TEEN CHARGED FOR SHOVING ELDERLY WOMAN DOWN CHURCH STEPS

 

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that her office has charged a 16-year-old with first-degree assault, first-degree robbery and grand larceny for attacking an elderly woman on the steps of Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Briarwood on April 7. The teen is accused of shoving the 68-year-old victim down a flight of cement stairs before taking her purse and car keys and stealing her car. He was separately charged with robbery for an unrelated incident on April 4 during which he is accused of stealing another woman’s car. Arraignment is pending.

District Attorney Katz said: “The viciousness with which the defendant is accused of having committed the robbery at the church struck the city at its core. As alleged, he chose to rob an elderly woman by first pushing her down the stairs and then proceeded to take her purse and leave her to suffer while he took off in her car. He will now have to answer for the serious charges levied against him by my office. Thank you to NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny and the entire Detective Bureau for their relentless work.”

The defendant, of 89th Avenue in Jamaica, was charged in the April 7 incident with assault in the first degree, robbery in the first degree, assault in the second degree, two counts of grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree and criminal possession of stolen property in the fifth degree.

He was charged in the April 4 case with two counts of robbery in the first degree, two counts of robbery in the second degree, grand larceny in the third degree, robbery in the third degree, criminal possession of stolen property in the third degree, three counts of grand larceny in the fourth degree, criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree, menacing in the second degree, petit larceny and unauthorized use of a vehicle in the third degree.

He faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted.

According to the charges:

• On April 7, at approximately 9:15 a.m., Irene Tahliambouris, 68, was walking up a flight of stairs to enter Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church at 84-35 152nd
• As Tahliambouris approached the top step, the defendant is seen on video surveillance running up the staircase beside her and then stepping in front of the victim.
• The teen struck Tahliambouris causing her to fall backwards down the stairs landing headfirst on the concrete sidewalk, sustaining serious injuries.
• Once the victim was on the ground, the defendant is seen on video surveillance picking up Tahliambouris’ purse which contained money, credit cards, her cell phone and car key. He can be seen putting his hands near the victim’s waist and pockets. The victim can be seen motionless on the ground.
• The defendant is seen on video entering Tahliambouris’ 2006 Nissan Altima and driving it away.
• Tahliambouris was taken to a local hospital with a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain. She remains in critical but stable condition, unable to stand or move on her own.
• Following an extensive investigation by members of the 107th Police Precinct, with the assistance of the Queens District Attorney’s Office, the defendant was apprehended in front of his residence on April 11.
• The teen has been separately charged with following a woman into an elevator at a building on 127th Avenue in Rochdale Village on April 4 at approximately 10:15 a.m.
• He told the woman he followed her from a bank and saw her take money out and then demanded the money and her keys. He put his hand in his pocket and pointed what appeared to be a weapon at the woman. The victim gave the teen her car keys.
• The teen is seen on video surveillance leaving the building and getting into the woman’s Toyota Corolla and driving away.

**Criminal complaints and indictments are accusations. A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

D.A. Bragg Announces Indictment Of Man For Two Shootings In Tompkins Square Park

 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr. announced the indictment of WALDEMAR ALVERIO, 38, for committing two shootings in Tompkins Square Park within five days, seriously injuring two people. ALVERIO is charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment with three counts of An Attempt to Commit the Crime of Murder in the Second Degree, two counts of Assault in the First Degree, one count of An Attempt to Commit the Crime of Assault in the First Degree, and two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree. [1] 

“As alleged, Waldemar Alverio shot two people in Tompkins Square Park last month and put numerous lives in danger. Our parks should be a place where New Yorkers and tourists can relax without fearing for their safety,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Combatting gun violence remains my top priority and my Office will hold those who commit these serious acts of violence accountable. I hope the victims continue to heal from their wounds.” 

According to court documents and statements made on the record in court, on March 16, 2024, in Tompkins Square Park at approximately 12:45 p.m., two men allegedly chased, punched, and kicked ALVERIO before running away. As they ran off, ALVERIO unzipped his bag and pulled out a firearm, firing at them five times. 

ALVERIO struck one of them in the buttocks, fracturing his pelvis and lodging a bullet in his hip. ALVERIO also shot a bystander, a 53-year-old tourist, fracturing her right hip, which had to be surgically replaced. She will require months of physical therapy as she learns how to walk again. 

ALVERIO exited the park at East 9th Street and Avenue A and rode his bicycle towards 1st Avenue. 

