DISTRICT ATTORNEY DARCEL D. CLARK’S STATEMENT ON INVESTIGATION OF MATTERS SURROUNDING THE PEDRO HERNANDEZ CASE

  When the case was dismissed on September 6, 2017, I said I would not tolerate misconduct by law enforcement. My Office’s Public Integrity Bureau delved into the allegations surrounding the Pedro Hernandez case. 

Because the investigation has broadened, we saw the need for additional law enforcement resources and the Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Joon H. Kim, has agreed to assist my office in this investigation.

Bronx Borough President - Puerto Rico Se Levanta.... Puerto Rican Heritage Month Celebration 2017

  

Puerto Rican Heritage

Month Celebration

 

Thursday, November 16, 2017

5:30 p.m.

Bronx Community College

2155 University Avenue, Colston Hall Lower Level

Honoring

David Franco, FDNY, Chief Inspector

Nicky Marrero, Master Percussionist, FANIA All-Star

Ms. Audrey Puente, Meteorologist, Fox 5 NY

 

Enjoy an evening of música típica and delicious dishes of Puerto Rico

as we honor distinguished community leaders for their accomplishments.

 

Buffet from 5:30 p.m.—6:30 p.m. Program to begin at 6:45 p.m.

 

To RSVP call 718-590-3522 or email lroldan@bronxbp.nyc.gov

STATEMENT FROM MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO ON THE CONGRESSIONAL TAX REFORM BILLS

 “President Trump’s top economic advisor has admitted that the group most excited about their tax plan is wealthy CEOs. This plan takes from New York City’s working families and hands billions of dollars to the largest corporations and wealthiest Americans.  That’s bad for our people and bad for our economy. The only way you could possibly think this plan makes any sense is if you care more about the wealth of the 1% than you do about the wealth of the middle class.” 

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Initial Distribution Of More Than $770 Million To Victims Of Madoff Ponzi Scheme

Payments Are the Single Largest Distribution of Forfeited Funds in the History of the Department of Justice’s Victim Compensation Program

  Rod J. Rosenstein, the Deputy Attorney General, Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that the Madoff Victim Fund established by the Department of Justice began its initial distribution of $772.5 million in funds forfeited to the United States Government in connection with the Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC (“BLMIS”) fraud scheme.  These funds will be sent to more than 24,000 victims worldwide, the first in a series of payments from the Madoff Victim Fund that will return to victims more than $4 billion in assets recovered as compensation for losses suffered by the collapse of BLMIS, following the largest fraud in history.  Another $5 billion in assets recovered by the U.S. Attorney’s Office are being separately paid to Madoff victims through the BLMIS Customer Fund administered by the Securities Investor Protection Act Trustee.

Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein said:  “Thanks to civil asset forfeiture, the Department of Justice is announcing today the record-setting distribution of restitution to victims of Bernard Madoff’s notorious investment fraud scheme.  We have recovered billions of dollars from third parties – not Mr. Madoff – and are now returning that money to tens of thousands of victims.  This is the largest restoration of forfeited property in history.”

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “Bernie Madoff committed one of history’s largest and most devastating frauds.  This Office not only prosecuted Madoff himself and others who helped perpetrate his fraud, but has remained committed to recovering money for his victims.  To date, this Office has recovered more than $9 billion for the innocent victims of Madoff’s fraud, and today’s distribution of $770 million, the single largest distribution of forfeited funds in the Department’s history, is part of our ongoing commitment to not only prosecute criminals but also find relief for victims.” 

FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said:  “No amount of money in the world could ever reverse the catastrophic effects Madoff’s historic Ponzi scheme had on individuals and businesses alike. But now, nearly a decade after this crime was exposed, it is our hope that victims will finally be able to see the light at the end of a long, dark tunnel.”

Since the early 1970s, BERNARD L. MADOFF (“MADOFF”) used his position as Chairman of BLMIS, the investment advisory business he founded, to steal billions from his clients.  On March 12, 2009, MADOFF pled guilty to 11 federal felonies, admitting that he had turned his wealth management business into the world’s largest Ponzi scheme, benefitting himself, his family, and select members of his inner circle.  On June 29, 2009, United States District Judge Denny Chin sentenced MADOFF to 150 years in prison for running the largest fraudulent scheme in history.  Judge Chin ordered MADOFF to forfeit $170,799,000,000 as part of MADOFF’s sentence. 

