MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES NEW PROGRAM CONNECTING THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCE WITH SUBSTANCE USE RECOVERY PROGRAMS WITH TRAINING FOR CAREERS

City’s first-of-its-kind training program to increase availability of Certified Recovery Peer Advocates for substance use treatment will help meet industry demand

   Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced a first-of-its-kind Certified Recovery Peer Advocate (CRPA) training program connecting those with experience in substance use recovery programs with training for careers helping others in recovery. The program, a product of the Department of Small Business Services’ New York Alliance for Careers in Healthcare (NYACH), will fill a growing demand for peer support services in substance use treatment. Peer support services have been found to reduce hospitalizations, reduce recovery times and result in improved patient experiences.

“We have been working every day to destigmatize substance use and mental health issues through our ThriveNYC initiative,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “The Certified Recovery Peer Advocate program is yet another tool we will use to ensure that New Yorkers struggling with these issues not only have the support they need to overcome their challenges, but that they can utilize their experience to help others.”

“For those struggling with substance misuse, the support and understanding of people who have gone through recovery can make all the difference. This program will add counselors in all of the five boroughs for those seeking rehabilitation from substance misuse, and provide these coaches with the opportunity to give back to their brothers and sisters in need. As the de Blasio Administration continues to expand access to mental health and substance misuse help through our comprehensive citywide planThriveNYC, we recognize that this is the sort of program that will help propel New Yorkers taking the next step into recovery,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray, Chair of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance NYC, who spearheads the City's mental health and substance misuse efforts.

“Quality behavioral health services are vital to our City and the wellness of our people. New Yorkers who are confronting behavioral health challenges deserve the support and resources they need for recovery and this program helps meet this challenge,” said Gregg Bishop, Commissioner of the Department of Small Business Services. “This new peer advocate program supports behavioral health service providers in delivering successful treatment while connecting New Yorkers with a path to quality employment in the healthcare field.”

“A peer support worker can connect to people with mental illness or substance use disorder in a way that no one else can,” said Health Department Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett. “And peer support workers help the people they work with have more sustained recovery with lower treatment costs. I thank Mayor Bill de Blasio and Small Business Services Commissioner Gregg Bishop for further investing in this successful model.”

Treatment and recovery providers anticipate an increased demand for peer support services following Medicaid’s enhanced reimbursement rates for peer services and the integration of behavioral health services in Medicaid managed care plans. In the past, the majority of peer support specialists were limited to funding through grant programs or working as volunteers. This is the first program in New York City that provides a seamless, credit-bearing training path through post-secondary education to CRPA certification and employment. The program is open to individuals who self-identify as having lived with a substance use disorder.

The CRPA training program is part of First Lady Chirlane McCray’sThriveNYC initiative, which will train 200 peer support workers per year. The ThriveNYC training prepares graduates to obtain their New York State Certification and pursue careers in the behavioral health workforce. The first cohort of peer support workers will graduate by the end of June 2017

ThriveNYC emphasizes peer support as part of the effort to create sustainable recovery models. Training for certified peer specialists is one of the goals of ThriveNYC.‎

Certified Recovery Peer Advocate Training Program

The CRPA training program at Queensborough Community College will prepare participants to become certified in providing support, information, guidance, and motivation to those seeking or sustaining recovery from a substance use disorder. The curriculum will incorporate feedback from the industry and will include test preparation, professional skills, boundaries and ethics and academic remediation. The program will also provide participants with case management and employment services to ensure they receive the support needed to successfully complete the program and advance to or begin employment as CRPAs.

After completing the three month program, trainees will be fully prepared to sit for the certification exam and to work as CRPAs. Peer advocates can perform tasks such as helping peers develop recovery plans, helping peers self-monitor their progress, modeling effective coping skills, attending court and other system meetings as a support, and supporting another peer in advocating for themselves to obtain effective services.

Acknowledgements

This initiative has been developed in collaboration with Queensborough Community College, City University of New York, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, and Mount Sinai Beth Israel.

NYACH

NYACH is an Industry Partnership, bringing together multiple stakeholders of the healthcare workforce development system in order to address the industry’s rapidly changing labor force needs. NYACH is an initiative of the public-private partnership between the NYC Department of Small Business Services and the NYC Workforce Funders. For more information, visithttp://nyachnyc.org.

About NYC Small Business Services (SBS)

SBS helps unlock economic potential and create economic security for all New Yorkers by connecting New Yorkers to good jobs, creating stronger businesses, and building thriving neighborhoods across the five boroughs. For more information, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or visit our website.