Five days later, on March 21, 2024, ALVERIO allegedly returned to Tompkins Square Park at approximately 12:05 p.m., approached a group in the park, and shot at them five times. While ALVERIO did not strike any victims on that day, one bullet smashed through a window into a bedroom in an apartment building across the street from the park, and another bullet smashed through a window and lodged in a stairwell in a second building across from the park. 

ALVERIO was apprehended on the Lower East Side on March 26, 2024, by police officers who recognized him from a wanted flyer. 

Assistant D.A. Joseph Abrams (Trial Bureau 70) is handling the prosecution of this case, under the supervision of Bureau Chief David Hammer (Trial Bureau 70) and Executive Assistant D.A. Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division). Paralegal Michelle Sheinker is providing valuable assistance in this case. 

D.A. Bragg thanked the NYPD, particularly Detectives Christopher McNeely, Danielle Venuto and Officer Vladislav Abramov of the 9th Precinct Detective Squad, and Detective Joseph Cohen of the Manhattan South Homicide Squad. 

Defendant Information: 

WALDEMAR ALVERIO 

Charged: 

•   An Attempt to Commit the Crime of Murder in the Second Degree, a class B felony, three counts
•   Assault in the First Degree, a class B felony, two counts
•   An Attempt to Commit the Crime of Assault in the First Degree, a class C felony, one count 
•  Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C felony, two counts

[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court.

Nebraska Man Indicted for Multi-Million Dollar "Cryptojacking" Scheme

 

Defendant Allegedly Stole More Than $3.5 Million in Cloud Computing Services In Order to Mine Cryptocurrency

An indictment was unsealed charging Charles O. Parks III, also known as “CP3O,” with operating a large-scale illegal “cryptojacking” operation.  As part of the scheme, Parks defrauded two well-known providers of cloud computing services out of more than $3.5 million worth of computing resources in order to mine cryptocurrency worth nearly $1 million.  Parks was charged with wire fraud, money laundering and engaging in unlawful monetary transactions in connection with the scheme.  Parks was arrested on April 13, 2024 in Nebraska and is scheduled to make his initial appearance in federal court in Omaha on April 16, 2024.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the arrest and charges.

“As alleged, by hijacking cloud providers’ computing power, Parks stole millions worth of powerful computing resources to acquire cryptocurrency,” stated United States Attorney Peace. “This Office will continue to prioritize prosecuting criminal actors who use new, sophisticated technology to engage in the old scheme of fraud and deceit.”

Mr. Peace expressed his appreciation to the FBI’s New York Cyber Crimes Task Force (CCTF) and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska for their assistance on this case.

“Charles Parks, also known as CP3O, allegedly created a cryptojacking scheme to defraud prominent cloud service providers of millions and illegally mine approximately $1M in cryptocurrency for personal use. Criminals are becoming more adept at manipulating digital tools and hiding behind advanced technology, which often causes significant financial damage to their victims. The FBI is committed to the steadfast pursuit of those who attempt to develop innovative techniques to commit crimes,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith. 

“This arrest illustrates the power of law enforcement joining forces with the private sector to identify and track down cybercriminals, and to put an end to their sophisticated thievery,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban. “While the threat landscape in this space is growing in complexity and depth, the NYPD and our federal partners continue to ably confront malicious actors even as they adopt new tactics.”

“Cryptojacking,” also referred to as malicious cryptomining, is the unauthorized use or hijacking of another party’s resources, such as electricity, hardware or computing power to mine cryptocurrency.  As alleged in the indictment, from in or about January 2021 through August 2021, Parks created and used a variety of names, corporate affiliations and email addresses, including emails with domains from corporate entities he operated called “MultiMillionaire LLC” and “CP3O LLC,” to register numerous accounts with the cloud providers and to gain access to massive amounts of computing processing power and storage that he did not pay for.  Parks used those fraudulently obtained resources to mine various cryptocurrencies including Ether (ETH), Litecoin (LTC) and Monero (XMR).  Parks tricked the providers into approving heightened privileges and benefits, including elevated levels of cloud computing services and deferred billing accommodations, and deflected inquiries from the providers regarding questionable data usage and mounting unpaid subscription balances. 

Parks converted and laundered the cryptocurrency proceeds through cryptocurrency exchanges, a non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace, an online payment provider, and traditional bank accounts, in order to disguise the audit trail and disassociate the funds from the fraud.  Parks also structured various money movements to avoid transaction reporting requirements under federal law.  After converting the ill-gotten cryptocurrency into dollars, Parks used the proceeds of the scheme to make extravagant purchases, including a Mercedes Benz luxury car, jewelry and first-class hotel and travel expenses.

