Lamor Whitehead, Brooklyn Church Leader, Convicted Of Fraud, Extortion, And False Statements

 

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that a jury returned a guilty verdict last night against LAMOR WHITEHEAD on two counts of wire fraud, one count of attempted wire fraud, one count of attempted extortion, and one count of making false statements to federal law enforcement agents.  U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield presided over the two-week trial. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As a unanimous jury found, Lamor Whitehead abused the trust placed in him by a parishioner, tried to obtain a fraudulent loan using fake bank records, bullied a businessman for $5,000, tried to defraud him out of far more than that, and lied to federal agents.  Whitehead’s reprehensible lies and criminal conduct have caught up with him, as he now stands convicted of five federal crimes and faces time in prison.” 

According to the allegations in the Indictment and the evidence at trial:

LAMOR WHITEHEAD, who leads a church in Brooklyn, New York, stole from his own parishioners, sought to defraud and extort a businessman, and committed loan fraud.  First, WHITEHEAD induced one of his parishioners to invest approximately $90,000 of her retirement savings with him by promising to use the money to help her buy a home.  He then spent the money on luxury goods and other personal expenses and, when she demanded to be paid back, he continued to lie to avoid returning the money.  Second, WHITEHEAD extorted a businessman for $5,000, then attempted to convince the same businessman to lend him $500,000 and give him a stake in certain real estate transactions in return for favorable actions from the Mayor of New York City, even though WHITEHEAD knew he could not obtain the favors he promised.  Third, WHITEHEAD submitted a fraudulent application for a $250,000 business loan, including doctored bank statements that falsely claimed WHITEHEAD had millions of dollars in the bank and hundreds of thousands of dollars in monthly revenue.  Finally, when speaking with Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) agents who were executing a search warrant outside WHITEHEAD’s mansion in New Jersey, WHITEHEAD falsely claimed that he had no cellphones other than the phone he was carrying when, in fact, WHITEHEAD had and regularly used a second cellphone, which was inside his house at the time.

WHITEHEAD, 45, of Paramus, New Jersey, was convicted of two counts of wire fraud, one count of attempted wire fraud, and one count of attempted extortion, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of making false statements, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

The statutory maximum sentences 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. 

Attorney General James Delivers Over 9,500 Cans of Baby Formula to New Yorkers

Formula Donation Resolves AG James Investigation into Walgreens, which Raised Prices on Baby Formula During 2022 Shortage

New York Attorney General Letitia James secured 9,564 cans of baby formula, with a wholesale value of $200,000, to resolve an Office of the Attorney General (OAG) investigation into Walgreen Co. (Walgreens) which illegally raised prices of baby formula during the 2022 shortage. The OAG investigation into Walgreens price gouging of baby formula follows reports and consumer complaints about unreasonably high costs associated with this essential product. Attorney General James secured the Walgreens settlement in the form of baby formula to make it available to New Yorkers in need. In addition to the over 9,500 cans of baby formula, Walgreens will pay a $50,000 penalty to resolve the OAG investigation.

“Baby formula is the main source of nutrients and absolutely essential for thousands of our most vulnerable residents, our infants. During the formula shortage, families were panicked and struggling about how to feed their babies. For Walgreens to take advantage of this crisis and jack up formula prices is not only illegal, but downright shameful,” said Attorney General James. “The thousands of baby formula cans secured by my office will go directly to help New York families who need it most. Today's agreement should also send a clear message that my office will not tolerate any company that attempts to price gouge our state’s consumers.”

As part of the settlement with OAG, Walgreens will donate 9,564 cans of baby formula to the Met Council in Queens County, and FeedMore WNY and the Buffalo Prenatal Perinatal Network in Buffalo, Erie County. These nonprofits will distribute the formula to New Yorkers in need. Additionally, Walgreens will pay a $50,000 penalty, and will refrain from any future price gouging.

In February 2022, major baby formula manufacturer Abbott Laboratories, facing contamination concerns, shut down a plant that produced approximately 20 percent of the country’s formula and recalled several of its popular Similac formula products. The Abbott plant closure and recall contributed to a severe nationwide shortage of baby formula, which was already in short supply due to supply-chain problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This acute shortage lasted through much of 2022 and led to emergency action by the federal government and state and local governments around the country. Millions of infants in the U.S. are reliant on formula as their primary or supplemental food source, and the 2022 shortage created significant hardship for families across New York State.

