BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT RUBEN DIAZ JR. KICKS OFF BRONX WEEK 2018

Announces the induction of advocate Tarana Burke, actor Maggie Siff and rapper Slick Rick to the 2018 Bronx Walk of Fame

  Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. was joined by hundreds of proud Bronxites and Bronxites-at-heart today for the official kick-off of 47^th Annual Bronx Week at the Mott Haven Bar & Grill.

During the celebration, Borough President Diaz announced that advocate and founder of the #MeToo movement Tarana Burke, “Billions” actor Maggie Siff, and Hip-Hop impresario Slick Rick will be honored as the newest members of the 2018 Bronx Walk of Fame. The Tourism Award will be presented to the New York Botanical Garden by The Bronx Tourism Council.

“Bronx Week is a celebration of everything that makes our borough such an amazing place, and nothing is more important to that celebration than the people who are proud to call The Bronx their home,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “Once again, we are proud to welcome back the sons and daughters of The Bronx to celebrate their accomplishments and induct them to the Bronx Walk of Fame. This year we have three amazing honorees, and I am thrilled to join the people of The Bronx in congratulating them on this tremendous honor.”

“It’s exciting to celebrate our Bronx heroes and sheroes during this celebration of The Best of the Borough! I know that we are all inspired by all our honorees. I am also proud to present the New York Botanical Garden with this year’s Tourism Award,” says Olga Luz Tirado, executive director of The Bronx Tourism Council.

The 2018 Bronx Walk of Fame Inductees are:

TARANA BURKE has worked in social justice and black arts and culture for more than twenty-five years. Her long and varied professional career started in Selma, Alabama where, over the span of a decade, she worked with: the 21^st century youth leadership movement helping to develop hundreds of youth leaders across the country; at the national voting rights museum & institute serving as a curatorial consultant and special projects director helping to organize the annual commemoration and celebration of the Selma voting right struggle known as the bridge crossing jubilee; and as Executive director of the Black Belt Art and cultural center where she created and oversaw cultural community programs designed for underserve youth. Tarana’s work in Selma earned her consulting position with the production of the 2014, Oscar nominated film, SELMA directed by the incomparable Ava Duve nay whom she met while serving as managing director of art sanctuary, a black arts organization based in Philadelphia.

Tarana is passionate about social justice and has made a lifelong commitment to serving the causes of people of color and marginalized groups with a particular focus on youth women and girls. She has done organizing work from the Deep South the east coast dealing with issues ranging from economic justice to police brutality. Her passion for justice has taken her around the country and the world where she has been invited to speak and present at various conference and gatherings in multiple states and countries, including: Senegal, Cuba, Mali and Tunisia as a UN Delegate for the world summit on informational systems. She was recently featured in Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.

MAGGIE SIFF is currently starring as the female lead on Showtime’s Billions, opposite Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti. Siff has garnered critical acclaim for her role as “Wendy Rhoades.” Siff is well known to audiences for her role as “Tara Knowles” on the hit FX series Sons of Anarchy, for which she received two Critics’ Choice Award nominations for “Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series.” Her other television credits include: Nip/Tuck, Life on Mars, Grey’s Anatomy and Law & Order.On the big screen, Siff recently starred in and executive produced the independent filmA Woman, A Part which premiered in competition at the 2017 Rotterdam Film Festival. She also starred in the independent film, The Sweet Life, opposite Chris Messina, which premiered at the 2016 Los Angeles Film Festival and Columbia Pictures’ The Fifth Wave opposite Chloe Grace Moretz. In 2014, she appeared in Concussion, which premiered in competition at the Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals. At Berlin, the film won a Teddy Award Jury Prize as an outstanding film about LGBT themes and its director Stacie Passon was nominated for Best First Feature by the Independent Spirit Awards. She also starred in Tim Blake Nelson’s Leaves of Grass opposite Edward Norton. Her other film credits include Paul McGuigan’s Push opposite Djimon Hounsou and Judd Apatow’s Funny People opposite Adam Sandler.