MAYOR DE BLASIO APPOINTS MARIA TORRES-SPRINGER NEXT COMMISSIONER FOR DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT AND JAMES PATCHETT PRESIDENT AND CEO OF CITY’S EDC

Housing Commissioner Vicki Been will return to academia after securing the most affordable housing of any administration since 1989

   Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced Maria Torres-Springer will serve as the next Commissioner of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development when its current commissioner, Vicki Been, returns to teaching at New York University. The mayor is also appointing James Patchett as President and CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation.

The City announced last week that under Been’s leadership, the administration was securing affordable housing at a rate not seen since the Koch Administration in 1989. Her exit comes three years into the Mayor’s signature Housing New York Plan, and after overseeing the financing of a record 62,500 affordable homes – enough for 170,000 New Yorkers. Been restructured City’s programs to reach a wider range of incomes and secure more affordable housing for every public dollar spent. She reformed the regulatory process to reduce the risk and cost of building and preserving affordable housing while ensuring its safety, quality, and financial stability. Been is returning to New York University as the Boxer Family Professor of Law and Faculty Director of the Furman Center.

Maria Torres-Springer comes to HPD with deep experience securing affordable housing and working directly with communities on holistic neighborhood planning. As president of NYCEDC, and before that as the Mayor’s SBS commissioner, Torres-Springer has created and advanced transformational projects, including the re-imagining of Spofford, a former juvenile detention center in the Bronx as a hub for the arts and affordable housing. She has been the administration’s leader in developing the Downtown Far Rockaway Neighborhood Plan, which included more than $90 million in neighborhood investments and affordable housing to serve both the lowest-income New Yorkers and those in the middle class. Torres-Springer will build on Been’s legacy of protecting neighborhoods and developing record numbers of securely-financed affordable homes in increasingly challenging economic times.

James Patchett, who has served as Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen’s chief of staff and a key advisor to the mayor on housing and economic development, will take the reins at NYCEDC. At City Hall, Glen’s office oversees the work of 25 agencies, authorities and offices, including the Department of City Planning, the Department of Housing, Preservation and Development, the Economic Development Corporation, and the New York City Housing Authority. Patchett is an architect of some of the administration’s most significant accomplishments, including saving 5,000 affordable homes at Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village, protecting Harlem’s Riverton Houses, passing Mandatory Inclusionary Housing, and overhauling CitiBike.

Peter Wertheim, currently Senior Advisor to Deputy Mayor Glen, will assume the Chief of Staff role. Wertheim has become one of the administration’s most trusted voices on policy and land use, most recently negotiating the acquisition of Bushwick Inlet Park by the City, fulfilling a decade-long goal of the community.

“With her signature brand of grit and grace, Vicki created and implemented our ambitious affordable housing plan. She is a brilliant public servant and law professor, and her students are lucky to have her back,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said. “As progressive thinkers and proven deal makers, Maria and James have worked closely with me to advance our most important initiatives. Together, we will continue to build on the successes our first three years, and make this city fairer and more affordable for everyone.”

The moves are effective Feb. 6.

“Having grown up in Section 8 housing, I know first-hand that the work we do is a lifeline to hundreds of thousands of families. Housing is the top expense for New Yorkers, and for far too many rising rents threaten their ability to stay in the city they love. I’ve spent my career helping people secure better jobs with better wages, and developing neighborhood projects that provide affordable homes and economic opportunity. Vicki leaves big shoes to fill, but I’m honored to have a chance to keep up the record-breaking progress she’s achieved,” said Maria Torres-Springer.

"As we continue to build on the achievements of this administration, I am honored to serve as the new head of NYCEDC. With the Mayor, Deputy Mayor, Maria, and all of our partners inside and outside of government, we will continue to make our city a 21st Century capital of commerce, culture and innovation," said James Patchett.

“It has been an honor and privilege to lead HPD, and to be part of the Mayor's all-star housing team. We came in with a bold agenda to change the paradigm for how we grow as a city. We promised to produce and preserve more affordable housing than ever achieved, to reach New Yorkers at a broad range of incomes, and to work with communities to ensure neighborhoods are diverse, inclusive, and rich in opportunity. We’ve financed 62,506 affordable residences, including the highest three years of new construction in the City's history. We've changed the way we work to ensure that we achieve more affordable housing for every public dollar spent, and that our housing reaches the New Yorkers who need it most,”HPD Commissioner Vicki Been said. “I am very grateful to Mayor de Blasio for giving me the opportunity to help him make history. As we face the challenges ahead, I look forward to watching as Maria and the amazing HPD team make even further strides to keep New York City a city for all.” 