New York’s price gouging law prohibits vendors from unconscionably increasing prices on goods that are vital to consumers’ health, safety, or welfare during abnormal market disruptions such as the 2022 formula shortage. In May 2022, Attorney General James issued warnings to more than 30 retailers across the state to stop overcharging for baby formula after consumers reported unreasonably high prices. An OAG investigation triggered by consumer reports found that Walgreens engaged in price gouging on at least 20 infant formula products. In the months after the Abbott recall, Walgreens raised retail prices by over 10 percent on those products. For some products, Walgreens’ price increase was over 20 percent, and in one case, it was over 70 percent. The OAG’s investigation found that Walgreens made over 2,400 individual formula sales at these inflated prices, selling over 3,400 cans or bottles of formula and bringing in over $150,000 in revenue. 

Attorney General James has been a leader in the fight to protect New York consumers and guard against price gouging. In May 2023, Attorney General James secured a $100,000 settlement with Quality King Distributors, Inc. due to unconscionable price increases for Lysol products during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2023, Attorney General James announced price gouging rules to protect consumers and small businesses from corporate profiteering. The rules would strengthen enforcement of New York’s price gouging law. In April 2021, Attorney General James delivered 1.2 million eggs to food pantries throughout the state which were secured as part of an agreement with the nation’s largest egg producers for price gouging in the early months of the pandemic. Throughout the pandemic, during major disruptions, and ahead of declared disasters, Attorney General James has issued consumer warnings against price gouging on essential supplies.

New Yorkers should report potential concerns about price gouging to the OAG by filing a complaint online or calling 800-771-7755.

DEC Announces Falconry, Wildlife Rehabilitator, and Leashed Tracking Dog Examinations

 

Registration Deadline is April 10 for Online Exams on April 12

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced that examinations for individuals seeking a license to practice the sport of falconry, become a volunteer wildlife rehabilitator, or use leashed tracking dogs to find wounded or injured big game animals are scheduled for April 12. DEC is offering the examinations online and at no cost to participants to increase access to the examinations.

 

The registration deadline is April 10. To register, visit the 2024 Special Licenses Exams Registration website. Applicants will receive email acknowledgement of registration; an additional one-time link to access the website on the date of the exams is sent to registrants at a later date. The link to the exam registration webpage can also be found on each of the individual license webpages at Division of Fish and Wildlife Special Licenses and Permits.

 

Apprentice Falconry License

Falconry has a rich history and tradition throughout the world and requires a significant commitment of time and effort. Apprentices are limited to possessing one bird, either an American kestrel or a red-tailed hawk. To qualify for the Apprentice Falconry license, applicants must:

• score 80 percent or higher on the written exam;
• be at least 14 years of age;
• possess a valid New York State hunting license;
• maintain DEC-approved facilities for housing falconry raptors; and
• be a resident of New York State.

A falconry study guide and examination manual are available from DEC at no cost on the DEC Falconry License webpage. The cost of a five-year falconry license is $40. Birds of prey are protected species and cannot be possessed without a license or other authorization from DEC.

Wildlife Rehabilitator License

Wildlife rehabilitators provide for the care of injured, sick, and orphaned wild animals for the purpose of returning rehabilitated animals to the wild. Prospective applicants are encouraged to gain experience by serving as an assistant to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. To qualify for the Wildlife Rehabilitator License, applicants must:

• score 80 percent or higher on the written exam;
• be at least 16 years of age;
• be interviewed by DEC Regional wildlife staff; and
• be a resident of New York State.
  

A wildlife rehabilitator study guide and examination manual are available from DEC at no cost on the DEC Wildlife Rehabilitator License webpage. There is no cost for the five-year wildlife rehabilitation license.

 

Leashed Tracking Dog Handler

Leashed tracking dog handlers use their dogs to track and recover dead, wounded, or injured big game. Leashed tracking dog handlers provide a valuable service in aiding hunters in locating wounded big game that otherwise may go unrecovered. To qualify for a Leashed Tracking Dog Handler License, applicants must:

• score 80 percent or higher on the written exam; and
• possess a valid New York State hunting license.
  

