DiNAPOLI STATEMENT ON THE MTA's JULY FINANCIAL PLAN

 

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli issued the following statement regarding the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s July Financial Plan.

“The MTA’s revised ridership projections underscore that it must somehow bridge a looming fiscal canyon of more than $2 billion annually and plan for long-term service challenges. The MTA’s July financial presentation shows operating budget gaps when excluding federal one-time relief, making clear what my office has been saying since September 2021: the MTA is facing major risks to its operating revenue streams as costs continue to rise, worsening a long-term budgetary imbalance.

“Ridership as a percentage of pre-pandemic ridership is now forecasted to be 61% this year and 79% in 2026, a far cry from the 77% and 87% that was expected in the MTA’s February Plan, leading to a sustained drop in revenues. The MTA’s current projections could become even worse as the threat of a recession looms. The growing disparity between revenues and expenditures necessitate that the MTA act quickly and creatively to provide options to boost revenue amid service demand changes and generate cost efficiencies and savings solutions to mitigate the widening gap.

“The MTA has fortunately turned aside from its ill-advised plan to plug operational gaps through borrowing, which will reduce recurring debt service costs associated with the bonds. The Authority also took a step forward on congestion pricing naming its traffic mobility review board, a critical step towards funding its capital plan.

“Reliable and safe mass transit is critical to revive New York City’s economy in an equitable manner.  Monthly customer satisfaction surveys and recent quarterly transit summit discussions with New York City on the state of service are good steps forward, but the MTA must show how it intends to use this information to keep the public informed on how it plans to provide quality service for years to come.”

Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating Covid-19 - JULY 27, 2022

 Governor Encourages New Yorkers to Keep Using the Tools to Protect Against and Treat COVID-19: Vaccines, Boosters, Testing, and Treatment

19 Statewide Deaths Reported Yesterday

 NOTE: Beginning June 24, 2022, the Vaccine data will be updated weekly on Fridays to align with CDC's updated data refresh schedule. For additional information on COVID-19 Vaccination Data provided by CDC, see https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations_vacc-total-admin-rate-total.

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

"As we continue to respond to new variants and prepare for potential surges in the fall, New Yorkers must take precautions to keep themselves and their loved ones safe and healthy," Governor Hochul said. "The vaccine is the best tool we have to prevent serious hospitalization from COVID-19, and I encourage those who are not up to date on their vaccine and booster doses to get caught up immediately. Take a test if you feel unwell and if you do test positive, talk to your doctor about potential treatment."

Today's data is summarized briefly below:    

• Cases Per 100k - 37.55
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 33.74
• Test Results Reported - 80,138
• Total Positive - 7,338
• Percent Positive - 8.78%**  
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 8.90%**
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,788 (+42)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 511
• Patients in ICU - 286 (+6)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 89 (4)
• Total Discharges - 324,756 (+438)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 19
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 56,990     

** Due to the test reporting policy change by the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and several other factors, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.  

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.    

Important Note: Effective Monday, April 4, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is no longer requiring testing facilities that use COVID-19 rapid antigen tests to report negative results. As a result, New York State's percent positive metric will be computed using only lab-reported PCR results. Positive antigen tests will still be reported to New York State and reporting of new daily cases and cases per 100k will continue to include both PCR and antigen tests. Due to this change and other factors, including changes in testing practices, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.  

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 72,716

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.      

Each New York City borough's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows **:      

Borough	Sunday July 24, 2022	Monday, July 25, 2022	Tuesday, July 26, 2022
Bronx	8.97%	8.89%	8.77%
Kings	8.42%	8.28%	7.90%
New York	7.60%	7.46%	7.20%
Queens	10.38%	10.36%	9.97%
Richmond	8.73%	8.59%	8.48%

Chief Financial Officer Of Global Public Relations Firm Pleads Guilty To Fraud And Falsification Of Corporate Records

 

Frank Okunak Embezzled Over $16 Million and Caused Publicly Traded Corporation to Keep False Book and Records

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that FRANK OKUNAK, the former chief financial officer of one of the world’s leading global public relations firms, pled guilty in connection with a decade-long scheme to embezzle over $16 million from his employer.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams stated: “ Frank Okunak, former CFO of one of the world’s leading public relations firms, admitted today to illegally embezzling over $16 million of the firm’s assets to pay for his posh lifestyle. Okunak now awaits sentencing for his decade-long fraud scheme.”