 

Siff is an established theater actress and she mostly recently played the lead role of "Kate" in the Theater for a New Audience’s production of The Taming of The Shrew. Her other credits include the title role in The Escort at the Geffen Playhouse, and the lead in OR at New York's Women's Project. She also starred in Ethan Hawke’sLie of The Mind opposite Alessandro Nivola and Josh Hamilton at the New Group. Siff appeared in Richard Nelson's Frank's Home by Playwrights Horizons and Ruby Sunrise performed at the Public. She received a Jefferson Award nomination for her performance in Dollhouse at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre and has also worked frequently in Philadelphia, where she won the Barrymore Award for a production ofGhosts.

 

SLICK RICK is a Grammy-nominated rapper known as Hip-Hop’s Greatest Storyteller. He began his career in 1983 as a member of Doug E. Fresh’s Get Fresh Crew, pioneering what is referred to as the “Golden Age of Hip- Hop”. With four albums to his credit – the landmark The Great Adventures of Slick Rick (1988), The Ruler’s Back (1991), Behind Bars (1994) and The Art of Storytelling (1999). Rick has collaborated with a range of musical icons, from Jay-Z and Missy Elliot to Outkast, Jermaine Dupri, Mos Def Common and Aaliyah. His music has been sampled and interpolated over 650 times, by such artists as Eminem, Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Beastie Boys, TLC, Nas, Miley Cyrus, Kanye West, Black Star, The Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg and Color Me Badd. In the process, he became the most sampled (0ver 600 times) hip-hop artist ever. Many of the new songs became hit singles, underscoring his timeless influence. Ever the influence, he has been referenced in over 60 songs from the early 1990’s to present day by recording artists such as Nicki Minaj, J Cole, Pitbull, will.i.am, Amy Winehouse, Big Sean and Future. Slick Rick has also acted and cameo’d in 10 movies and videos.

Music isn’t his only passion; on top of being a uniquely gifted lyricist, Rick is an actor and music producer known his fashion sense and for a growing list of business and philanthropic endeavors. The artist is known for his infamous eye-patch and heavily adorned jewelry. This self-expression through personal style has become his signature and has never been successfully duplicated. Recognizing the need for positive influences, he has devoted his time to mentoring youth on the dangers of violence. Additionally, Rick has partnered with various organizations to raise awareness and funds for the issues impacting underserved communities.

Headshots of this year's Bronx Walk of Fame honorees can be found atwww.flickr.com/bronxbp.

The celebration featured samples of some of the best products The Bronx has to offer, including the Mott Haven Bar & Grill, Bronx Brewery, Empanology, Trill Cooker, Verde Flowers and more.

For more information about Bronx Week 2018, visit www.ilovethebronx.com.

Councilmember Ruben Diaz announces the celebration of the 8th “Abrazo Garifuna in New York.”

 NY-Council Member Rev. Rubén Díaz, in conjunction with New York State Senator Luis Sepulveda, Assemblymen Marcos Crespo, Victor Pichardo and City Council Member Rafael Salamanca, will celebrate the 8^th“Abrazo Garifuna Banquet in New York.” in recognition of Garifuna Heritage Month.

The “Abrazo Garifuna Banquet” will take place at Maestro’s Caterers located at 1703 Bronxdale Avenue, Bronx, New York, on Friday, May 11, from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. and is completely free for all attendees.

The elected officials, together with Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., will be presenting proclamations to five (5) distinguished members of the Garifuna Community.

For more Information, please contact Ms. Leila Martinez at 718-792-1140.

 

COUNCILMAN REV. RUBEN DIAZ INVITES YOU TO CELEBRATE CINCO DE MAYO WITH REAL BULLS

  There was no bull about it as the Cinco De Mayo celebration at 2069 Bruckner Blvd. had real bulls on hand to celebrate the event. There were games, food, entertainment, a mechanical, and even real bulls on hand. Hundreds of people celebrated Cinco de Mayo as they came dressed for the occasion with their cowboy or cowgirl attire on. Below are a few photos of the event. 

Above - There was even a play area set up for children with various plush riding horses, games and amusements. 

Below  Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. joined his father Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr., as Councilman Diaz Sr. shows off the owner and the name of the store where he buys  his unique cowboy attire. The store has two locations, one in New Rochelle and the other in Yonkers. 

Above - The Diaz's are joined by the owner of the company that set up the mini rodeo.

Below - The Diaz's pose with a hat vendor who had a hat for the BP, but he did not want to cover his head like his father.

