Former Government Official In The Dominican Republic Sentenced To 15 Years For Conspiring To Import Cocaine Into The United States

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York announced that the Dominican Republic’s former Consul General to Jamaica, JEREMIAS JIMENEZ CRUZ, was sentenced today to 179 months in prison for using his position and contacts in the government of the Dominican Republic to import cocaine into the United States. JIMENEZ CRUZ was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Kimba M. Wood. JIMENEZ CRUZ previously pled guilty to conspiring to import more than five kilograms of cocaine into the United States.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:  “Jeremias Jimenez Cruz abused his position as a government official to traffic vast amounts of cocaine into the United States. Today Jimenez Cruz was rightly sentenced to 15 years in prison for his crime.”

According to the allegations in the Indictment, prior filings in this case, and statements made in Court:

JIMENEZ CRUZ was a high-ranking government official in the Dominican Republic whose positions have included Vice Consul of the Dominican Republic to Germany, Consul General of the Dominican Republic to Jamaica, and president of the National Christian Movement.  He has also held himself out to be the half-brother of a former two-term president of the Dominican Republic. JIMENEZ CRUZ used his position, connections, and planes to traffic large quantities of cocaine, including for importation to the United States, and to launder drug proceeds. During the course of the investigation, JIMENEZ CRUZ was caught on tape admitting that with his government connections, he had the capacity to move up to 600 kilograms of cocaine by airplane and up to one ton of cocaine by boat. JIMENEZ CRUZ admitted that he was a leader of this conspiracy that involved the importation of over 50 kilograms of cocaine, and that he abused his position of public trust to commit the offense.

In addition to the sentence, JIMENEZ CRUZ, age 52, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA. The arrest was the result of an investigation by the New York Strike Force, a crime-fighting unit comprising federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies supported by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).  

The Strike Force is housed at the DEA’s New York Division and includes agents and officers of the DEA, the New York City Police Department, the New York State Police, New York City Sheriff’s Office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations, the U. S. Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives , U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Secret Service, the U.S. Marshals Service, New York National Guard, the Clarkstown Police Department, U.S. Coast Guard, Port Washington Police Department, and New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.

Attorney General James Applauds New Laws to Combat Sexual Harassment

 

New York Attorney General Letitia James released the following statement applauding new laws signed today to combat sexual harassment in New York:

“Sexual harassment is pervasive, corrosive, and has been a silent barrier for women in the workplace for far too long. Today is an important day in our collective efforts to combat sexual harassment, and I am grateful to Governor Hochul and the legislative sponsors for their work on these issues. Most importantly, I am grateful to the advocates who shined a light in the dark corners of our society and fought tirelessly to make these critical protections a reality. Every workplace should be safe from harassment or abuse, and these new laws will go a long way towards ensuring we have the proper tools to protect people from harassment and retaliation.”

Partnerships for Parks - FREE Webinars and Job Openings

 

Once You Hear Me, You Won't Forget Me by Patricia Cazorla & Nancy Saleme. Howard Bennett Playground in Harlem, November 2018. Photo courtesy of the artists.

BRINGING ART TO LOCAL PARKS: THE NYC PARKS’ ART IN THE PARKS PROGRAM Want to bring art installations to your local park? For the first time, Partnerships for Parks is teaming up with NYC Parks’ Art in the Parks program to showcase the ways you can navigate the public art process to enrich your neighborhood park. You will see highlights from past installations and hear from a local artist who has had their work displayed through the Art in the Parks program. Join us to learn: The variety of artworks that have been exhibited in parks citywide. An overview of the public art process. Guidelines for applications. Featured speakers include:  Elizabeth Masella, Senior Public Art Coordinator for NYC Parks. Naiomy Rodriguez, Public Art Coordinator for NYC Parks. Registration for this session is required and will close the day before the event. You will receive information on how to join the webinar once you register. Traducción en Español disponible. Tuesday, April 5 from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm

REGISTER NOW

W119th St Block Association care for street trees, November 2021.

