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Safeguarding Investors Against Ponzi-Schemes
Albany Broker Frederick Monroe has been sentenced to 5 1/3—16 years in prison for stealing more than $5 million from investors in a scheme that lasted more than ten years. Monroe used the relationships he had established over his twenty year career to lure investors to reinvest their retirement funds, which he then diverted for his own personal use and to pay back earlier investors he had defrauded. The investigation revealed that since 2002, Monroe used the investments of his clients in part to purchase airline tickets, timeshares, and pay credit card, car and mortgage payments. Purchases included more than $200,000 on automobiles, $215,000 on recreational and travel expenses and more than $150,000 on items such as groceries, alcohol and cigars.
Stopping Fraudulent Home Contracts
Two home improvement contractors accused of defrauding customers in the Southern Tier and Western New York are now prevented from operating thanks to a court judgment obtained by the Attorney General. Douglas and Nicholas Cooper of N. Cooper Paving must pay a $100,000 performance bond and return thousands in restitution and fees before starting up business again. It is charged that the duo harassed and intimidated consumers into allowing them to do work, which was then left incomplete and shoddy. In addition, it is also charged that the Cooper’s would quote prices that were significantly inflated after the customers agreed to accept their services. Remember to follow tips from the Attorney General’s office, which can be found here, before hiring a home improvement contractor.
Taking Dangerous Designer Drugs Off Store Shelves
The Attorney General announced that his office secured a consent order and judgment ordering a Plattsburgh area head shop to remove mislabeled and unlabeled designer drugs. An undercover investigation found that “The Grateful Toad” purchased the designer drug “Kratom,”which did not include necessary warnings and labels, as the packaging only indicated it should not be used by nursing or pregnant women. Kratom is an extremely potent plant with opiate-like effects banned in even its own country of origin. In addition to the removal of these harmful products, owner Jason S. Ashley must also pay a total of $12,000 in penalties and costs. Because of his innovative efforts aimed at cracking down on those who violate state labeling laws, the Attorney General has successfully stopped more than 20 head shops from selling dangerous designer drugs.
Protecting Small Businesses
The Attorney General doesn’t tolerate those who intimidate small businesses with unjust lawsuits. That is why the office reached an agreement with Buffalo Biodiesel, which filed more than 600 lawsuits against mom and pop stores across the state. An investigation showed that the complaints initiating the lawsuits against the small businesses were virtual carbon copies of each other. The complaints, while alleging breach of a contract, provided very little specific information on how the small business was alleged to have done so. The lawsuits sometimes sought tens of thousands of dollars from these stores, and the Attorney General’s agreement requires Buffalo Biodiesel to return any money it might have collected on judgments.
Recovering Lost Gift Cards
Ever dine out at Schimshack’s Restaurant in Buffalo? The Attorney General has reached an agreement to refund gift certificates that still have outstanding balances following the restaurants closure last October. Consumers should be sure to submit a complaint to the Attorney General’s office by April 10, 2016 in order to apply for a refund.
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Sunday, February 21, 2016
Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman - Safeguarding Investors, Fighting Fraudulent Home Contracts & More
Saturday, February 20, 2016
100 Percent Saturday February 20, 2016 - Vote For Julio Pabon
100 PERCENT
By Robert Press
Vote For Julio Pabon
The Committee of 100 Democrats Executive Director Mr. John Perez was a candidate in the 17th City Council Special Election to be held this Tuesday February 22nd. On the way to the voting booth however Mr. Perez and four other candidates were knocked off the ballot by the Bronx Democratic County organization. Mr. Perez was angry, but he learned a lesson about politics. He then spoke to his longtime friend (who might have been his opponent) Mr. Julio Pabon (who the Bronx Democratic County organization was not able to knock off the ballot), and along with Elliot Quinones another former candidate who was knocked off the ballot by the county organization wound up today endorsing Julio Pabon for the 17th City Council Special Election.