The charges in the indictment are allegations, and Parks is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, Parks faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment on the wire fraud and money laundering charges and 10 years’ imprisonment on the unlawful monetary transactions charges.

Speaker Adams and Council Members Support ‘Project Home’ and Call for More Complete Funding of Housing Microgrants to Support Survivors of Domestic and Gender-Based Violence

 

Council Preliminary Budget Response urged increased baseline funding for program to $6 million, $19.5 million more for 15/15 Supportive Housing Program

As the City announced the launch of the ‘Project Home’ pilot program, the New York City Council expressed support and renewed its call for the Administration to fulfill the $6 million budget commitment to expand the Mayor’s Office to End Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV)’s previous pilot of housing microgrants for domestic violence victims. The housing stability support program provides low-barrier microgrants to survivors of domestic, sexual, and gender-based violence, with the aim of helping them maintain safe and stable housing. The mayor’s proposed budget only includes $1.2 million in baselined funding in HRA’s budget for the program, and this funding is only able to address a fraction of the need. The program supports efforts consistent with legislation passed by the Council and the Mayor’s Housing Blueprint, expanding a pilot by the Mayor’s Office to End Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV). This funding amount is based on the rate of expenditures during the ENDGBV pilot, and the Council has called on the Administration to increase baseline funding for the program with an additional $4.8 million, up to $6 million starting in Fiscal 2025.

The decision to expand eligibility for supportive housing to victims of domestic violence was also welcomed by the Council, which reiterated its call for the Administration to add $19.6 million towards advancing the 15/15 Supportive Housing Program towards its 15,000 supportive housing unit target. 

The Council’s initial calls for $6 million to better meet the needs of domestic and gender-based violence victims through housing microgrants and $19.6 million for the 15/15 Supportive Housing Program were included in the Council’s Fiscal Year 2025 Preliminary Budget Response. 

“Removing barriers to housing for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence is critical to their safety and stability,” said Speaker Adrienne Adams. “While Project Home can be an important step forward, this $300,000 pilot program must be paired with the full $6 million commitment in the city budget to provide housing microgrants that meet the needs of domestic and gender-based violence victims. We also applaud the expansion of supportive housing eligibility to domestic violence victims and renew our calls for the Administration to allocate an additional $19.6 million to advance the 15/15 Supportive Housing Program towards its target of 15,000 supportive housing units. The Council’s Preliminary Budget Response urged these vital investments to fulfill the commitments of local law passed by the Council, the Mayor’s Housing Blueprint, and the needs of survivors. It remains imperative that we use all tools at our disposal to ensure survivors of domestic and gender-based violence have access to the supports they need to live safely and thrive.”

NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli: Environmental Facilities Corp. Faces Significant Funding Backlog for Essential Water Infrastructure Projects

 

New York State’s Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC) has provided financing for over 2,000 essential local water infrastructure projects totaling more than $23.7 billion since 1990, but the estimated capital improvement needs for water and sewer projects far exceeds this amount, and tens of billions of dollars in local projects remain in the pipeline, according to a report by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. 

“The Environmental Facilities Corporation serves a critical role in financing improvements to New York’s water infrastructure,” DiNapoli said. “New York has spent more on clean water and drinking water projects than any other state, but the resources needed to address aging infrastructure and related challenges remain significant. The state should build on its efforts to help communities access funding to ensure the success of these programs continues.”

EFC is a public benefit corporation that provides financing assistance through grants, loans, and technical expertise to state and local entities, as well as some businesses. The corporation receives state and federal funds and allocates them to participating entities. Major programs include the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) which are federally supported. EFC uses these resources along with state funds to provide subsidized loans and grants to municipalities for drinking water, wastewater treatment, and other projects, with interest and loan repayments used to finance additional projects.  

Between 1990 and 2022, New York has spent $18.2 billion for the CWSRF and $5.5 billion for its DWSRF, topping California, Texas, Florida, and Pennsylvania. New York’s cumulative CWSRF spending almost doubled that of California ($10.6 billion), the next highest spender, and was more than other large states on DWSRF Project Assistance Disbursed, and for project starts and completions.

The federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 is estimated to make $2.5 billion available for these programs and will target projects that address emerging contaminants, climate change, bioterrorism, disadvantaged communities, and replacement of lead water service lines. Additional funding ($5.4 billion) has come from state grant appropriations since 2015, of which $1.4 billion has been spent.