CONTRIBUYA A SU PARQUE Our "Get Involved with Your Park" workshop in Spanish ¿Te gustaría contribuir con tu parque local? Todavía hay tiempo para registrarse a nuestro curso virtual en español (traducido en inglés) que servirá como una introducción a las formas en que puede apoyar a su parque local y a otros parques de la ciudad de Nueva York. Este curso virtual enseñará temas relacionados a cómo ser voluntario para ayudar a parques urbanos y áreas verdes, información sobre cómo crear grupos para colaborar en equipo en tu comunidad. A través de una subvención, Partnerships for Parks ofrece un máximo de $3,000 por grupo que esté interesado en cooperar con el mantenimiento/embellecimiento de parques urbanos y áreas verdes. Recomendamos completar el registro de capacitación lo antes posible. La inscripción finalizará el día anterior al entrenamiento (22 de marzo).

REGISTER NOW

PfP staffer tables at The People's Festival at Albee Square in Brooklyn, August 2021.

WORK WITH PfP We are a joint community engagement program of City Parks Foundation and NYC Parks working to sustain local parks and green spaces across New York City. We are currently hiring for multiple positions including Catalyst Organizer, Catalyst Community Connector, Technical Assistance Director, and Volunteer Projects Assistant. Check out the following sites for details and instructions on how to apply https://bit.ly/PfPJobs22 and https://on.nyc.gov/3sA2XvU.

APPLY NOW

Partnerships for Parks is a joint program of City Parks Foundation and NYC Parks that supports and champions a growing network of leaders caring and advocating for neighborhood parks and green spaces. We equip people and organizations with the skills and tools needed to transform these spaces into dynamic community assets.

MAYOR ADAMS TO DELIVER ADDITIONAL $3 MILLION IN CASH ASSISTANCE TO BRONX FIRE VICTIMS

 

BronxWorks Chosen to Disburse Remaining Funds, Provide Case Management Services

 New York City Mayor Eric Adams and the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City (Mayor’s Fund) today announced that an additional $3 million in cash assistance will be made available to assist over 150 households impacted by the Twin Parks fire in the Bronx on January 9. Trusted community partner BronxWorks has been chosen to distribute the $3 million in cash assistance and will receive an additional $500,000 in funding to provide services and longer-term support over the next 12 months to those affected. This work will supplement and build on the case management services and support BronxWorks has already been providing to residents for the last two months. Since the fire, the Mayor’s Fund has raised a total of $4.4 million between monetary and in-kind donations, approximately $937,000 of which has been spent so far on cash assistance, food, burial services, and more. 

“New York City made a vow to help the more than 150 families who suffered through the unspeakable tragedy at Twin Parks, and we are continuing to deliver on that promise day after day,” said Mayor Adams. “These families will soon see an additional $3 million begin to roll into their pockets to help them with food, housing, household items, or anything else they lost. But we are in this for the long haul, since picking up the pieces will not come easy, so we’ve chosen BronxWorks to cut the bureaucratic red tape and provide those affected with wraparound services over the next 12 months to help get families back up on their feet. I want to thank Bronx Borough President Gibson and the numerous other elected officials, community groups, and individuals for helping to raise a total of $4.4 million so far and providing their invaluable support and commitment to the families affected.”

 

“Immediately following the horrific five-alarm fire at Twin Parks on January 9^th, New Yorkers stepped up to help their neighbors,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. “Our office has been working together, in partnership, with our colleagues in government and many community groups to provide needed services to the impacted families. Today’s announcement of the rollout of an additional $3 million in direct cash assistance to our families is an important step of progress that recognizes the ongoing needs of our displaced families. BronxWorks has once again stepped up to provide both short-term and long-term assistance and counseling for our families in need. I want to thank Mayor Eric Adams and his administration for their commitment. I want to recognize Hot 97, WBLS, Fat Joe, Remy Ma, A-Boogie, Cardi B, TT Torrez, and our hip-hop community for their efforts and using their voices to support our Bronx residents. As the borough president, I am so grateful and overwhelmed by the numerous acts and expressions of love and support for Twin Parks residents and families. We have a lot of work ahead and will continue to support the long-term needs of our residents and families. Thank you to everyone for helping our neighbors in need during this tragedy.”