There were false rumors set out by candidate George Alvarez (who the county organization also could not knock off the ballot, or intentionally left on the ballot to take away votes from other candidates) that the Committee of 100 Democrats had endorsed him. Today the Committee of 100 Democrats in addition to the two former candidates, Teamsters Local 210, other unions, and several prominent community people endorsed candidate Julio Pabon in Tuesday's 17th City Council Special Election.
The Committee of 100 Democrats thanks Mr. Anthony Rivieccio and Mr. Michael Benjamin (or is it Michael Blake (its an inside joke from Friday night's African American Abroza)) for their help in uncovering this false endorsement. We are now learning more about this scheme by a Republican operative from Queens County, and the Committee of 100 Democrats has learned it may have something to do with the matching funds that Mr. Alvarez was seeking from the Campaign Finance Board.
Candidate Alvarez rest assured that the Committee of 100 Democrats will be in contact with the Campaign Finance Board so the Committee hopes you have not spent any monies that you should have to return to the CFB.
The Bronx Democratic County organization has invested heavily, called in many favors, and just tried to buy the special election thinking they are some kind of Donald Trump or Michael Bloomberg, when in fact they have a bad candidate. I had to file a Freedom Of Information Letter with Bronx Community Board #2 where the County organization candidate is the District Manager because there were no Community Board #2 minutes, Executive Board minutes, or District Service Cabinet minutes which all are suppose to be on hand in the community board office for viewing at any time, and it is the job of the District Manager to have this information available. So Community Board #2 District Manager Rafael Salamanca the county candidate what have you been doing with your time, it certainly was not your job as District Manager. I also requested to see the correspondence from the District Manager to Community Board #2 as the exact date he submitted to the board that he was a candidate for public office since the District Manager according to his campaign Financial Disclosure statements had been collecting monies for his City Council Campaign as far back as September 2015. Also the Bronx Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Marcos Crespo announced on December 18th that after interviewing the interested candidates for the soon to be vacant 17th City Council seat that the Bronx Democratic County organization has decided to endorse the District Manager of Community Board #2 Mr. Rafael Salamanca. Another question is why is the county candidate still being introduced as the Community Board #2 District Manager when he should be introduced as either former District Manager or just plain Mr.
Check this blog archive for many other important items besides the February 22nd 17th City Council Special Election which have occurred such as the Bronx Parks Speak Up, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr.'s 'State of the Borough Address, Statements from the New York State Attorney's office, Statements from the U.S. Attorney's office, and of event to come such as the many Bronx Chamber of Commerce events, or other events that may be coming up.
If you have any political information that you want to share or have checked out, any comments about this column or would like to have an event listed or covered in this column or on this blog, you can e-mail us at 100percentbronxnews@gmail.com or call 718-644-4199 Mr. Robert Press.
Committee of 100 Democrats and Others Endorse Julio Pabon in 17th Council Special Election Tuesday Fedruary 22nd.
The Committee of 100 Democrats officially endorsed a candidate in the 17th City Council Special Election this coming Tuesday. Above you see Committee of 100 Democrats Chairman Ricky Martinez, Committee of 100 Democrats Executive Director (and former candidate in the special election) Mr. John Perez, former candidate Elliot Quinones who announced their support of candidate Julio Pabon. The rally was attended by over 50 supporters for Julio Pabon which included Pedro Caldi Vice-President of Teamsters Local 210 who added that there were several other unions who joined with his union to support Julio Pabon for the 17th City Council Special Election being held on Tuesday February 22nd. Several others from the professional arena and local community also gave their support to candidate Julio Pabon. It was interesting that candidate Julio Pabon said he went to almost all of the unions for endorsements, and was told that the interview committee favored him the most, but the union heads were told by certain elected officials not to endorse Pabon. Julio mentioned one of those elected officials being someone who wielded statewide power in the State Assembly, and then said it was the Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie the former Bronx Democratic County Leader. Pabon added that it is the current Bronx Democratic County organization who has endorsed and placed high levels of support for his main opponent who is the District Manager of Community Board #2. Pabon went on to say that Assembly members, District Leaders, and other Bronx Democratic County organization resources from outside the district had to be called in to match the work of his volunteer workers. The photos below will tell the rest of the story.