Above - The Diaz's posed for photos with many of the people who came such as the photo above.

Below - It was time to decide which Diaz was going to ride the mechanical bull.

Above - Councilman Diaz Sr. tries to get onto the mechanical bull, but is unable to (or was he not trying so his son would ride the bull).

Below - BP Diaz Jr. sits on top of the Mechanical bull as his father smiles that his plan worked.

Above - BP Diaz Jr. holds on tight with one hand as he waves the other.

Below - Still holding on tight, but waving his other hand the mechanical bull was no match for BP Diaz Jr. 

After a tough ride on the mechanical bull it was time to chow down for the Diaz's. 

Owner Of Bus Repair And Transportation Company Found Guilty In White Plains Federal Court Of Fraud, Bribery, And Theft

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that RICHARD BREGA, the former owner of Brega D.O.T. Maintenance Corp. in Rockland County, was found guilty by a federal jury in White Plains of fraud, bribery, and theft of government property.  The convictions were for BREGA’s billing the Rockland Board of Cooperative Educational Services (“Rockland BOCES”) for maintenance of school buses that was never performed, and bribery of a Rockland BOCES official.  The convictions resulted from a three-week trial before the United States District Judge Kenneth M. Karas.  BREGA is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Karas on October 17, 2018.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As a unanimous jury found, Richard Brega engaged in fraud, bribery, and theft of government property.  The scheme not only defrauded Rockland school districts and the federal government by billing for bus maintenance work that was not performed, but it also put children at risk of riding unsafe buses.  Now Brega awaits sentencing for his crimes.”

The evidence at trial showed, among other things, the following:

Rockland BOCES serves eight school districts in Rockland County.  Among the services that Rockland BOCES offers to its students – particularly children with special physical, intellectual, and emotional needs – is transportation, for which it has a fleet of buses and other vehicles (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Rockland BOCES buses” and “bus fleet”), some of which are specially equipped for students with physical disabilities.  Rockland BOCES receives federal funding each year, often in excess of $1 million.

BREGA owned and controlled vehicle repair and transportation companies in Rockland County, including Brega D.O.T. Maintenance Corp. (“Brega DOT”), a fleet maintenance repair shop.  From in or about 2008 or 2009, through in or about 2015, Brega DOT provided vehicle repair service and maintenance for Rockland BOCES bus fleet, including regular preventive maintenance (“Preventive Maintenance”), which is supposed to involve a thorough and detailed inspection and testing of the buses at Brega DOT’s facility, designed to ensure that the buses are defect-free and safe to operate with children aboard.  Brega DOT would fix any problems with the buses that it found during Preventative Maintenance inspections before releasing the buses back to Rockland BOCES.  Brega DOT also created invoices documenting the work done and provided those invoices to Rockland BOCES for payment.  Rockland BOCES’ director of transportation, William Popkave, would then approve the invoice as accurately stating work that was performed on Rockland BOCES buses, and Rockland BOCES would mail payment to Brega DOT.

From in or about 2012 through in or about 2014, BREGA stole money from Rockland BOCES by, among other things, billing Rockland BOCES for Preventative Maintenance inspections that were never performed.  To do so, BREGA directed his employees to prepare fraudulent invoices, as well as fraudulent supporting documentation, giving the false appearance that his company had performed regular Preventive Maintenance inspections on certain buses, when in fact those buses were not even brought to Brega DOT and Preventative Maintenance inspections were not performed.

To create the fraudulent invoices, and to obtain payment from Rockland BOCES for work that was never performed, BREGA bribed Popkave – who oversaw upkeep and maintenance of its buses – with tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of free personal vehicle repairs.  Popkave sent BREGA lists of buses and their mileages so that BREGA could create fraudulent invoices and supporting documentation, and thereafter approved payment of the fraudulent invoices at Rockland BOCES, even though Popkave and BREGA knew that the buses had not even been to Brega DOT on the days for which Brega DOT billed Rockland BOCES, and had not received Preventative Maintenance inspections.

BREGA, 50, of Rockland County, was convicted of three counts: (1) mail fraud, which carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison; (2) bribery concerning a program receiving federal funds, which carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison; and (3) theft concerning a program receiving federal funds, which carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison.  