About Maria Torres-Springer

Maria Torres-Springer has served as President and CEO of New York City Economic Development Corporation since June 2015. She has a demonstrated record of expanding economic opportunity and building relationships between community, government, and private businesses to support economic development projects throughout New York City.

At NYCEDC, her focus was to grow the vital sectors of the city’s economy while creating real opportunity for all New Yorkers. At NYCEDC and her work included creating large affordable housing projects with mixed use retail and community spaces, major investments in long-underserved communities, such as the Lower Concourse Plan, the Downtown Far Rockaway Neighborhood Plan, and investments in Brooklyn’s Flatbush-Caton Market to also include affordable housing. She oversaw the implementation of City-wide Ferry, the launch of LifeSci NYC, and expansion of Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises programs at EDC including the Emerging Developer Loan Fund.

Before NYCEDC, Torres-Springer served as Mayor de Blasio’s Commissioner of the New York City Department of Small Business Services (SBS), where she spearheaded the administration’s efforts to raise wages and expand skill-building in workforce placement programs, support women-owned and immigrant-owned businesses, streamline the regulatory environment for small businesses, and launch path-breaking initiatives like the Tech Talent Pipeline to grow the tech sector and prepare New Yorkers for 21st century jobs. Her approach to growth and inclusion also resulted in New York City's launch of Women Entrepreneurs NYC (WE NYC), a catalytic effort to expand the economic potential of women entrepreneurs across the five boroughs, with a focus on the specific needs of underserved women and families.

Torres-Springer previously served as the Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff at NYCEDC. From overseeing the development and implementation of more than 100 initiatives designed to support innovation and entrepreneurship across all industries, to helping lead the Applied Sciences NYC initiative—spurring new applied science and engineering campuses across New York City—she has continually proven her commitment to creating a dynamic city economy that works for all New Yorkers. 

Torres-Springer also served as a Senior Policy Advisor at the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Economic Development & Rebuilding and as the Chief Operating Officer of Friends of the Highline. She received her bachelor's degree in ethics, politics, and economics from Yale University and a master’s in public policy from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two daughters.

About James Patchett

James Patchett is the Chief of Staff to the New York City Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development, an office that oversee more than 25 agencies, authorities and offices, including the Department of City Planning, the Department of Housing, Preservation and Development, the Economic Development Corporation, and the New York City Housing Authority. He has emerged as one of the administration’s most dynamic leaders and secured some of its signature achievements. Patchett negotiated the affordable protections at Stuyvesant Town/Peter Cooper Village and Harlem’s Riverton Houses. He is one of the administration’s chief negotiators on major land use issues, and was pivotal in securing Mandatory Inclusionary Housing. He has also worked closely with NYCEDC to grow good jobs in manufacturing, tech and Life Sciences.

Prior to joining the Mayor’s Office, he worked as a Vice President in the Urban Investment Group at Goldman Sachs.  At Goldman, James financed a variety of real estate and economic development projects across the country, including mixed-use developments and affordable housing, using a variety of investment tools, including debt, equity, and tax credits.

He previously served as a Senior Analyst at NERA Economic Consultants, where he worked on energy and environmental matters and assisted public agencies and private companies in evaluating major economic development initiatives, including mixed-use projects, manufacturing facilities, airports, casinos, and new transportation infrastructure. His work includes helping the European Union design a series of environmental regimes, including its revolutionary efforts to limit carbon emissions. 

Patchett serves on the board of the Prospect Park Alliance. He holds a B.A. in Economics from Amherst College and an M.B.A. from Stanford University. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and son.

Assemblymember Michael Blake - State of The District Address

I would like to invite you to our annual State of The District Address on Sunday, January 22nd at 2 p.m. at V.I.P. Community Services at 1870 Crotona Avenue (Doors open at 1:30 p.m.) The address will celebrate the accomplishments of this past year while also laying out our vision for the next year.

To RSVP please click here.

If you have any questions please contact my office at 718-538-3829 or stop by at 780 Concourse Village West, Bronx NY 10451.

Warmest Regards,

Assembly Member Michael A. Blake

79th District, South Bronx.