Above - Former candidate and good friend Mr. John Perez has only good words for 17th Council District candidate Julio Pabon.
Below - Former candidate Elliot Quinones also has only good words for 17th Council District candidate Julio Pabon. Both Mr. Perez and Mr. Quinones were knocked off the ballot by the Bronx Democratic County organization.
Above - Teamsters Local 210 Vice-President Pedro Caldi tells why his and other unions have endorsed 17th Council candidate Julio Pabon.
Below - 17th Council candidate explains what problems candidates have had had to endure in this and past elections from the Bronx Democratic County organization challenges of their candidacy.
A final show of support at this rally for this Tuesday's 17th City Council Special Election candidate Julio Pabon.
Bronx Parks Speak Up
The annual Bronx Parks Speak Up was held this afternoon, and while the exhibition area seemed much more crowded, the discussion and during Speak Up segment a familiar face was missing, that being Bronx Parks Speak Up regular Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz. Below are some photos of the event.
Above - Councilman Andrew Cohen was on hand as he has been for the past few years, as he stands next to the Wildlife Conservation Society Bronx Zoo table.
Below - Bronx Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa addresses the audience.
Above - The Pugsley Creek Community Initiative on Environmental Issues.
Below - The Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point Park still bears the Trump name.
Elected Officials to Celebrate 4th “African American Abrazo
NY-Senator Rev. Rubén DÃaz, in conjunction with New York State Assemblymen Marcos Crespo, Luis Sepulveda and Michael Blake, and Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. celebrated the 4th Annual “African American Abrazo in New York.” This event honored the contributions of the African-Americans to the State and City of New York. Over 500 people were in attendance, and the photos below will tell the rest of the story.
Above - Reverend Morais Quissico of the Epworth United Methodist Church gives the invocation.
Below - The Pledge of Allegiance
Above - The veterans in attendance pledge their allegiance.
Below - The Renaissance Youth Center sing the National Anthem of America and the Negro National Anthem.
Above - Assemblyman Michael Blake comes in with his Honoree Mr. Yohannes Abraham.
Below - Assemblyman Marcos Crespo comes in with his Honoree Bronx DA Darcel Clark.
Above - State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr. comes in with his Honoree Ms. Alice Johnson.
Below - Bronx DA is center of Assemblyman Marcos Crespo, State Senator Ruben Diaz Sr., Assemblyman Michael Blake, and Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda.
Above - The elected officials are with some of the Veterans that were in attendance.
Below - Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda with one of his constituents who was in attendance.
INTERNET VIEWING HISTORY PRIVACY ISSUES - LEGISLATION INTRODUCED BY ASSEMBLYMAN CRESPO
At a time when the encrypted internet communications of consumers is making news due to national security issues, consumers should be made aware that their internet viewing history and social media network information is being compiled and sold to other entities without their consent.
To make matters worse, consumer online viewing behavior is being considered as a factor in determining that person’s credit score. This poses significant problems for a variety of reasons spelled out in the attached two documents on bills I have introduced with Senator Ranzenhofer. Full text of legislation is provided below.
1. Assembly Bill 9145
2. Assembly Bill 9150
Most recently Google paid $1 billion to Apple iPhones to keep their search engine on that cell phone. They did so in order to capture, store and sell user’s internet activity without consumers knowing this or understanding the ramifications.
If you would like more information on the attached two bills banning some of these practices, please contact my Legislative Director Guillermo Martinez at 455-5514.
Google paid $1 billion to keep search engine on Apple iPhones
The Hill, By Mario Trujillo - 01/22/16 10:22 AM EST
Google paid Apple $1 billion in 2014 to remain the default search engine on iPhones, according to court transcripts that have since been pulled from the public record.