A leashed tracking dog study guide is available from DEC at no cost on the DEC Leashed Tracking Dog License webpage. While the exam is free, first-time license applicants have a non-refundable $25 license application fee. The five-year leashed tracking dog license is $50.

 

For questions or assistance, contact DEC’s Special Licenses Unit:  

DEC Special Licenses Unit

625 Broadway, Albany, NY 12233-4752

Phone: 518-402-8985, Fax: 518-402-8925

Email: SpecialLicenses@dec.ny.gov.

Wave Hill Weekly Events March 21 – April 4

 

Longer days are here! Starting March 15, Wave Hill will be back to later hours. Grounds will close at 5:30. And on our new special evening events, we'll stay open even later.

Save the Dates:

Thur March 21

Frogs & Friends Night, our first free community event of the year, is here! The frogs and all their friends are back from hibernation and we’re celebrating! This family-friendly event is free to all. Visiting educators from Tenafly Nature Center will be on site to answer all your questions. Our gardens will stay open late so you can keep an ear out for their nighttime songs. Or just come enjoy the gardens at sunset and enjoy festive food and drinks from our café. 

April 8 

Wave Hill will be hosting a free Solar Eclipse Viewing Party. Experience this amazing celestial event from our open lawns with spectacular views of the Hudson River and open sky above. Pot up some seeds and make a festive eclipse party hat or celestial floral headband at our activity stations and enjoy live music and story time with the Riverdale Library. There's solar-spirited fun for all at this community event!  

Family Art Project: Nature's Mosaics

Sat, Mar 30, 10:00AM – 1:00PM  

Sun, Mar 31, 10:00AM – 1:00PM

Free with admission to the grounds  

Registration not required 

Join visiting artist Stephanie Beck in an exploration of biodiversity through mosaic art! Playfully fit together small pieces and dried plants, crafting artwork that celebrates the rich diversity of living things at Wave Hill.  

Garden and Conservatory Highlights Walk 

Sun, Mar 31, 1:00PM – 1:45PM 

Free with admission to the grounds 

Registration not required 

Join a knowledgeable Wave Hill Garden Guide for a leisurely stroll in the gardens. Topics vary by season and the expertise of the Guide--come back for an encore; each walk varies with the Guide leading it. This walk lasts a half-hour to 45 minutes. Public Garden Walks are most appropriate for adults or young adults. 

Great Tree Renderings: Plein Air Watercolors

Thu, Apr 4, 202410:00AM – 1:00PM – First of 5 Sessions  

$275; including admission to the grounds. Wave Hill members save 10%

Registration required; online or by calling 718.549.3200 x251. 

Observe and paint the bark, buds and other details of Wave Hill’s venerable trees using the luminous and versatile medium of watercolor. Through careful observation, notice the changes in the spring garden from week to week and capture delicate young leaves and flowers as they begin to unfurl. Weather permitting, work from direct observation while exploring various compositions, techniques, and visual approaches to rendering trees and the surrounding landscape. Weekly demonstrations, individual guidance, reflections, and group critiques led by artist, Wennie Huang. 

A supplies list will be provided prior to the first class. This series is rain or shine, with an indoor location reserved in case of rain.  

This five-session workshop series continues on April 11, 18, May 2 and 9. There is no class on April 25.  

HOURS: 10AM–5:30PM, Tuesday–Sunday 

Shuttle Service suspended until Spring 

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at wavehill.org.  

Hong Kong Man Charged with Smuggling Protected Turtles

 

A federal grand jury charged a Chinese man on Friday in a four-count indictment alleging he smuggled eastern box turtles, a protected wildlife species, from the United States to China for the global pet trade black market.

Photo of box turtles, from the complaint in case U.S. v. Sai Keung Tin. Credit: USFWS.

Sai Keung Tin, 53, aka “SK Tin,” “Ricky Tin” and “Ji Yearlong,” of Hong Kong, is charged with four counts of exporting merchandise contrary to law.