How to Get Your Bronx Voice featuring Press on Politics, 100 PERCENT Column

Now this is the way to get your Bronx Voice, featuring Press on Politics - 100 PERCENT Column. 

MAYOR’S PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT UNIT AND THE CENTER FOR FAITH AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS TO ENROLL NEW YORKERS IN GetCoveredNYC

   The GetCoveredNYC Outreach Team from Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Public Engagement Unit will be partnering on a day of action with the Center for Faith and Community Partnerships, Mayor’s Community Affairs Unit, City Commission on Human Rights, ThriveNYC and the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs to enroll 50,000 New Yorkers in health insurance in 2017.

With an open enrollment deadline of January 31, the GetCoveredNYC Outreach Team is making a large push during the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend to schedule New Yorkers for a free in-person enrollment appointment.

The GetCoveredNYC program focuses on enrolling more New Yorkers in health insurance and providing them with access to primary and preventative care at public Health + Hospitals facilities. To enroll, applicants only need to bring a Social Security Number or Tax ID Number, proof of income and proof of residence.

Over the weekend, GetCoveredNYC specialists will attend events at eight houses of worship and two community-based organizations citywide in areas with a high number of uninsured New Yorkers.

New Yorkers can also call 311 or text CoveredNYC to 877 877 for a free in-person enrollment appointment near them.  

  