 

“In the face of a terrible tragedy, the Mayor’s Fund quickly responded by establishing the Bronx Fire Relief Fund — giving business, philanthropic, and community partners a way to support their friends and neighbors in need,” said Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives Sheena Wright, chair, Board of Directors, Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City. “We are grateful to our chosen community partner, BronxWorks, for their tireless efforts to assist affected families, and we also want to thank Borough President Gibson for her relentless advocacy on behalf of her constituents. We hope this additional relief eases some of the tremendous burdens facing affected families.”

 

“Our partnership with BronxWorks ensures that the individuals and families affected by the Twin Parks fire in the Bronx get the funds so generously donated by New Yorkers and people around the country, while also receiving vital long-term support as they rebuild their lives,” said Daniele Baierlein and JL Paniagua Valle, co-executive directors, Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City. “We are incredibly grateful to every donor who answered the call for help and to BronxWorks for providing outreach and services since day one.”

 

“Since January, BronxWorks has provided ongoing case management services to families affected by the fire to assist them in rebuilding their lives after this devastating and traumatic event,” says Eileen Torres, executive director, BronxWorks. “We are grateful to Mayor Adams and the Mayor’s Fund for bolstering this response and engaging with us to ensure families have the long-term support they need.”

 

“When Mayor Adams and the Mayor’s Fund mobilized after the Bronx fire tragedy, New Yorkers responded immediately,” said Rob Speyer, chair, Mayor’s Fund Board of Advisors; and president and CEO, Tishman Speyer. “We are grateful that the Mayor’s Fund is able to    support the families affected by the fire. Our partnership with community-based organizations will ensure that we can provide direct assistance where it continues to be needed. Our thoughts and prayers remain with all of the families impacted.”

 

“The Bronx is my home, and I’m always going to look out for my people, and if I can use my voice and my network to help support the Bronx, I’m going to do just that!” said Fat Joe. “Peace to the hip-hop community for stepping up and showing love to the Bronx.”

 

Immediately after the fire, the Mayor’s Fund established the Bronx Fire Relief Fund to provide supplies and relief to the families affected by the fire. Today’s contract with BronxWorks has two primary goals: first, to provide cash assistance to the families impacted by the fire, and second, to provide ongoing case management for families, while also connecting them to other resources and benefits that may provide them additional government benefits in the future.

 

BronxWorks has been on the ground providing services since January 9, and their case managers are well situated to provide comprehensive services tailored to each family’s specific needs. As part of today’s contract, case managers from BronxWorks will engage families for a complete 12-month period, or until families cease engagement with them, and will serve as a single point of contact, so that those impacted do not need to contact multiple agencies and organizations for different needs. Specifically, BronxWorks will conduct needs assessments and assist those affected by the fire to access services, benefits, and resources, including those related to mental and physical health, legal services, financial counseling, benefits, job training and employment services, childcare, food pantries/grocery store cash cards, and other needs.

 

The city is also making La Central — a new, mixed-use, affordable housing development located in the Melrose neighborhood of the Bronx — available to those residents who want to relocate there. The city, the American Red Cross, and Twin Parks property owner Camber have extended hotels for the impacted families of the fire through April 7, 2022. Families wishing to relocate to La Central or move back into Twin Parks are being provided financial assistance in the form of moving credits and furniture credits through CVR and BronxWorks. In addition to the support provided by the city and other groups, Camber has distributed $5,000 of financial assistance per household to residents.

 

“The Mayor’s Fund responds quickly and effectively to tragic situations in the city, providing businesses and individuals with a reliable means to channel contributions to families in need,” said Kathryn Wylde, president and CEO, Partnership for New York City.

 

Mayors Adams and the Mayor’s Fund wish to thank Bronx Borough President Gibson, the numerous other elected officials, the state of New York, CVR, BronxWorks, and community advocates for their partnership with the city over the last two months to support the needs of residents, including by providing them choices for long-term housing.

BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO 12 YEARS IN PRISON FOR KILLING HIS SIX-WEEK-OLD INFANT

 

Defendant Pleaded Guilty to First-Degree Manslaughter

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced a Bronx man has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree Manslaughter for fatally throwing his sixweek-old son to the ground, killing him.

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant’s newborn was crying and instead of comforting him, the defendant threw him to the ground, ending his life. The defendant’s violence is unconscionable and unfitting of any parent.”

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Christian Rodriguez, 27, last of 530 East 137th Street, was sentenced today to 12 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Ralph Fabrizio. The defendant pleaded guilty to first-degree Manslaughter on February 16, 2022.

 According to the investigation, on the evening of March 18, 2019 the defendant was home and taking care of his six-week-old child, Aiden Rodriguez. The defendant initially told investigators he accidently hit the child’s head on a bedroom doorframe while holding him and trying to maneuver the stroller into the bedroom. Rodriguez then admitted to investigators that he was angry and threw the baby to the ground. The child was taken to Lincoln Hospital then transferred to Columbia Presbyterian Hospital where he was pronounced dead several hours later. Medical investigators found that the baby died from abusive head trauma.

 District Attorney Clark also thanked NYPD Detective Jose Romero from the 40th Precinct and former NYPD Detective John Ferretti of Bronx Homicide for their assistance in the investigation.

Governor Hochul Announces Increased Impaired Driving Patrols for St. Patrick’s Day

 

Enforcement Campaign to Run from March 16 Through March 20 

More than 47,000 Vehicle and Traffic Law Violation Tickets Issued During Last Year's Campaign

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that state and local law enforcement agencies across New York will be stepping up patrols and targeting impaired driving before, during and after St. Patrick’s Day. The enforcement campaign will run from Wednesday, March 16, 2022, through Sunday, March 20, 2022. This safety initiative is designed to reduce alcohol and drug-related traffic crashes and save lives. It is sponsored by STOP-DWI with funding from the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC). 

“We all love celebrating St. Patrick’s Day with family and friends, so make sure you’re celebrating safely this year,” Governor Hochul said. “I encourage all New Yorkers to plan for a safe ride home, so you can  enjoy your celebration without endangering yourself and others.”

During the 2021 campaign, law enforcement throughout the state issued 47,349 tickets for vehicle and traffic law violations, including 1,403 arrests for DWI. Full breakdown here:

Violation	Number of Tickets
Impaired Driving	1,403
Distracted Driving	610
Move Over Law	280
Other Violations	33,349
Seatbelt	1,298
Speeding	10,409
Grand Total	47,349

New York DMV Commissioner and GTSC Chair Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “St. Patrick’s Day celebrations should be joyous and fun. Don’t let that be ruined by making the reckless decision to drive impaired. Impaired driving puts you and all those sharing the road in danger. Always have a plan to get home safely.”

 New York State Police Superintendent Kevin P. Bruen said, “The State Police urges everyone to have a plan this St. Patrick’s Day. There is nothing wrong with celebrating as long as you do so responsibly. If you are drinking, don’t get behind the wheel -- plan ahead and make arrangements for a safe ride home. There’s simply no excuse to get behind the wheel if you’re impaired. One day of celebrating can quickly turn to tragedy because of impaired driving.”

The STOP-DWI program is a major component of New York's efforts to combat impaired driving. STOP-DWI stands for "Special Traffic Options Program for Driving While Intoxicated." The program's efforts are funded from fines paid by convicted impaired drivers. Importantly, the program's coordinators are comprised of diverse professional backgrounds, including law enforcement and non-law enforcement.

 Under GTSC oversight, STOP-DWI was created to empower counties to coordinate local efforts to reduce alcohol and other drug-related traffic crashes. All 62 counties have opted to participate. Some examples of programs that STOP-DWI funds include specially trained police units dedicated to DWI enforcement, hiring of special prosecutors and probation officers to handle the caseload, monitoring ignition interlock devices, supporting rehabilitation services, and developing public information and education campaigns tailored to communities within their respective regions. To learn more, visit http://www.stopdwi.org/.