Tin was arrested Feb. 25 at John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport in New York City and made his initial appearance the following day in federal court in Brooklyn. His arraignment is expected in the coming weeks in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

According to the indictment returned Friday, Tin in June 2023 knowingly and illegally aided in the exportation of 40 eastern box turtles to be sent from the United States to Hong Kong. Wildlife inspectors at an international mail facility in Torrance, California, intercepted four packages addressed to “Ji Yearlong,” a name believed to be one of Tin’s aliases, and which were to be shipped to Tin’s home in Hong Kong, according to court documents. Tin allegedly falsely labeled the packages containing the protected turtles as containing almonds and chocolate cookies.

Three of the packages contained between eight and 12 live eastern box turtles each – all bound in socks, according to court papers. The fourth package contained seven live eastern box turtles and one deceased eastern box turtle. A special agent also searched property records and learned that the name listed as the sender on each of the packages was fake.

Photo of two eastern box turtles seized from a shipping container, from the complaint in case U.S. v. Sai Keung Tin. Credit: USFWS.

The eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is a subspecies of the common box turtle and is native to forested regions of the eastern United States with some isolated populations in the Midwest. Turtles with colorful markings are especially prized in the domestic and foreign pet trade market, particularly in China and Hong Kong. These animals are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an international agreement to protect fish, wildlife and plants that are or may become threatened with extinction. The United States and China are parties to this agreement.

An affidavit that was filed with a criminal complaint filed with this case on Feb. 26 says that Tin was associated with Kang Juntao, of Hangzhou City, China, a convicted felon and international turtle smuggler. Kang recruited turtle poachers and suppliers in the United States to ship turtles domestically to middlemen, who would then bundle the turtles into other packages and export them to Hong Kong. The turtles were bound in socks to protect their shells and so they could not move and alert authorities.

Court papers allege that from June 2017 to December 2018, Kang caused at least 1,500 turtles – with a market value exceeding $2.25 million – to be shipped from the United States to Hong Kong. Middlemen shipped approximately 46 packages containing turtles from New York and New Jersey, which were routed through an international mail facility at JFK, to addresses in Hong Kong, including Tin’s.

Kang pleaded guilty to a money laundering charge after his extradition from Malaysia in 2019, and later was sentenced to 38 months in federal prison. Since Kang’s sentencing, law enforcement has continued to intercept packages addressed to Tin and others, court papers state.

If convicted, Tin faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for each smuggling count.

Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, U.S. Attorney E. Martin Estrada for the Central District of California and Assistant Director Edward Grace of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Office of Law Enforcement made the announcement.

The United States Fish and Wildlife Service is investigating this case, with assistance from Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations.

Senior Trial Attorney Ryan Connors and Trial Attorney Lauren Steele of the Justice Department’s Environmental Crimes Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominique Caamano for the Central District of California are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

NYC Council Progressive Caucus, Comptroller, Public Advocate & Housing Orgs Launch Affordable Housing Budget Campaign

 

Homes Now, Homes for Generations campaign aims to quadruple City’s investment in affordable home ownership

The New York City Council Progressive Caucus today joined Comptroller Brad Lander, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, the Association of Neighborhood and Housing Development (ANHD), Housing Justice for All, New York City Community Land Initiative (NYCCLI), the Professional Staff Congress of CUNY (PSC-CUNY), CIR-SEIU, UAW-9A, United Federation of Teachers (UFT), and dozens of grassroots housing organizations to launch Homes Now, Homes for Generations—a city-focused affordable housing campaign for the Fiscal Year 2025 budget cycle. City progressives joined forces in light of the worst affordability crisis New Yorkers have faced in decades—driven in large part by housing costs—to put forward common-sense investments in affordable home ownership and tenant protections.

The Homes Now, Homes for Generation campaign aims to quadruple the City’s investment in affordable homeownership (through investing in NYC Department of Housing & Preservation Development’s (HPD) Open Door program) and make good on the City’s promise from 2018 to prevent the displacement of tenants by preserving 7,000 rent-stabilized units (through revitalizing HPD’s Neighborhood Pillars Program).

“Cities like New York are cities of opportunity, and if we don’t provide spaces for people to come and live and stay—and stay for generations—then we’re failing. The market will never deliver homes at the affordability levels that low-income and working-class New Yorkers need, and the investments we call for in this campaign present an opportunity to permanently create and preserve homes for them, ensuring our city remains a city of opportunity,” said Council Member Pierina Sanchez, Chair of the Committee on Housing and Buildings.

