further to successfully protect our neighbors and loved ones from this virus and put the pandemic in the rear view mirror. Getting vaccinated is safe, free and effective, so I urge everyone to get their shots right away."

  

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Test Results Reported - 111,564
• Total Positive - 3,376
• Percent Positive - 3.03%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 2.52%
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,148 (+50)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 221
• Patients in ICU - 467 (+1)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 259 (+3)
• Total Discharges - 203,812 (+167)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 35
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 44,939

The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only. 

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 57,151 

This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.

• Total vaccine doses administered - 25,968,644
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 40,233
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 401,443
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 82.7%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 74.8%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 85.1%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 76.3%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 70.1%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 63.2%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 72.2%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 64.5%

Fall IMP-act Day: Partnerships for Parks to Commemorate the 20th Anniversary of 9/11 by Planting 70,000 Daffodil Bulbs with 1000+ It’s My Park Volunteers

 

Annual Fall Planting Day Doubles in Size to Commemorate the Victims of COVID-19 through the Daffodil Project  Fall IMP-act Day will be held this Saturday, October 16  Approximately 1000 volunteers will gather in local parks across New York City on Saturday, October 16th for Fall IMP-act Day—an annual citywide park beautification day—to begin planting nearly 70,000 daffodil bulbs in all five boroughs. In recognition of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, many of these bulbs will be planted in remembrance of the victims of 9/11 through the Daffodil Project. Led and organized by Partnerships for Parks (PfP), a joint program of NYC Parks and City Parks Foundation, this year’s Fall IMP-act Day focuses on the borough of Manhattan—where the terrorist attack occurred—with hundreds of volunteers honoring the lives lost on that horrific day. PfP will also provide crocus bulbs to volunteers in Manhattan as part of an initiative started last year to memorialize the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic.  Thousands of volunteers participate in the Daffodil Project annually as a part of It’s My Park, PfP’s signature volunteer program, with hundreds of volunteers coming out on the third Saturday of October—once known as It’s My Park Day—to begin a season of planting bulbs, with nearly 700,000 daffodil bulbs planted over the last 20 years as part of the Daffodil Project. Each spring, New Yorkers across the city enjoy the bright yellow blooms as a symbol of rebirth and healing. The purple crocus flowers will now accompany this burst of color, recognizing the New Yorkers lost to the pandemic as well. This Fall IMP-act Day comes at a critical time for parks and green spaces as New York City tentatively recovers from COVID-19, bracing for new variants and facing an economic crisis. Parks have been a place of refuge for New Yorkers since the pandemic began, increasing awareness about how crucial green space is to the overall health and well-being of the city. For a complete list of projects, please visit our website cityparksfoundation.org/calendar/category/its-my-park/ or contact tomasia.kastner@parks.nyc.gov.  When: October 16, 2020 / Various times Where: Local Parks in all five boroughs Washington Market Park, Chambers St. bet. Greenwich St. and West St., Manhattan St. Nicholas Park, St. Nicholas Ave., St. Nicholas Ter. bet. W. 128 St. and W. 141 St., Manhattan Ruppert Park, Second Ave. bet. E. 90 St. and E. 91 St., Manhattan Leif Ericson Park, 67 St., 66 St. bet. 4 Ave. and Ft. Hamilton Pkwy., Brooklyn Astoria Park, 19 St. bet. Astoria Park S. and Ditmars Blvd., Queens Ewen Park, Johnson Av, W 232 St, Riverdale Av, Bronx Oakwood Beach in Great Kills Park, Tarlton Street and Cedar Grove Avenue, Staten Island Visuals:  Local community groups beautifying neighborhood parks with bulb planting, cleaning, and festivities 20-150 community members of all ages volunteering at each park Elected officials in attendance at some locations About Partnerships for Parks: Partnerships for Parks is a unique public-private partnership between City Parks Foundation and NYC Parks that supports and champions neighborhood volunteers by giving them the tools they need to advocate and care for their neighborhood parks and green spaces. More information about Partnership for Parks is available at www.partnershipsforparks.org.

Governor Hochul Announces $230 Million in Additional Food Assistance for New Yorkers in October

 

All SNAP Households to Receive the Maximum Level of Food Benefits

More Than $2 Billion in Supplemental Benefits Distributed So Far This Year

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that all New Yorkers enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will receive the maximum allowable level of food benefits for October. All households participating in SNAP - including those already at the maximum level of benefits - will receive a supplemental allotment later this month, which will result in an infusion of about $230 million in federal funding into the state's economy.

"During this unprecedented time as we continue to battle a public health crisis, we need to make sure every New Yorker does not have to experience hunger and food insecurity," Governor Hochul said. "By supporting food benefits during this difficult time, we are helping to ensure that everyone in this state gets a much-needed helping hand so they can make ends meet, support themselves and their families, and be successful."

The emergency assistance supplement will be provided to households that do not ordinarily receive the maximum allowable benefit per month on SNAP - a federally-funded program administered by the state Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. Those households already near or at the maximum benefit level will receive a supplemental payment of at least $95.

SNAP households in all counties outside of New York City should see these benefits post starting this week, extending through Oct. 21 Those SNAP households in the five-county New York City region should see their benefits post between Oct. 18 and the end of the month.

As with the prior months, the payments will be delivered directly to recipients' existing Electronic Benefit Transfer account and can be accessed with their existing EBT card. Like regular SNAP benefits, the supplemental benefits can be used to purchase food at authorized retail food stores. Any unused SNAP benefits will be automatically carried over to the following month.

Struggling New Yorkers continue to rely heavily on SNAP as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact everyday life. As of August 2021, there were more than 2.79 million SNAP recipients throughout the state.