Despite these investments, funding needs for New York’s aging water infrastructure systems remain significant. The most recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) assessments estimated 20-year capital improvement needs of $28.7 billion for clean water projects and $35.1 billion for drinking water projects in the state. The EPA also estimated that New York has more than 494,000 lead service lines in need of replacement, among the highest in the nation.

While the revolving fund programs have financed many vital projects, EFC’s 2024 Intended Use Plan shows a CWSRF backlog of 876 projects with estimated costs of $17.9 billion, and a DWSRF backlog of 1,004 projects with estimated costs of $8.3 billion, together totaling $26.1 billion.

DiNapoli said more transparency is necessary on the state’s water infrastructure programs. While eligible projects are listed in EFC’s Intended Use Plan, and awards are announced, EFC does not report on completed projects and no list is publicly available to track project spending and the communities that have benefitted. In addition to providing a comprehensive list, description, and location of projects funded and completed, the state should evaluate new methods of assisting local governments in accessing revolving funds and grant resources by streamlining application processes and providing technical assistance.

Steps should also be taken to improve the timeliness of both awards and state funding for water quality improvement projects. EFC should investigate why some spending has lagged and assess how to encourage more communities to apply for project funding.

DiNapoli called on federal policymakers to increase funding for the revolving funds, ensure that funding continues based on traditional allocations, and allow for more access to hardship grants.

Report

Environmental Facilities Corporation: An Overview of Major Water Quality Improvement Programs

Pennsylvania Man Sentenced to Prison for Torture and Illegally Exporting Weapons Parts and Related Services to Iraq

 

A Pennsylvania man was sentenced to 70 years in prison for torturing an Estonian citizen in 2015 in the Kurdistan region of Iraq and for the illegal export of weapons parts and related services.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Ross Roggio, 55, of Stroudsburg, arranged for Kurdish soldiers to abduct and detain the victim at a Kurdish military compound, where Roggio suffocated the victim with a belt, threatened to cut off one of his fingers, and directed Kurdish soldiers to repeatedly beat, choke, tase, and otherwise physically and mentally abuse the victim over a 39-day period. The victim was an employee at a weapons factory that Roggio was developing in the Kurdistan region of Iraq that was intended to manufacture automatic rifles and pistols.

“Ross Roggio had his victim abducted and detained at a Kurdish military compound in Iraq, where Roggio and others physically and mentally tortured the victim over the course of 39 days,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “During that time, Roggio suffocated the victim and directed others to beat, choke, and tase him. Roggio’s victim worked at a weapons factory in Iraq, where Roggio illegally sent weapons parts and illegally provided services, in violation of export controls laws. Today’s sentence—following the second-ever conviction under the federal torture statute—shows that, no matter where such deplorable acts occur, the United States is committed to holding the perpetrators accountable.”

“The sentence imposed by the court demonstrates the seriousness of Ross Roggio’s crimes and brings some measure of justice for his torture victim,” said U.S. Attorney Gerard M. Karam for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. “Violence against the dignity and human rights of any victim cannot be tolerated and our office will continue to prioritize and pursue those who would do so in violation of federal law. Ross Roggio was also convicted of United States export laws related to illegally producing firearms in Kurdistan, Iraq. Though more technical in nature, these laws are no less important and are designed to take into account human rights considerations on a larger scale, to limit access to our most sensitive technologies and weapons, and to promote regional stability. I commend all the prosecutors and law enforcement agents who worked tirelessly to bring justice in this matter.” 

In connection with the weapons factory project, Roggio exported firearms parts and tools without the required approvals by the U.S. government. He also illegally trained foreign persons in the operation, assembly, and manufacturing of the M4 automatic rifle.

“Torture is among the grievous crimes the FBI investigates and this is the second time we have been able to bring justice under the federal torture statute,” said Executive Assistant Director Timothy Langan of the FBI’s Criminal, Cyber, Response, and Services Branch. “Our investigation into Roggio’s abominable crimes and today’s sentencing would not be possible without the sheer courage of the victim to tell his story. The FBI and our international partners stand with victims by standing up to human rights violations wherever they occur.” 

“This sentence highlights our commitment to stopping those who commit human rights abuses and threaten the security of the U.S. and partner nations,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “Thanks to our close interagency and international cooperation, Roggio has been brought to justice.”

“Export evasion is often not a standalone crime,” said Assistant Secretary for Export Enforcement Matthew S. Axelrod of the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). “Here, the same defendant who was illegally exporting weapons parts to his Iraqi weapons factory was also brutally torturing one of his employees there.”