In addition to STOP-DWI, the GTSC supports training for Drug Recognition Experts (DRE). DREs are specially trained officers utilized by law enforcement when a driver appears to be impaired, but police have ruled out alcohol as the cause or sole cause of impairment. A DRE receives extensive training that has been approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. The training allows officers to observe and document signs and indicators of impairment within each of seven drug categories including illicit and prescription drugs.

The GTSC also coordinates various traffic safety activities throughout the year and supports ongoing initiatives to improve pedestrian, motorcycle and bicycle safety. The GTSC also sponsors critical training for law enforcement, provides resources for teen drivers and their parents, and promotes seatbelt use statewide.

 New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).

Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, community residence, or outpatient care can be found using the NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the NYS OASAS website.

For more information about GTSC, visit https://trafficsafety.ny.gov/, or follow the GTSC conversation at Facebook and Twitter.

 For more information about DMV, visit dmv.ny.gov, or follow the DMV conversation online at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Founder Of Cyberfraud Prevention Company Pleads Guilty To Defrauding Investors Of Over $100 Million

 

Adam Rogas Raised $123 Million From Investors Using Financial Statements That Showed Tens of Millions of Dollars of Revenue and Assets that Did Not Exist

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ADAM ROGAS, the co-founder and former CEO, CFO, and member of the board of directors of Las Vegas-based cyberfraud prevention company NS8, Inc. (“NS8”), pled guilty today in Manhattan federal court to securities fraud.  ROGAS used fraudulent financial data to obtain over $123 million in financing for NS8, of which he personally obtained approximately $17.5 million. ROGAS pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge John P. Cronan, and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Cronan on August 10, 2022. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:  “Today, Adam Rogas admitted to being the proverbial fox guarding the henhouse.  While claiming to be in the fraud prevention business, Rogas himself defrauded investors in his company of over $100 million.  Now Rogas will be held accountable for his fraudulent scheme.”

According to the Complaint, Indictment, and other publicly-filed documents: 

ADAM ROGAS was a co-founder of NS8, and served as its CEO, CFO, and a member of its board of directors.  ROGAS was also primarily responsible for the company’s fundraising activities.  NS8, which was based in Las Vegas, Nevada, was a cyberfraud prevention company that developed and sold electronic tools to help online vendors assess the fraud risks of customer transactions.  In the fall of 2019 and the spring of 2020, NS8 engaged in fundraising rounds through which it issued Series A Preferred Shares and obtained approximately $123 million in investor funds.

ROGAS maintained control over a bank account into which NS8 received revenue from its customers, and periodically provided monthly statements from that account to NS8’s finance department so that NS8’s financial statements could be created.  ROGAS also maintained control over spreadsheets that purportedly tracked customer revenue, which were also used to generate NS8’s financial statements.

ROGAS altered the bank statements before providing them to NS8’s finance department to show tens of millions of dollars in both customer revenue and bank balances that did not exist.  In the period from January 2019 through February 2020, between at least approximately 40% and 95% of the purported total assets on NS8’s balance sheet were fictitious.  In that same period, the bank statements that ROGAS altered reflected over $40 million in fictitious revenue.

Altered (L) and original (R) bank statements for NS8’s revenue account.  Rogas altered statements for the account to show tens of millions of dollars in revenue (deposits) that did not exist.

ROGAS used these materially misleading financial statements to raise approximately $123 million from investors in the fall of 2019 and the spring of 2020.  During the fundraising process, ROGAS also provided the falsified bank records he had created to auditors who were conducting due diligence on behalf of potential investors.  After these fundraising rounds concluded, NS8 conducted a tender offer with the funds raised from investors, and ROGAS received $17.5 million in proceeds from that tender offer, personally and through a company he controlled.

ROGAS, 44, of Las Vegas, Nevada, pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  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.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI in this investigation.  Mr. Williams further thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission for its cooperation and assistance in this investigation.