Popkave, 62, who currently resides in Florida, pled guilty before Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy on January 24, 2017, to five counts: (1) conspiracy to commit mail fraud, which carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison; (2) mail fraud, which carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison; (3) theft concerning a program receiving federal funds, which carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison; (4) bribery concerning a program receiving federal funds, which carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison; and (5) obstruction of justice, which carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison. 

The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as the sentencings of the defendants would be determined by the judge.  BREGA will be sentenced on October 17, 2018.  Popkave will be sentenced at a future date.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, and the United States Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General.  Mr. Berman also thanked the United States Department of Education, Office of Inspector General, for its assistance.

Four Men Sentenced In Manhattan Federal Court For Their Roles In Two 2016 Bank Burglaries

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that four defendants have been sentenced to significant prison terms by United States District Judge Katherine B. Forrest for their participation in two bank burglaries.  In April and May 2016, MICHAEL MAZZARA, CHARLES KERRIGAN, and ANTHONY MASCUZZIO, assisted by CHRISTOPHER KERRIGAN, stole more than $20 million in cash, jewelry, collectables, and other valuables from the banks’ vaults and safe deposit boxes.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “By using blow torches to cut through bank roofs, and subsequently into vaults and safe deposit boxes, these defendants deprived hundreds of unsuspecting victims of their valuables, priceless heirlooms, and cherished keepsakes.  As a result, the defendants will serve serious prison sentences.  We will now be able to reunite many of the stolen items, including religious artifacts, jewelry, baseball cards, and coins, with their rightful owners.”

According to the Complaint and Indictments filed in Manhattan federal court, as well as previous court filings and statements made in public court proceedings:

In April and May 2016, MAZZARA, CHARLES KERRIGAN, MASCUZZIO, and CHRISTOPHER KERRIGAN formed a crew that burglarized banks in Brooklyn and Queens, New York, by cutting into the banks’ vaults and the safe deposit boxes inside.  MAZZARA, CHARLES KERRIGAN, and MASCUZZIO, with the assistance of CHRISTOPHER KERRIGAN, burglarized an HSBC Bank branch located at 4406 13th Avenue in Brooklyn from about April 8 through April 10, 2016, and burglarized a Maspeth Federal Savings Bank branch located at 64-19 Woodhaven Boulevard in Queens, New York, from about May 19 to May 22, 2016.  On both occasions, the burglars used acetylene blowtorches to cut into the top of the banks’ vaults from the roof of the building.  At the Maspeth Federal Savings Bank branch, they shielded their activities from view by constructing a plywood shed on the roof of the bank.  The burglars then entered the vaults from above and took cash belonging to the bank and broke open customers’ safe deposit boxes, stealing the valuables inside.  In total, the crew obtained more than $600,000 in cash and more than $20 million in valuables from the safe deposit boxes from both banks.  Surveillance footage captured some of the burglars’ activities as they prepared for and executed the burglaries.  Financial records and video surveillance also showed MAZZARA and MASCUZZIO purchasing some of the supplies that appear to have been used in the Maspeth burglary. 

During the course of the investigation of the burglaries, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) and New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) executed multiple search warrants at locations in Brooklyn, Long Island, and Pennsylvania, and seized items that had been taken from safe deposit boxes during the burglaries.  In addition, as part of their plea agreements, MAZZARA and MASCUZZIO returned other items that had been stolen from the safe deposit boxes.  In total, more than 200 items that were stolen from safe deposit boxes – including religious artifacts, jewelry, and collectibles – have been recovered as a result of this investigation.     

MAZZARA, 46, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced by Judge Forrest on April 13, 2018, to a total term of 135 months in prison. 

In addition to the burglaries, CHARLES KERRIGAN, 42, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to one count of witness retaliation while on pre-trial release, in connection with his assault of an individual who he believed had provided information regarding the burglaries to the FBI and NYPD.  CHARLES KERRIGAN was sentenced by Judge Forrest on April 11, 2018, to a total term of 200 months in prison.

MASCUZZIO, 38, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced by Judge Forrest on May 4, 2018, to a total term of 84 months in prison, and three years of supervised release.