The Madoff Victim Fund is funded through recoveries by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in various criminal and civil forfeiture actions, and is overseen by Richard Breeden, the former Chairman of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, in his capacity as Special Master appointed by the Department of Justice to assist in connection with the victim remission proceedings.   

Of the approximately $4.05 billion that will be made available to victims through the Madoff Victim Fund, approximately $2.2 billion was collected as part of the civil forfeiture recovery from the estate of deceased MADOFF investor Jeffry Picower.  An additional $1.7 billion was collected as part of a Deferred Prosecution Agreement with JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. for MADOFF-related Bank Secrecy Act violations.  Additional funds were collected through criminal and civil forfeiture actions against MADOFF and his co-conspirators, and certain MADOFF investors.

Mr. Kim praised the work of the FBI and the Madoff Victim Fund, and thanked the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division for their assistance.    

For more information about the Madoff Victim Fund, compensation to victims of BLMIS, eligibility criteria, and payment information, please visit www.madoffvictimfund.com

Wave Hill Events Nov 24–Dec 8

With Thanksgiving, the holiday season takes off, whether we feel ready or not. Start it with our gift to you: A free session of Black Friday Meditation. The next week, on the last day of November, Wave Hill holds its annual Members Night, a spectacular time for an evening in the gardens. The moon should be close to full, so we’ll hope for clear skies. If you haven’t become a Wave Hill Member, this would be the perfect time: Members Night kicks of a three-week-long sale in The Shop at Wave Hill, just for Members and just in time for holiday shopping—but with a twist: You actually get to relax while you browse!

Just to further that mellow spirit, come back December 3 when the Swingtime Big Band performs holiday favorites. I’d reserve tea in advance if I were you, and make a perfect day of it.

December is also the last day to see our exhibition of work from ten years of the Sunroom Project Space—50 works by 50 of the 60 emerging artists who have shown in the space since it opened ten years ago. Then Glyndor Gallery goes into hibernation until the new year, when it reopens as studio space. Here’s the caption and credit for the photo I have attached of one of the works in the anniversary show: Steven Millar, Many-Eyed Object, 2017. Wood, glass, paint, steel. Courtesy of the artist.

Lots to gobble, gobble!

Fri, November 24    Black Friday Meditation

Avoid “Black Friday” busyness! Join us for a community meditation focused on gratitude and clearing your mind of holiday clutter. Get inspired by the outdoors and the peace and tranquility that nature evokes, and learn how to work loving kindness into daily life. Led by Neem Dewji of Yoga for Bliss. Registration not required. Please bring a meditation cushion and be on time; latecomers will not be admitted. Free with admission to the grounds.

ECOLOGY BUILDING, 11AM–NOON

Sat, November 25    Family Art Project: Natural Weavings for Harvest Time

Gather fall leaves, cones, pods and seed heads. Weave them together with other materials from the gardens and meadows to create a decorative wall hanging celebrating the bounty and beauty of the season. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. 

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sat, November 25    Garden Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

Sat, November 25    Family Gallery Tour

Explore artwork on view in Glyndor Gallery on a family-friendly tour with a Curatorial Fellow. Children ages six and older welcome with an adult. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT WAVE HILL HOUSE, NOON

Sat, November 25    Gallery Tour

Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow leads a tour of the current exhibition in Glyndor Gallery. This fall, the entire gallery is given over to new site-responsive projects honoring the tenth anniversary of Wave Hill’s Sunroom Project Space. Call & Response showcases the work of 50 artists who have exhibited in this unique venue, in projects ranging from art objects created from natural materials gathered onsite, to sound pieces, outdoor installations and performance works. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

Sun, November 26    Family Art Project: Natural Weavings for Harvest Time

Gather fall leaves, cones, pods and seed heads. Weave them together with other materials from the gardens and meadows to create a decorative wall hanging celebrating the bounty and beauty of the season. Free with admission to the grounds. 