Bloomberg Business reviewed and reported the news before the documents were taken down. Google is pressing a court to redact sensitive portions of court transcripts in a long-running, unrelated copyright litigation with the company Oracle.
Google has a deal with Apple to pay it a portion of the search revenue that Google makes from having its engine on the iPhone, according Oracle lawyer Annette Hurst, who made the revelation during a Jan. 14 transcript.
BILLS BACKGROUND BELOW
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec. 1 (f)
Bill Number: A9145
Sponsor: Member of Assembly Marcos A. Crespo
TITLE:
An act to amend the general business law and the banking law, in relation to prohibiting a consumer reporting agency or lender from using an individual's internet viewing history to determine such individual's credit worthiness
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF THE BILL:
To prohibit a consumer reporting agency or lender from using an individual's internet viewing history to determine such individual's credit worthiness
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Section 380-j of the general business law is amended by adding a new subdivision (h) to read as follows:
(h)No consumer reporting agency shall collect, evaluate, report, or maintain in the file on a consumer the consumer's use of internet or web browsing history as a factor to determine the consumer's credit score, standing or credit capacity.
Section 2. Section 352 of the banking law is amended by adding a new sixth undesignated paragraph to read as follows:
No licensee shall collect, evaluate, report or maintain in the file on a borrower, the borrower's use of internet or internet viewing history as a factor to determine the borrower's credit worthiness, credit standing or credit capacity.
Section 3 contains the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Consumers in the United States continue to be under attack by the fuzzy math used to calculate credit scores. The US General Accounting Office has estimated that some 75% of credit scores are wrong based on incorrect information collected by credit bureaus and attached to individual credit scores.
As if this was not detrimental enough to the average consumer, credit scores are used by employers to screen potential employees, by landlords and even by graduate schools for students applying to business majors. The errors on these reports and the fuzzy math used to create the credit score are impacting every aspect of our lives.
To make matters worse, the FICO score, a measure of consumer credit risk, which has become a fixture of consumer lending in the United States, is moving to add consumer’s social network as another variable in the more than 100 variable equation used to compute a consumer’s credit score.
FICO is looking to lumping all of the individual consumers’ Internet viewing history into the consumer credit score. A value will be added to the consumer’s choice of websites viewed and that subjective value will be used as a variable to derive a new credit score for individual consumers. This is an obvious invasion of privacy and another fuzzy math approach which will hurt consumers.
It is obvious that individuals in low income communities, immigrants with limited English proficiency, teens and young adults will have an online viewing history that is substantially different than those who are native born, with higher incomes and older.
So why should consumers be further stigmatized and penalized via worsening credit scores based on whether or not they read the New York Times versus the NY Post or because they only play online games and never visit the website of the Economist? FICO’s attempt to do this should be banned and this legislation does exactly that.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: No prior legislative history.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT: None
EFFECTIVE DATE: Immediately.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY
MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION
submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec. 1 (f)
Bill Number: A9150
Sponsor: Member of Assembly Marcos A. Crespo
TITLE:
An act to amend the general business law and the banking law, in relation to prohibiting a consumer reporting agency or lender from using certain information to determine an individual's credit worthiness
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF THE BILL:
Prohibits a consumer reporting agency or lender from using the membership of the consumer’s social network information to determine an individual's credit worthiness
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Section 380-a of the general business law is amended by adding a new subdivision (u) to read as follows:
(u) Members of a consumer's social network: a group of individuals authorized by a consumer to be part of his or her social media network.
Section 2. Section 380-j of the general business law is amended by adding a new subdivision (h) to read as follows:
(h)No consumer reporting agency shall collect, evaluate, report, or maintain in the file on a consumer the consumer's use of internet or web browsing history as a factor to determine the consumer's credit score, standing or credit capacity.
Section 3. Section 2 of the banking law is amended by adding a new subdivision 30 to read as follows:
Members of a borrower's social network: a group of individuals authorized by a borrower to be part of his or her social media network.