A federal jury convicted Roggio in May 2023 of 33 counts of torture, conspiracy to commit torture, conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, exporting weapons parts and services to Iraq without the approval of the U.S. Department of State, exporting weapons tools to Iraq without the approval of the U.S. Department of Commerce, smuggling goods, wire fraud, and money laundering.

Roggio was the second defendant to be convicted of torture since the federal torture statute went into effect in 1994.

The FBI and HSI investigated the torture and were joined in the investigation of the arms export violations by BIS’ Office of Export Enforcement.

Trial Attorney Patrick Jasperse of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, Trial Attorney Scott A. Claffee of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd K. Hinkley for the Middle District of Pennsylvania prosecuted the case.

The Estonian Internal Security Service, Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and Pennsylvania State Police also provided valuable assistance.

Members of the public who have information about human rights violators in the United States are urged to contact U.S. law enforcement through the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI or the HSI tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE, or complete the FBI online tip form or the ICE online tip form

Former President And Head Bookkeeper Of Moving Company Convicted Of Multimillion-Dollar Payroll Tax Fraud Scheme

 

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that a jury returned a guilty verdict against JOSEPH EUGENE LEMAY, a/k/a “Gene Lemay,” and JOEL LINGAT for criminal tax conspiracy.  LEMAY is the former president of a company that provides moving and storage services (“Company-1”), and LINGAT is Company-1’s head bookkeeper.  LEMAY and LINGAT conspired to perpetrate a long-running scheme to evade more than approximately $7.7 million in federal payroll taxes owed by Company-1 and affiliated companies to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).  The defendants were found guilty following a two-week trial before U.S. District Judge Mary Kay Vysckocil. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Gene Lemay and Joel Lingat cheated the systems that are in place to protect hardworking Americans at the end of their careers.  As a result, Social Security and Medicare were deprived of millions in payroll taxes.  This Office will not stand by when employers violate the public trust by refusing to pay taxes meant to support their workers.”   

According to the allegations in the Indictment, the criminal Complaint previously filed against LINGAT (where LEMAY is identified as CC-1), and the evidence at trial:

From in or about 2010 through in or about December 2016, LEMAY, LINGAT, and other co-conspirators perpetrated a scheme to defraud the U.S. government of payroll and income taxes due and owing to the IRS by Company-1 and affiliated companies.  As part of the criminal scheme, LEMAY, LINGAT, and their co-conspirators created front companies, nominally owned by close associates or family members of LEMAY or others at Company-1; assigned (on paper only) foremen and movers working for Company-1 to the sham companies; and fraudulently made it appear that the sham companies were independent contractors, including by creating fake invoices by which the sham companies purportedly billed Company-1 for labor.  Because the conspirators fraudulently made it appear that the labor was performed by independent contractors, Company-1 was able to deduct the cost of the labor as an expense on its tax returns, without withholding or paying over any payroll taxes to the IRS.  Through the criminal scheme, Company-1 and affiliated companies evaded in excess of approximately $7.7 million in payroll taxes, including FICA and Medicare contributions, during the charged period.

LEMAY, 63, of Delray Beach, Florida, and LINGAT, 62, of Jersey City, New Jersey, were convicted of one count of conspiracy to defraud the IRS, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.             

The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the IRS-Criminal Investigation.

Governor Hochul Announces Agreement on FY 2025 State Budget

 

Governor Kathy Hochul announced a conceptual agreement with legislative leaders on key priorities in the Fiscal Year 2025 New York State Budget.

“I promised to fight the right fights for New Yorkers, deliver common sense solutions, and tackle the thorny issues that others might ignore, and that's exactly what we’ve done,” Governor Hochul said. “We’re delivering on a common-sense agenda: fighting crime, fixing our mental health system, and building more housing so people can finally afford to live in New York.”