“The greatest challenge for New Yorkers is how to afford living in New York City—and the number one expense is housing,” said NYC Comptroller Brad Lander. “As the city faces fewer and fewer units of available affordable housing and rising rents push more and more low-income and working class New Yorkers out of the five boroughs, the City must finance housing programs that will ensure generations of New Yorkers who have lived in and built New York City can stay here. We’re proud to launch the Homes Now, Homes for Generations campaign alongside the Progressive Caucus and a strong coalition of housing advocates, faith leaders, and labor because together, we can chart a path out of the housing crisis.”

While the Mayor has prioritized loosening zoning regulations, private market solutions alone won’t fix this crisis. The most powerful tool the City has to address the housing crisis is the ability to finance and preserve new, permanently affordable housing. This $2 billion, spent over 4 years, would lay the groundwork for the City to scale up its long legacy of permanently affordable housing. These two programs will create new homeownership opportunities for an additional 3,500 New York families and preserve and rehabilitate rent-stabilized units for nearly 7,000 households.

Background on Neighborhood Pillars 

• HPD’s Neighborhood Pillars Program started in December 2018 and was intended to help affordable housing developers and community-based groups compete in the private real estate market.
• Neighborhood Pillars provides loans and tax exemptions so mission-driven organizations can rehabilitate and maintain rent-stabilized units at risk of deregulation as permanently affordable housing.
• The City put this program on the back burner in June 2019 and preserved less than 400 units since the program was launched in December 2018. Increased funding would scale this program back up to its original vision, which is to preserve nearly 7000 rent-stabilized units.
• The City should revitalize the program and update its term sheets to more effectively facilitate the removal for housing from the speculative marketplace, renovate, and retrofit units to improve living conditions, achieve climate goals, and put regulatory agreements in place to ensure ongoing affordability. For more on Neighborhood Pillars, see here.

Background on Open Door:

• The City currently finances very little homeownership – less than 1,500 units since 2017.
• Additional funding for new construction could create wealth-building opportunities especially for communities of color who have been historically excluded from homeownership.
• The city has existing models for multi-family homeownership development such as the Open Doors program; however, this program is currently funded at a minimal amount of $100M per year.
• We are proposing increasing the annual Open Door budget by four times, which would create new homeownership opportunities for an additional 3,500 New York families.

Team AOC - WFP endorses Alexandria!

Big news, Alexandria has just been endorsed by the Working Families Party.

As the WFP’s New York State Director Ana María Archila said: “Rep. Ocasio-Cortez has led with foresight, compassion, and moral clarity.”

Alexandria is proud to partner with the Working Families Party, who for over two decades have been organizing for progressive policies in New York. They were instrumental in passing the $15 minimum wage, higher taxes on the ultra rich, and record funding for public schools across our state.

To make it possible for leaders like AOC to win bold and transformative policies, we need to grow and strengthen our progressive infrastructure.

The right has been effective in building out a well-funded network of organizations, think tanks, and media outlets that amplify their extremist agenda.

In order to fight back, we need organizations like the Working Families Party, who are actively organizing to shift the balance of power in our politics to everyday people in state after state.

In solidarity,

Team AOC

 

Governor Hochul Directs Flags to Half-Staff to Honor Fallen New York National Guard Members and State Trooper

Flags to be Flown at Half-Staff Beginning March 11

Governor Kathy Hochul today directed flags on all state buildings to be flown at half-staff beginning at sunrise on March 11 until interment in honor of fallen members of the New York National Guard, Casey Frankoski and John Grassia. Grassia also served as a New York State Trooper.

“I am deeply saddened at the passing of two members of the New York National Guard and a member of the New York State Police during a federal deployment along our southern border,” Governor Hochul said. “There is no greater calling than service to and defense of your country. I join the members of our National Guard and State Police, and the entire State of New York, in mourning this tragic loss. Our deepest sympathies are with the families and friends of those killed, and I remain incredibly grateful for the many service men and women who put themselves at risk every day to ensure the security of our state and our nation.”

Casey Frankoski and John Grassia were devoted members of the National Guard, having served since 2016 and 2013, respectively. Both were natives of Upstate New York and are survived by their families and loved ones.