CHRISTOPHER KERRIGAN, 41, of Staten Island, New York, was sentenced by Judge Forrest on March 30, 2018, to a total term of 90 months in prison.

In addition to the prison terms, Judge Forrest also ordered that the defendants forfeit more than $20 million.  Judge Forrest has adjourned the entry of an order of restitution to the victims of the burglaries until June 28, 2018, so that a final determination of the victims’ losses can be made.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative efforts of the FBI and NYPD.

If you believe you were a victim of this crime, and you wish to provide information to law enforcement, receive notice of future developments in the case, or review and/or claim any of the stolen items that were recovered during this investigation, please contact the Victim/Witness Unit at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, at (866) 874-8900.  For additional information, go to: http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nys/victimwitness.html.

Comptroller Stringer Statement Calling on Airbnb to Release Its Data

  “If Airbnb wants to have a real conversation about its impact on New York City, it should start by releasing raw data on all its listings – rather than fighting the City tooth and nail in court to hide its data, then hypocritically questioning the methodology of every study it doesn’t like.

“As recently as last month, the City was forced to sue Airbnb after the company refused to comply with a subpoena for records related to a Chelsea building allegedly operating as an illegal Airbnb hotel. It’s the same playbook as when they fought to withhold data from the New York Attorney General and refused to respond to several requests from the New York City Council to release its records.

“Airbnb cannot have it both ways. It cannot hide its raw data behind a wall of attorneys, then cry foul when others use what data is available to measure “the Airbnb effect” on the local rental market. In the case of New York City, we found that effect to be an increase in rents for hardworking New Yorkers of some $600 million a year.

“It’s time for Airbnb to come clean and share all its data on New York City listings and stop playing the victim, when really the only victims to date have been the millions of New Yorkers who today are paying higher rents because of Airbnb’s business practices. ”

To read Comptroller Stringer’s report, “The Impact of Airbnb on NYC Rents,” click here.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces $6.6 Million Settlement Against CityMD For Submitting False Claims To Medicare

CityMD Admits that it Billed Medicare for More Expensive and Complex Services Than it Performed, and Billed Medicare Under the Names of Doctors Who Did Not Actually Render the Services

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today a settlement of a civil fraud lawsuit against CityMD.  This settlement resolves federal claims under the False Claims Act, 31 U.S.C. § 3729 et seq., alleging that CityMD billed Medicare for services rendered by physicians who did not actually perform those services, and billed Medicare for more expensive and complex services than were actually provided to patients.  Under the terms of the settlement approved yesterday by U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla, CityMD admitted and accepted responsibility for its conduct and agreed to pay $6,606,251.40 in damages to the United States.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “CityMD improperly billed Medicare at significant cost to taxpayers.  This settlement holds CityMD accountable both through the significant monetary payment and the detailed admissions made by CityMD.” 

CityMD manages and operates approximately 88 Urgent Care centers, located primarily in the New York City metropolitan area.  As part of the settlement, CityMD admits, acknowledges, and accepts responsibility for the following conduct:

• CityMD billed Medicare for lengthier and/or more complex services or procedures than the services or procedures it actually provided to patients or that were supported with documentation in the medical records.  Had CityMD billed Medicare for the services actually rendered or supported by the documents in the medical records, it would have received a lower rate of reimbursement from the Medicare program.
   
• Medicare rules generally prohibit medical providers, such as CityMD, from seeking reimbursement from the Medicare program for services rendered by a physician unless that physician is both enrolled with the Medicare program when the services are rendered and has reassigned his or her Medicare benefits to the billing provider (collectively known as being “credentialed” with the Medicare program).
   
• CityMD is generally prohibited from billing Medicare for services rendered by an uncredentialed physician unless and until he or she is credentialed with the Medicare program. 
   
• CityMD employed a number of physicians who were not credentialed with the Medicare program at the time CityMD billed Medicare for their services.
   
• CityMD falsely billed Medicare for services rendered by these uncredentialed physicians using the National Provider Identification numbers of other credentialed physicians who did not actually render the services in question. 
   

In connection with the filing of the lawsuit and settlement, the Government joined a private whistleblower lawsuit that had been filed under seal pursuant to the False Claims Act. 

Mr. Berman noted that CityMD cooperated fully with this investigation.