Section 4. Section 352 of the banking law is amended by adding a new sixth undesignated paragraph to read as follows:
No licensee shall collect, evaluate, report or maintain in the file on a borrower, the borrower's use of internet or internet viewing history as a factor to determine the borrower's credit worthiness, credit standing or credit capacity.
Section 5 contains the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION: Consumers in the United States continue to be under attack by the fuzzy math used to calculate credit scores. The US General Accounting Office has estimated that some 75% of credit scores are wrong based on incorrect information collected by credit bureaus and attached to individual credit scores.
As if this was not detrimental enough to the average consumer, credit scores are used by employers to screen potential employees, by landlords and even by graduate schools for students applying to business majors. The errors on these reports and the fuzzy math used to create the credit score are impacting every aspect of our lives.
To make matters worse, the FICO score, a measure of consumer credit risk, which has become a fixture of consumer lending in the United States, is moving to add consumer’s social network as another variable in the more than 100 variable equation used to compute a consumer’s credit score.
FICO is looking to lumping all of the individual consumers’ social network members credit scores and taking that average into account as a variable to derive a new credit score for individual consumers. This is an obvious invasion of privacy and another fuzzy math approach to hurt consumers.
It is obvious that individuals in low income communities will have a social network of similar individuals based on geography only. So why should low income consumers be further stigmatized and penalized via worsening credit scores. FICO’s attempt to do this should be banned and this legislation does exactly that.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: No prior legislative history.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT: None
EFFECTIVE DATE: Immediately.
Editors Note:
While these bills may have been passed in the State Assembly this legislation must be passed also by the State Senate, and signed by Governor Cuomo in order to become law. To many times there have been bills passed by only the State Assembly or State Senate to have the other State house not pass them.
HOUSING COMMITTEE TO HOLD HEARING ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING PRESERVATION
Monday at City Hall, the Council's Committee on Housing and Buildings, chaired by Council Member Jumaane D. Williams, will hear testimony on a package of four bills designed to strengthen the city's tool-kit for preserving existing affordable housing. The preservation-focused hearing comes in the midst of negotiations with the de Blasio administration on both the Mandatory Inclusionary Zoning, and Zoning for Quality and Affordability proposals.
The Committee expects to hear testimony from the Department of Buildings (DOB), The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), housing advocates, legal services providers, members of the real estate industry and housing advocates.
- Int. 152 - Sponsored by Council Member Lander would require a certificate of no harassment for the demolition or material alteration of residential buildings.
- Int. 543 - Sponsored by Council Member Torres, addresses the issuance of orders to correct underlying conditions.
- Int. 1015 - Sponsored by Council Member Kallos would establish a housing portal.
- Int. 1044 - Sponsored by Public Advocate James would deny building permits where a residential building has an excessive number of violations.
Where: City Hall Chambers
When: Monday, February 22, 2016, 10:00AM
Friday, February 19, 2016
BP DIAZ DELIVERS 'STATE OF THE BOROUGH' ADDRESS
On education, Borough President Diaz proposed that the Department of Education, and not the students themselves, should be responsible for the cost of remedial classes for public high school graduates at the City University of New York.
“We also need to do more to keep our college students from accumulating unnecessary debt,” said Borough President Diaz. “If you earned a public high school diploma, shouldn’t you be prepared for college? What does it mean when high school graduates are force to pay for their own remedial classes at CUNY?”
Borough President Diaz also called for expanded testing for gifted and talented programs for children in public universal pre-K programs, and for the City to consider using underutilized NYCHA community centers for UPK programs. He also called on all sides of the education debate to remember that children are the top priority in our schools.
“Remember, the education of our students is not about the grown-ups, or anyone’s particular ideology. It is about the children,” said Borough President Diaz. “All students must be treated equitably by the Department of Education, whether they are in a traditional public school or a public charter school.”
During the speech, Borough President Diaz also highlighted a number of new projects and new businesses that have made their way to the borough. He also announced that his office would take the lead on the redevelopment of the historic Orchard Beach Pavilion, and committed $10 million of his own capital funding to the effort.