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sun, November 26    Garden Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

Mon, November 27    

Closed to the public.

Tue, November 28    Garden Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

Tue, November 28    Gallery Tour

Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow leads a tour of the current exhibition in Glyndor Gallery. This fall, the entire gallery is given over to new site-responsive projects honoring the tenth anniversary of Wave Hill’s Sunroom Project Space. Call & Response showcases the work of 50 artists who have exhibited in this unique venue, in projects ranging from art objects created from natural materials gathered onsite, to sound pieces, outdoor installations and performance works. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

Thu, November 30    Members Night 2017

Mark your calendars for Wave Hill’s biggest shopping night of the year! Join us for this exclusive, Members-only event and experience the breathtaking beauty of Wave Hill on an early-winter evening. Shop for boutique merchandise in The Shop, and find the perfect gift for that special someone—and everyone!—on your list. Iconic Armor Hall is transformed into a seasonal market with local artisans on hand to share unique and specialty goods and gourmet offerings. Dine in The Café, and complete the experience with live music in the warmth of Wave Hill House: pianist Janice Friedman performs in the Mark Twain Room. This event is not to be missed!

WAVE HILL HOUSE, PERKINS VISITOR CENTER & GLYNDOR GALLERY, 5:30–9PM

Sat, December 2    Family Art Project: Candles, Snowflakes and Stars

Fire and ice don’t usually go together, but as the winter days get shorter and colder, we’ll celebrate both. Take a simple candlestick and, using colorful, clay-like wax, mix and mold your own image of winter onto a candle, or weave a spectacular string-star or symmetrical, button snowflake. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. 

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sat, December 2    Members Sale in The Shop at Wave Hill

Wave Hill Members enjoy a discount of 20% on all their purchases in The Shop, from December 1 through December 22. 

PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10AM‒4PM

Sat, December 2    Gallery Tour

Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow leads a tour of the current exhibition in Glyndor Gallery. This fall, the entire gallery is given over to new site-responsive projects honoring the tenth anniversary of Wave Hill’s Sunroom Project Space. Call & Response showcases the work of 50 artists who have exhibited in this unique venue, in projects ranging from art objects created from natural materials gathered onsite, to sound pieces, outdoor installations and performance works. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

Sun, December 3    Family Art Project: Candles, Snowflakes and Stars

Fire and ice don’t usually go together, but as the winter days get shorter and colder, we’ll celebrate both. Take a simple candlestick and, using colorful, clay-like wax, mix and mold your own image of winter onto a candle, or weave a spectacular string-star or symmetrical, button snowflake. Free with admission to the grounds. 

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sun, December 3    Members Sale in The Shop at Wave Hill

Wave Hill Members enjoy a discount of 20% on all their purchases in The Shop, from December 1 through December 22. 

PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10AM‒4PM

Sun, December 3    Pre-Concert Tea

Enjoy Afternoon Tea in the Mark Twain Room prior to today’s concert in Armor Hall. The Café at Wave Hill pairs a classic menu with an assortment of green, black and herbal teas. This traditional tea service includes the four classic elements of savory, scones, sweets and tea. The menu, presented by Great Performances, includes an array of tea sandwiches, scones and bite-sized desserts. Afternoon Tea also includes a glass of sparkling wine. Afternoon Tea Service is $36. Wave Hill Members receive a 10% discount. Advanced registration is required online. We will take reservations until 5PM, Thursday, November 30.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, NOON–2PM

Sun, December 3    Garden Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

Sun, December 3    Concert: Swingtime Big Band

Be part of the tradition at Wave Hill and welcome the holidays with a high-energy performance by the Swingtime Big Band, an authentic, 20-piece ensemble under the direction of Steve Shaiman. The band will offer a mix of seasonal favorites, including the Nutcracker Suite, complemented by swing classics from the libraries of Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, Artie Shaw and Les Brown, with favorites of Ella Fitzgerald and Dean Martin in honor of the 100th anniversary of the birth of each legendary singer. Tickets for this two-hour concert, which includes one intermission, are $45/$35 Wave Hill Member. Order tickets online at wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center. For additional information, please call 718.549.3200 x251.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 2PM

Mon, December 4    

Closed to the public.