According to the allegations in the Information, statements made in court, and court filings:

For nearly a decade, FRANK OKUNAK, who was the chief financial officer and later chief operating officer of a leading global public relations firms (the “PR Firm”), embezzled over $16 million from the PR Firm and, ultimately, the shareholders of the PR Firm’s publicly traded parent corporation. OKUNAK used the embezzled funds to finance his personal lifestyle and his own private business ventures. OKUNAK concealed and facilitated his theft by preparing and causing others to prepare materially false accounting books and records, including invoices and payment records that falsely described expenditures as having been undertaken for the benefit of the PR Firm, when funds were actually used for OKUNAK’s personal benefit or for the benefit of his personal business associates.

Specifically, from 2011 through 2020, OKUNAK used his authority as an officer of the PR Firm to cause the PR Firm to make unauthorized payments for OKUNAK’s personal and business ventures unrelated to the activities of the PR Firm or its corporate parents. OKUNAK used the PR Firm’s assets to provide the start-up capital for his personal, independent business ventures, to purchase tickets and luxury boxes at sporting events, and even to cover donations to his alma mater. To hide the illicit nature of these expenditures, OKUNAK frequently prepared or caused others to prepare false or misleading invoices and other documentation to suggest, falsely, that the funds were used for legitimate corporate purposes.

OKUNAK, 56, of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of falsification of corporate books and records. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. As part of his guilty plea, OKUNAK agreed to forfeit $10,823,575.57 and to pay restitution of $16,043,603.71.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Mr. Williams further thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the victim PR Firm and its corporate parent for their cooperation and assistance in this investigation.

BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO 16 YEARS IN PRISON FOR STABBING SIX MEN IN UNPROVOKED ATTACKS

 

Defendant Pleaded Guilty to Vicious 2-Day Spree; Victims Included 75-Year-Old Man 

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to 16 years in prison and five years of post-release supervision for slashing and assaulting six men in two days in August 2020.

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant brutally attacked six men within two days in unprovoked, senseless acts. Two of the victims were 65 and 75 years old. Bronx residents have the right to walk freely in their communities without fearing for their safety. This sentencing brings justice for the victims.”

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, JayQawn Byers, 24, was sentenced on July 26, 2022 by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Martin Marcus to 16 years in prison and five years of post release supervision on each of the six counts of first-degree Assault to which he pleaded guilty. The sentences will run concurrently. The defendant pleaded guilty to six counts of first-degree Assault on June 27, 2022.

 According to the investigation, on August 5, 2020 on Baychester Avenue, Byers slashed Anthony Gibbs, 59, on the left side of his neck and face. The victim’s wound required 24 stitches. Approximately five hours later, on White Plains Road, the defendant approached Michael Solnik, 65, from behind and slashed him on the left side of his neck. The victim received 20 stitches. Approximately 20 minutes later, Byers approached Danny Estus, 45, who was walking down the street on White Plains Road and slashed him in the neck.

 According to the investigation, on August 6, 2020, at approximately 6 p.m. on White Plains Road, the defendant approached Shamil Mohamed, 40, and slashed him in the neck and mouth. Approximately 30 minutes later, the defendant approached Jose Baez, 38, on White Plains Road and slashed him in the face. Shortly after that, the defendant approached Ramon Capellan, 75, who was sitting outside on his walker. Byers demanded money from Capellan, then slashed the victim in the neck, face, and arm.

 The defendant was arrested on August 7, 2020.

 District Attorney Clark also thanked NYPD Detectives Robert Regnier, Michael Simpson, Kevin Mockel and Edwin Vega of the 47th Precinct; NYPD Detective Dwayne Leeshue of the 41st Precinct, NYPD Detective Robinson Martinez of the 49th Precinct, and NYPD Detective Jonathan Virtuoso of the 45th Precinct for their work in the investigation.