“We need first-rate concessions, performance spaces and the ability to host top-notch events. We need to create jobs and rebuild Orchard Beach’s historic pavilion as the economic engine it once was and could be again,” said Borough President Diaz, who also announced that this initiative has also secured the support of his Bronx colleagues in the New York State Legislature.
Borough President Diaz also outlined other economic development and infrastructure priorities for his borough, including the consideration of a platform over the Concourse Yard in the Northwest Bronx, the continued push to bring four new Metro North station to the East Bronx and the need for a redevelopment plan for the Hunts Point food wholesale markets.
“This administration must finalize a plan for the redevelopment of the Hunts Point markets,” said Borough President Diaz. These markets employ thousands of people directly, and have an economic impact that can be felt across the east coast. City, state, and federal dollars have been put aside for this plan, and we cannot afford to wait any longer.
Borough President Diaz also discussed his office’s efforts on housing, noting that his office has directly funded nearly 7,000 units of mostly low and moderate income housing since 2009 and has been working hard in numerous areas to fight displacement. He also reiterated his call for the administration to abandon its proposed zoning text amendments, Mandatory Inclusionary Housing and Zoning for Quality and Affordability.
“How can we totally change the look and feel of this entire city on such short notice? How can we dramatically alter something so profound as how our city is built with a broad stroke?” asked the borough president. “These amendments as they stand are not the way to accomplish affordable housing for all New Yorkers.
He also issued a call to conscience on homelessness, urging communities to be more accepting of housing units for the less fortunate while also calling for new metric to measure shelter performance.
“Can you imagine how deplorable the conditions have to be in the shelters that so many homeless would choose instead to brave the elements and unpredictability of the streets?” asked Borough President Diaz. “In addition to holding the right people accountable for these conditions, the City should provide the resources to augment services at shelter sites, such as mental health and job counseling. We must track the results of these programs to replicate the models of successful service providers, and to finally end homelessness one individual at a time.”
Borough President Diaz also outlined several new initiatives for the upcoming year that his office will take on, including the creation of a “Bronx Youth Corps” leadership program and a push to allow EBT users to purchase from online retailers. In closing, the borough president noted the tremendous success the borough has seen since 2009, and suggested that The Bronx is a model for progress to all five boroughs.
“Together, we have done the work to make The Bronx a better place,” said Borough President Diaz. “And what is good for The Bronx is good for the city.”Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. delivered his annual “State of the Borough” address, his seventh since becoming borough president in 2009. In his speech, which he delivered at Cardinal Hayes High School on the Grand Concourse, Borough President Diaz discussed the progress The Bronx has made since he took office while also outlining new programs and initiatives his office will pursue in the coming year on a wide variety of topics, including education, economic development and housing.
Borough President Diaz noted that, since 2009, more than 23,000 new units of housing and over 68 million square feet of total development. He also noted that unemployment has been cut nearly in half to 6.9 percent since 2009, that more than 100,000 Bronxites are employed today than when he first took office, and that the borough saw over $2 billion in new investment in 2015, an all-time record.
“It’s not just about new development, new jobs and new housing. It’s about a new mindset and a new image,” said Borough President Diaz in his speech. “We are changing how people feel and think about this borough. We are elevating expectations in all facets of Bronx life.”
Above - New York City Public Advocate Letitia James, City Comptroller Scott Stringer, and City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito were the highest ranking elected officials in attendance. Mayor Bill de Blasio, any Deputy Mayor, any of the three statewide elected official, and even Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie were not in attendance.
Below - Former Bronx Borough President Freddy Ferrer chats with current Bronx Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Marcos Crespo. Bronx DA Darcel Clark is seated on the other side of Crespo, while behind them Assemblyman (and former Bronx Democratic County Leader) Jose Rivera is speaking to the new Community Board #7 District Manager Andrew Sandler, as Assemblyman Victor Pichardo looks on.