Tue, December 5    Members Sale in The Shop at Wave Hill

Wave Hill Members enjoy a discount of 20% on all their purchases in The Shop, from December 1 through December 22. 

PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10AM‒4PM

Wed, December 6    Members Sale in The Shop at Wave Hill

Wave Hill Members enjoy a discount of 20% on all their purchases in The Shop, from December 1 through December 22. 

PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10AM‒4PM

Thu, December 7    Members Sale in The Shop at Wave Hill

Wave Hill Members enjoy a discount of 20% on all their purchases in The Shop, from December 1 through December 22. 

PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10AM‒4PM

Fri, December 8    Members Sale in The Shop at Wave Hill

Wave Hill Members enjoy a discount of 20% on all their purchases in The Shop, from December 1 through December 22. 

PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10AM‒4PM

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–4:30PM, November 1–March 14. Closes 5:30PM, starting March 15.

ADMISSION  $8 adults, $4 students and seniors 65+, $2 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 Jewish Community Council - Volunteer Survey

The BJCC Volunteer Department has been invited to participate in a national Volunteer Survey, conducted by the research group at Brandeis University Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Thought, on behalf of the UJA/Federation of NYC.

Participation in this study is completely anonymous and completely voluntary.

 No further solicitation or information will be forwarded to you unless we receive a response with your email at Info@bjcconline.org, requesting the code to participate.  We are following this particular protocol in order to protect the privacy of our volunteer team.

 All requests for participation must be received by November 20, 2017.  This invitation to participate will only go out this one time and will not be followed up in any other way.

What Do You and the BJCC have to gain by your participation? 

Research done by this study will help us understand the best practices to match volunteers with services needed in order to secure the highest satisfaction both to our agency and to our volunteer s, thus increasing the productivity of your service and making it as meaningful as possible for you.

In the interest of full disclosure:

The code you will be given when you sign up will be anonymous to everyone but the BJCC Volunteer Department.  However, the Brandeis Team has offered a $10 gift certificate to the first 50 individual in our agency who volunteer for the project.  If you are one of the first 50, we will contact you for permission to forward your address to receive your gift card.

Thanks so very much-looking forward to hearing from you!!!

Learn more about Bronx Jewish Community Council's volunteer opportunities and how to get involved at www.bjcconline.org 

Former Director Of Fixed Income And Head Of Portfolio Strategy At The New York State Common Retirement Fund Pleads Guilty In “Pay-For-Play” Bribery Scheme

   Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that NAVNOOR KANG, the former Director of Fixed Income and Head of Portfolio Strategy at the New York State Common Retirement Fund (“NYSCRF”), pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken for participating in a massive “pay-for-play” bribery scheme involving the NYSCRF, the nation’s third largest public pension fund. 

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “As an investment professional with New York State Common Retirement Fund, Navnoor Kang owed a duty to the public employees whose pension money he oversaw.  But in this case of public corruption meets securities fraud, Kang sold himself and his duty to safeguard public retirement money for luxury vacations, jewelry, cash and even drugs.  He has now admitted to his crimes and is a convicted felon. ”

According to allegations contained in the Indictment charging KANG and statements made during his plea proceeding:

The NYSCRF

The NYSCRF is a pension fund administered for the benefit of public employees of the State of New York.  From January 2014 through February 2016, KANG served as Director of Fixed Income and Head of Portfolio Strategy for the NYSCRF.  In that capacity, KANG was responsible for investing more than $53 billion in fixed-income securities and was entrusted with discretion to manage those investments on behalf of the NYSCRF.  KANG owed a fiduciary duty to the NYSCRF and its members and beneficiaries, and was required to make investment decisions in their best interests and free of any conflict of interest.  New York State law and NYSCRF policies prohibited KANG and other NYSCRF employees from receiving any bribes, gifts, benefits, or consideration of any kind.