Highlights of the budget include:

• Securing a historic agreement to address New York’s housing crisis by creating a new 485x tax incentive for affordable housing; extending the 421a incentive for projects already in the pipeline; making it easier to convert unused office space into affordable housing; eliminating outdated density caps in New York City; unlocking the potential of units that have been vacant since 2019; establishing a new law to protect tenants from price gouging.
• Creating a statewide tax incentive for multi-family housing; making $650 million in discretionary funds exclusively available to Pro-Housing Communities; providing incentives for communities that want more accessory dwelling units; investing $500 million to develop up to 15,000 new housing units on State-owned sites; and protecting homeowners from deed theft.
• Cracking down on retail theft by increasing penalties for offenders who assault retail workers; $40.2 million for retail theft enforcement; and a $3,000 tax credit for business owners to invest in security resources.
• Shutting down illicit cannabis storefronts by authorizing the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM) to padlock businesses for a full year; allowing local governments to pass laws to execute padlock orders; establishing fines for landlords knowingly renting to retailers selling cannabis without a license.
• Fighting the rising tide of hate by expanding the number of offenses that can be prosecuted as hate crimes and investing $35 million in the Securing Communities Against Hate Grant that protects houses of worship, religious schools and other at-risk sites.
• Improving public safety through targeted investments in communities, including $347 million to continue New York’s efforts to reduce and prevent gun violence and $35.7 million to prevent and prosecute crimes of domestic violence.
• Investing $7.1 million to reduce recidivism and improve reentry into the workforce by providing more intensive supervision of individuals on parole, expanding transitional housing opportunities, expanding college programming to all state prisons, and providing transportation for visitors to and from State Correctional Facilities.
• Making our streets safer with new efforts to fight toll evasion on our roads and fare evasion on our subways.
• Making record investments in mental health, including $19 million for mental health services for school aged children, $55 million to establish 200 new inpatient psychiatric beds at State-run facilities; and mandating better mental health care at hospitals.
• Investing $31 million to expand mental health services for first responders and for individuals struggling with mental illness who are involved in the criminal justice system.
• Maintaining our $3.9 billion commitment to support distressed hospitals and $20 billion multi-year investment to build new healthcare infrastructure, expand Medicare coverage for seniors and pregnant New Yorkers and increase the home care worker minimum wage.
• Protecting mothers and babies by becoming the first state in the nation to offer paid leave to expecting mothers; requiring employers to provide time for nursing mothers to express; addressing the proliferation of surgical procedures in situations where they’re not necessary; and increasing access to care for postpartum depression.
• Securing $200 million in Medicaid savings through fiscal intermediaries and by cracking down on CDPAP fraud; investing $7.5 billion in the health care system over the next three years through an amendment to New York’s Medicaid Section 1115 Demonstration program to support a comprehensive series of actions to advance health equity, reduce health disparities, and strengthen access to primary and behavioral health care across the state.
• Authorizing the State to pursue federal approval for a managed care organization (MCO) tax, which could generate significant revenue for the State to provide a multi-year investment in New York’s health care system.
• Investing $150 million to advance NY SWIMS and build pools across the state, helping New Yorkers learn to swim, and keeping them safe in and near the water.
• Supporting New York students through record funding for P-12 schools; investing a record $35.9 billion in total school aid, including $24.9 billion in Foundation Aid; lowering the inflation factor in the Foundation Aid formula to right-size funding for the 2024-25 school year and commissioning a Rockefeller Institute study to examine the Foundation Aid formula to prepare for changes next year; ensuring every school district utilizes instructional best practices grounded in the Science of Reading to improve reading proficiency among New York kids.
• Advancing a Consumer Protection and Affordability agenda to reduce costs and keep money in New Yorkers’ pockets by eliminating cost-sharing for insulin for thousands of New Yorkers; strengthening protections against unfair business practices; achieving the largest increase in benefits for paid medical and disability leave in more than three decades; and helping New Yorkers combat medical debt.
• Establishing Empire AI, a nation-leading consortium that will create and launch a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence computing center in Buffalo to be used by New York colleges and universities to secure New York's place at the forefront of artificial intelligence and advance AI for the public good.
• Providing critical funding support to mass transit systems statewide, including $7.9 billion in operating aid for the MTA, $333 million for upstate transit systems, and $551 million for non-MTA downstate systems, a 5.4 percent increase in funding.
• Advancing nation-leading infrastructure programs by contributing $2.6 billion for the third year of a record $32.9 billion five-year DOT Capital Plan, funding projects that are reconnecting communities across the state, and $100 million for local programs through the CHIPS program.
• Making record environmental investments with $500 million for clean water, $400 million for the Environmental Protection Fund, and $47 million to support the Governor's goal to plant 25 million trees by 2033.

With a conceptual agreement in place, the legislative houses are expected to pass bills that will enact these priorities. Based on a preliminary assessment of the negotiated changes to the Executive proposal, the total budget for FY 2025 is currently estimated at $237 billion. The FY 2025 budget does not raise income or statewide business taxes and maintains state reserves at the gold standard of 15 percent for a “rainy day.”