Every dollar invested in food benefits can generate up to $1.54 in economic activity, according to a federal study quantifying the impact of SNAP on the U.S. economy. The study also found that an additional $1 billion invested in new SNAP benefits could support roughly 13,560 jobs nationwide.

OTDA Executive Deputy Commissioner Barbara Guinn said, "In addition to bringing much-needed relief to food-insecure families and individuals throughout the state, these added benefits are providing a welcome boost to our local retailers. We will continue to work with Governor Hochul and the federal government to ensure these benefits continue to help New Yorkers during this time of need." 

For more information on the emergency supplemental SNAP benefits, including answers to frequently asked questions, visit otda.ny.gov/SNAP-COVID-19. New Yorkers can check their eligibility for SNAP and apply online by visiting mybenefits.ny.gov.

“Diamond Enterprise” Boss Pleads Guilty To Racketeering, Interstate Threats, Money Laundering, Fraud, And Gambling Offenses

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ABDURAMAN ISENI, a/k/a “Diamond,” pled guilty today to eight counts of criminal conduct, including overseeing a multi-year racketeering enterprise, interstate threats, money laundering, bank fraud conspiracy, false statements to a bank, and two gambling conspiracy offenses.  ISENI pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Andrew L. Carter, to whom the case is assigned.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As he admitted today, Abduraman Iseni led a network of underground gambling establishments to prop up a criminal enterprise under his control.  Iseni engaged in a series of additional crimes, including money laundering, threatening a victim with physical violence, and defrauding and lying to banks in an effort to receive money to which he was not entitled.  Thanks to the hard work of our partners at the FBI, Iseni stands convicted of numerous offenses and awaits sentencing for his years of crime.”

According to the Indictment, public court filings, and statements made in court:

ISENI oversaw a racketeering enterprise referred to in the Indictment as the “Diamond Enterprise.”  The Diamond Enterprise was an organized criminal group operating under ISENI’s direction.  ISENI offered his protection, connections, and substantial influence in the criminal underworld to other members of the racketeering enterprise, in exchange for a share of their illegal profits.  The Diamond Enterprise thrived in part on the revenues generated by a network of illegal gambling parlors – “Sports Café,” “Friendly Café,” and “Oasis Café” – located throughout Brooklyn that hosted underground poker games and hosted illegal sports books. Some of these revenues, in turn, were laundered through a series of bank accounts in an effort to conceal and facilitate the Enterprise’s continued operations.

In addition to the Enterprise’s operations, ISENI separately admitted to threatening a victim with physical violence, and a host of additional crimes, including money laundering, bank fraud conspiracy, and making false statements to a bank for the purpose of inducing the bank to release funds to which ISENI was not entitled.     

ISENI, 56, of Staten Island, New York, is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Carter on January 18, 2022, at 3:30 p.m.  Under the terms of his plea agreement, ISENI also agreed to pay forfeiture of $349,000.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of New York FBI’s Balkans and Middle East Organized Crime Squad.  He also thanked the FBI’s Newark Office, the New York City Police Department, the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, the Small Business Administration Office of the Inspector General, the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, the New York State Liquor Authority, and United States Customs and Border Protection for their investigative efforts and ongoing support and assistance with the case.  

Consumer Alert: The Division of Consumer Protection and the Department of Health Warn New Yorkers of Text Message Phishing Scam on Vaccine Verification

 

Scammers Use Fake Text Message to Try to Get Users to Click on Fraudulent Link 

Phishing Texts are Fraudulent Messages Intended to Trick the Recipient into Installing Malicious Software or Handing Over Private Information

 The New York State Division of Consumer Protection and the New York State Department of Health today warned New Yorkers of a text message phishing scheme targeting those attempting to validate vaccine status to try to steal personal information. Phishing texts are fraudulent messages to trick the recipient into installing malicious software onto a computer or mobile device or designed to obtain data or sensitive personal information to commit identity theft.

The State of New York and many private employers recently required certain employees to be fully vaccinated, and scammers are exploiting the policy to try steal people’s personal and private information. The illegitimate text message shown below attempts to impersonate the NYS Department of Health and tells the recipient they are required to enter their information to validate their vaccination status. The site the message links to is also fraudulent. Anyone who receives such a text message should delete it right away.

 Scammers use email or text messages to trick you into giving them your personal information. They may try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could gain access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day. Entering any information could put anyone at risk of identity theft.  

To help protect against phishing or smishing (SMS phishing) scams, the NYS Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) and the Division of Consumer Protection recommend the following precautions:

• DO exercise caution with all communications you receive, including those that appear to be from a trusted entity.  Inspect the sender’s information to confirm the message was generated from a legitimate source.
• DO keep an eye out for telltale signs of phishing - poor spelling or grammar, the use of threats, the URL does not match that of the legitimate site. If the message does not feel right, chances are it is not.
• DON’T click on links embedded in an unsolicited message from an unverified source.
• DON’T send your personal information via text.  Legitimate businesses will not ask users to send sensitive personal information through text message.
• DON’T post sensitive information online.  The less information you post, the less data you make available to a cybercriminal for use in developing a potential attack or scams.

For more information on phishing scams, as well as steps to mitigate a phishing attempt, visit the NYS Office of Information Technology Services Phishing Awareness resources page at https://its.ny.gov/resources  or the Division of Consumer Protection Phishing Scam Prevention Tips page at https://dos.ny.gov/identity-theft-prevention-and-mitigation-program.

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection serves to educate, assist and empower the State’s consumers. For more consumer protection information, call the DCP Helpline at 800-697-1220, Monday through Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm or visit the DCP website at https://dos.ny.gov/consumer-protection. The Division can also be reached via Twitter at @NYSConsumer or Facebook at www.facebook.com/nysconsumer.