The Scheme to Steer NYSCRF Fixed-Income Business in Exchange for Secret Bribes

From 2014 through 2016, KANG and others participated in a scheme to defraud the NYSCRF and its members and beneficiaries, and to deprive the NYSCRF of its intangible right to KANG’s honest services.  The scheme involved, among other things, an agreement among KANG, Deborah Kelley, a managing director of institutional fixed income sales at New York-based broker-dealer (“Broker-Dealer-1”), Gregg Shonhorn, a vice president of fixed income sales at a New York-based broker-dealer (“Broker-Dealer-2”), and others to pay KANG bribes – in the form of entertainment, travel, lavish meals, prostitutes, nightclub bottle service, narcotics, tickets to sports games and other events, luxury gifts, and cash payments for strippers and KANG’s personal expenses – in exchange for fixed-income business from the NYSCRF.  Such bribes – which totaled more than $100,000 – were strictly forbidden by the NYSCRF, and were paid secretly and without any disclosure to the NYSCRF and its members and beneficiaries concerning the conflicts of interest inherent therein. 

In exchange for the bribes paid by Kelley, Schonhorn, and others, KANG used his position as Director of Fixed Income and Head of Portfolio Strategy at the NYSCRF to promote the interests of Kelley, Schonhorn, and their respective brokerage firms.  KANG, in exchange for the bribes he received, agreed to steer fixed-income business to Broker-Dealer-1 and Broker-Dealer-2.  In fact, KANG steered more than $3 billion in fixed-income business to Broker-Dealer-1 and Broker-Dealer-2, from which Kelley, Schonhorn, and their respective employers earned millions of dollars in commissions from the NYSCRF.  In so doing, KANG, with the knowledge and approval of Kelley and Schonhorn, breached his fiduciary duty to make investment decisions in the best interest of the NYSCRF and its members and beneficiaries, and free of conflict, and deprived the NYSCRF of its intangible right to KANG’s honest services.

As the bribes paid by Schonhorn to KANG increased, so too did Broker-Dealer-2’s fixed-income business with the NYSCRF.  The value of the NYSCRF’s domestic bond transactions with Broker-Dealer-2 skyrocketed from zero in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013, to approximately $1.5 million in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2014, to approximately $858 million in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2015, and to approximately $2.378 billion in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016.  Broker-Dealer-2 became the third largest broker-dealer with which the NYSRCF executed domestic bond transactions for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016, having not even been on the approved list in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2013.  As the NYSCRF’s third largest broker-dealer in this asset class, Broker-Dealer-2 brokered approximately eight percent of the total value of the NYSCRF’s domestic bond transactions – a figure greater than that of all but two of the major international banks and brokerage houses on the list.  Similarly, the value of NYSCRF’s domestic bond transactions with Broker-Dealer-1 increased from zero in the fiscal year ending March 1, 2014, to approximately $156 million in the fiscal year ending March 1, 2015, and to approximately $179 million in the fiscal year ending March 1, 2016. 

KANG’s trades resulted in the payment of millions of dollars in commissions to Broker-Dealer-1 and Broker-Dealer-2, of which Kelley and Schonhorn personally earned approximately 35 to 40 percent.

The Obstruction of Justice

In late 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) opened an investigation into the entertainment and benefits that Kelley had provided KANG, and the SEC subpoenaed both KANG and Kelley for their testimony.  In advance of their testimony, KANG and Kelley agreed to align their stories and testify falsely before the SEC in order to conceal their scheme.  In late 2015 and early 2016, KANG and Kelley each falsely testified under oath before the SEC about expenses Kelley had paid for KANG.  Moreover, after a federal grand jury investigation was opened, KANG instructed Schonhorn to testify falsely before the grand jury, and KANG admitted that he had hidden relevant evidence. 

KANG, 37, of Glendale, California, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  KANG is scheduled to be sentenced on February 23, 2018, by Judge Oetken.

Kelley and Schonhorn have each pled guilty for participating in the scheme.  Kelley was sentenced by Judge Oetken to three years of probation. 

Mr. Kim praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and noted that the investigation is continuing.   He also thanked the SEC, which filed civil charges against Kang, Kelley, and Schonhorn in a separate civil action, and the Office of Inspector General for the Office of the New York State Comptroller.