GetCoveredNYC Events

Sunday, January 15

United Church

764 Hewitt Place Bronx, NY, 10455

11:30am-2pm

Bridge Street AME Church

277 Stuyvesant Ave. Brooklyn, NY, 11221

9am-12:30pm

Glover Memorial Baptist Church

2134 Dean St. Brooklyn, NY, 11233

11am-2pm

Mt Calvary Baptist Church

231 W 142^nd St. NY, NY, 10030

11am-11:30am

St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church

161 W 131^st St. NY, NY 10037

10:45am-1pm

Greater Calvary Baptist Church

55 W 124^th St. NY, NY, 10027

11am-11:30am

Riverside Church

490 Riverside Drive NY, NY, 10027

5pm-8pm

Greater Fellowship Church

106-01 Guy R. Brewer Blvd. Queens, NY, 11433

9:15am-10:15am

Monday, January 16

Flatbush YMCA

1401 Flatbush Ave. Brooklyn, NY, 11210

12-3pm

Violence is a Public Health Crisis Community Healing Experience

116-25 Guy R. Brewer Blvd. Queens, NY, 11434

2pm-6pm

News From The Bronx Chamber of Commerce

Dear Members & Friends: January 2017 Newsletter with Highlights & 2016 Year in Photos is available by clicking on the following hyperlink:   https://chambermaster.blob.core.windows.net/userfiles/UserFiles/chambers/1983/CMS/01-2017-BCC-Newsletter-PDF-150.pdf  or visiting www.BronxChamber.org   Delivery date of the first annual 2017 Bronx Business Directory & Resource Guide is January 12, 2017 and ahead of schedule! The 2017 Bronx Business Directory & Resource Guide will list all members alphabetically and by category for referrals and new business contacts. The Directory will be distributed to more than 2,000 member businesses, new businesses, and select governmental offices.  Membership in 2017 to the Bronx Chamber will significantly increase with your encouragement of additional companies to join.  The 2017 Bronx Business Directory & Resource Guide will be updated each month with an addendum listing new members that join to benefit from referrals.  Together, we WILL grow the Bronx Chamber of Commerce, enhance its influence and further improve the image of The Bronx.   The Bronx Chamber of Commerce is one of the most influential, professional and successful organizations and voice for businesses in Bronx County. Professionals and companies are drawn to the successful companies and active members affiliated with The Bronx Chamber of Commerce. BCC Membership includes businesses ranging from large corporations, Cultural Institutions, Universities and Colleges, Hospitals and Medical Centers, non-profits, and mid-sized to small companies. GROW YOUR SMALL BUSINESS 2017 Sponsorship Opportunities The Bronx Chamber of Commerce provides Small Business Members the opportunity to sponsor events at affordable costs, receive significant value promoting your company or organization and provide financial support to the business community. 1. Individual Awards Luncheon Sponsorship's: 1 Table of 10 Tickets at each event, company logo on formal invitation, recognition on signage during the event: each $1,500 value. a.    African-American Heritage Awards Luncheon b.    Hispanic Heritage Awards Luncheon c.    Irish Heritage Awards Luncheon d.    Italian Heritage Awards Luncheon e.    Veteran's Awards Luncheon   2.   Valentine Party & Networking Event Sponsor includes company logo on formal invitation and all promotions: $1,000. 3.    Halloween Party & Networking Event Sponsor includes company logo on formal invitation and all promotions: $1,000.   4.    Twilight Golf or Summerfest Sponsorship includes company logo on formal invitation and all promotions: $1,000.   5.    Business 2 Business Breakfast or Evening Sponsorship: $500 - $1,000 dependent upon availability.   For more information on Sponsorship Opportunities contact: Nunzio Del Greco, President & CEO at (718) 828-3900 or email: Nunzio@BronxChamber.org. BRONX HERITAGE AWARD NOMINATIONS   Members and Friends of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce are requested to nominate up to 6 companies or organizations to receive Special Recognition and Distinguished Awards at the 2017 BRONX HERITAGE AWARDS and VETERANS AWARDS LUNCHEONS.   To process your nominations, please forward name, contact information and biography up to 150 words for each nominee as soon as possible for the upcoming 2017 Awards Luncheons:   African-American Heritage Awards Luncheon February 23, 2017 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm F&J Pine Restaurant Irish Heritage Awards Luncheon March 23, 2017 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm Rambling House Hispanic Heritage Awards Luncheon September 28, 2017 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm Tosca Marquee Italian Heritage Awards Luncheon October 12, 2017 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm F&J Pine Restaurant Veteran's Awards Luncheon November 16, 2017 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm Maestro's Caterers   Please forward your 2017 Award nominations to Nunzio Del Greco, President and CEO via email: Nunzio@BronxChamber.org Thursday, March 9, 2017 Marina del Rey Caterers 5:30 pm - 10:30 pm   Bronx Business Awards 2017 Gala Celebration   Members and Friends of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce are requested to nominate companies or organizations to receive Special Recognition and Distinguished Awards at the Bronx Business Awards 2017 Gala Celebration in following categories:    Developer of the Year MWBE Company of the Year Non-Profit Organization of the Year Health Provider of the Year Educational Institution of the Year Made in The Bronx Award of the Year   Please forward your nominations on or before January 16, 2017 to Nunzio Del Greco, President and CEO via email: Nunzio@BronxChamber.org Monday, May 22, 2017  Trump Links at Ferry Point 11:00 am - 8:00 pm   Best of the Bronx 2017 Golf Outing   Members and Friends of the Bronx Chamber of Commerce are requested to nominate companies or organizations to receive Special Recognition and Distinguished Awards at the Best of the Bronx 2017 Golf Outing in following categories:   Bronx Business Man of the Year Bronx Business Woman of the Year Best of The Bronx Award of the Year Please forward your nominations on or beforeFebruary 28, 2017 to Nunzio Del Greco, President and CEO via email: Nunzio@BronxChamber.org The Bronx Chamber of Commerce is one of the most influential, professional and successful organizations and voice for businesses in Bronx County. Professionals and companies are drawn to the successful companies and active members affiliated with The Bronx Chamber of Commerce. Membership includes businesses ranging from large corporations, Cultural Institutions, Universities and Colleges, Hospitals and Medical Centers, non-profits, and mid-sized to small companies. Nunzio Del Greco President and CEO Bronx Chamber of Commerce "The Network For Business Success" 1200 Waters Place, Suite 106 Bronx, NY 10461 718-828-3900 Nunzio@bronxchamber.org   "You never know where your next big deal is going to come from"!

MAYOR DE BLASIO SIGNS LEGISLATION EXTENDING BOUNDARIES OF THE QUEENS PLAZA/COURT SQUARE BID

Also signs legislation relating to the date of submissions for the FY 2018 preliminary budget

   Mayor Bill de Blasio today held a public hearing for and signed two pieces of legislation – Intro. 1314, in relation to extending the boundaries of the Queens Plaza/Court Square Business Improvement District, and Intro. 1415, in relation to the date of submissions for the fiscal year 2018 preliminary budget.

“Business Improvement Districts serve a special purpose in our city,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “They ensure that commercial districts are maintained, promoted and developed in a way that would allow businesses to flourish economically. Intro. 1314 would provide additional support to local business owners within the Queens Plaza and Court Square BID, increasing their ability to maintain, sustain and grow their businesses. I would like to thank Commissioner Gregg Bishop, Majority Leader Jimmy Van Bramer for supporting this legislation, Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito for her leadership, Council Member Julissa Ferreras-Copeland and the rest of City Council for passing this bill.”

“Business Improvement Districts are drivers of economic growth in neighborhoods across the five boroughs,” said Gregg Bishop, Commissioner of the Department of Small Business Services. “The expansion of this BID ensures that more of the small businesses in Long Island City can enjoy the benefits of being part of a Business Improvement District.”

The first bill, Intro. 1314, extends the boundaries of the Queens Plaza/Court Square Business Improvement District and increases the authorized amount to be expended annually while also modifying its method of assessment accordingly. BIDs provide support to local businesses to help them thrive. The health of the city’s small businesses is essential to the vitality of the local neighborhoods and the very foundation of the City’s economy. These additional funds will help the neighborhood – and the businesses within it – be the best they can be.

We are honored to be here today with Mayor de Blasio and Majority Leader Van Bramer to celebrate this great milestone, which is the culmination of years of effort by the great LIC Community. The LIC Partnership looks forward to working closely with all the great businesses and stakeholders in the expansion area by enhancing services, increasing business opportunities and drawing more foot traffic from the surrounding transit hubs,” said Elizabeth Lusskin, President of the Long Island City Partnership, which oversees the management of the Long Island City Business Improvement District. “We give great thanks for the guidance and hard work of the BID Expansion Steering Committee and its co-chairs Gianna Cerbone-Teoli, Angelo Ippolito and Paula Kirby. We also give special thanks to Council Majority Leader Van Bramer, who has supported this effort from its inception and personally worked so hard to see it become a reality on behalf of this special area of LIC. We also thank SBS Commissioner Gregg Bishop and his great team for shepherding us so ably through this complicated process.”

The second bill, Intro. 1415, relates to the submission dates for the fiscal year 2018 preliminary budget.

A.G. Schneiderman And Acting Tax Commissioner Manion Announce Felony Conviction Of Unregistered Long Island Tax Preparer

Susan Murillo Submitted Fraudulent Returns In An Attempt To Steal Refunds From The New York State Department Of Taxation And Finance

    Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman and Acting Taxation and Finance Commissioner Nonie Manion today announced the conviction of Susan Murillo, 46, of Elmont, NY, for Attempted Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class “E” felony.  Murillo was arrested in October 2016 on felony charges arising from her unregistered tax preparer business and her submission of fraudulent tax returns on behalf of taxpayers.  A joint investigation by the Attorney General’s Office and the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance (“DTF”) uncovered the submission of over 200 fraudulent New York State personal income tax returns for tax years 2011 through 2014, resulting in the theft from the DTF of $57,236 and the attempted theft of an additional $103,749.25.  

According to statements made by the prosecutor at the time of the plea, Murillo, who was receiving Social Security Disability Insurance at the time, ran an unregistered tax preparer business out of her house in Elmont, NY.  Between 2012 and 2015, Murillo submitted over 200 fraudulent returns claiming thousands of dollars in fraudulent deductions related to Child Dependent Care Credit, College Tuition Credit, and Volunteer Firefighters’ and Ambulance Workers’ Credit. 

“Exploiting state programs intended to provide financial assistance to New Yorkers for personal financial gain is shameful. We will not have any tolerance for those who undermine our tax system and avoid paying their fair share,” said Attorney General Schneiderman.

“This conviction sends a powerful and timely message: If you decide to use a tax preparer this filing season, ensure the person is trustworthy,” said Acting Commissioner Manion. “Please also remember that once you sign the return, you become legally responsible for its accuracy.”

In November 2016, Murillo pleaded guilty before the Honorable Thomas A. Breslin, Justice of the Albany County Supreme Court, to Attempted Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (a Class “E” felony).   She was sentenced yesterday to five years of probation and a confession of judgment for the total amount stolen.

The prosecutor stated that Murillo’s plea also covered the other felony charges related to her unregistered tax preparer business, including  the submission of over 200 fraudulent returns prepared by Murillo on behalf of taxpayers, resulting in a theft of $57,236 in fraudulent refunds prior to the detection of the falsities.  DTF was able to stop the issuance of an additional $100,000 in additional fraudulent refunds. 

Tax payers should check to ensure that tax preparers are registered with New York State by using the Tax Department’s searchable online database of 40,000 tax preparers. Certified public accountants, attorneys and enrolled agents have other professional requirements and are, therefore, not required to be registered.

The Attorney General thanked the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance’s Criminal Investigations Division for its cooperation in the case.