Friday, May 12, 2017

Father And Son Pair Charged With Gunpoint Robbery And Kidnapping In Bronx Home Invasion


  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), and Ashan M. Benedict, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (“ATF”), announced today the filing of a criminal complaint charging JORDANY FRIAS-ROSARIO, a/k/a “Julio,” and PEDRO CASTILLO, a/k/a “Juan Antonio Frias,” with robbery, kidnapping, and use of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence. As alleged, FRIAS-ROSARIO and CASTILLO committed a home invasion robbery in the Bronx on March 30, 2017, and forcefully tied up two victims, including a 7-year-old boy with autism. FRIAS-ROSARIO was arrested in Utica, New York, this morning and will be presented this afternoon before the Honorable Thérèse Wiley Dancks. CASTILLO is still at large, and the general public is encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (800-577-8477) with any information on CASTILLO’s whereabouts.
Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “The defendants are charged with a callous crime of violence. They allegedly terrorized two people at gunpoint during a home invasion robbery, tying up a 7-year-old autistic child and pistol-whipping an adult. We commend our partners at the ATF and NYPD for the exemplary work that led to the charges today.”
ATF SAC Ashan M. Benedict said: “The defendants are alleged to have brazenly and viciously committed a gunpoint home invasion, during which one victim was tied up and violently assaulted in the presence of the second victim, an autistic child, who was also tied up. Such acts of violence and depravity will not be tolerated, and the defendants will now face justice for their actions. I would like to express my gratitude to the ATF Special Agents and NYPD Detectives assigned to the ATF SPARTA Task Force for their hard work throughout this investigation, and the many others in which they are successfully targeting armed robbers for arrest and prosecution. I would also like to thank the United States Attorney’s Office for their continued partnership and dedication in pursuing the prosecution of violent offenders.”
According to the Complaint[1] filed in Manhattan federal court:
On March 30, 2017, JORDANY FRIAS-ROSARIO, a/k/a “Julio,” and PEDRO CASTILLO, a/k/a “Juan Antonio Frias,” committed a home invasion robbery in the Bronx, New York (the “Robbery”). During the course of the Robbery, FRIAS-ROSARIO and CASTILLO brandished a firearm and forcefully tied up two victims (“Victim-1” and “Victim-2”). Victim-1, a 66-year-old man, was pistol whipped, leaving a deep gash over his left ear. Victim-2, a 7-year-old boy with autism, was also tied up during the course of the Robbery.
FRIAS-ROSARIO, 24, of the Bronx, was arrested this morning. CASTILLO, 56, also of the Bronx, is still at large and the general public is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers with any information on CASTILLO’s whereabouts. FRIAS-ROSARIO and CASTILLO are each charged with robbery, kidnapping, and using a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence; the charge carries a maximum sentence of life 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. Kim praised the efforts of the NYPD and ATF in this investigation, specifically the Bronx Robbery Squad and the Joint Robbery Task Force.
The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
 [1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint and the description of the Complaint forth herein constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

Assemblyman Dinowitz Pens Letter to Management of 500 West 235th Street Urging Restoration of Gas Service


  Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz penned a letter to the management company of 500 West 235th Street, urging them to complete repair work on gas service in the building. The building has been without gas service since October 26th, 2016 and residents have had to make do with lack of gas for 7 months.

Assemblyman Dinowitz’s office has been in communication with the building’s management, the Department of Buildings(DOB) and Con Edison since December, attempting to get gas restored to the building and to ensure that Elbridge, DOB and ConEd work as efficiently as possible to restore service. Despite these efforts, gas service has still not returned.

“While I understand that a project of this nature takes time to complete, it has been seven months that your tenants have had to live without this essential service. This has led to increased hardship for these tenants, including an increase in their utility bill for use of the alternatives such as hot plates or heating devices that have been supplied to them, “ said Assemblyman Dinowitz in the letter.

Recently, it became clear after conversations with DOB and ConEd, that gas service has not been restored because the building has failed multiple inspections necessary before gas service can be approved by DOB. These inspections were failed because gas pipes remain in publicly accessible areas, against regulations, and must be relocated before gas service can be approved by DOB and installed by ConEd. The building will continue to fail inspection as long as management leaves the pipes where they are and gas service will continue to be withheld until adequate measures have been taken to ensure the safety of tenants in the building.

NEWS FROM Congressman Eliot L. Engel


Engel Calls Senate Plans to Sidestep Regular Process for Trumpcare "Outrageous and Hypocritical”

Congressman Eliot L. Engel, a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released the following statement regarding Senate consideration of the American Health Care Act, known as Trumpcare:

“The policies included in Trumpcare are utterly devastating. But similarly unconscionable was the process by which House Republicans pushed this bill forward – a process that, stunningly, Senate Republicans appears poised to mirror.

“House Republicans passed Trumpcare without a single hearing, robbing Americans of the chance to hear testimony and analysis from expert witnesses. The bill bypassed every relevant subcommittee, moving straight to full Committee votes. And the final text was hidden from view until less than 24 hours before the House voted to pass it. That vote took place without an up-to-date readout from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office – i.e., without a complete understanding of what Trumpcare will cost and how it will affect our constituents.

“To call this process ‘opaque’ would be an understatement. And yet the Senate plans to retrench even further.

“Reports indicate that the Senate version of Trumpcare will sidestep Committee review altogether – a step even more egregious than House Republicans’ truncated Committee process. Instead, Senate Republicans have convened a working group that will conduct its business completely out of public view, and without a single woman or Democrat.

“This is as outrageous as it is hypocritical. For nearly a decade, Republicans have relentlessly castigated the process by which the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted. Yet, over the course of 2009 and 2010, the House alone held 79 bipartisan hearings and markups on health insurance reform. Just in the Energy and Commerce Committee, on which I serve, Democrats adopted 24 Republicans amendments to the ACA. In contrast, on their first failed attempt in March, House Republicans adopted zero Democratic amendments to Trumpcare during our Committee’s single, 27-hour marathon markup.

“I had hoped that Trumpcare’s initial failure in March may have given pause to my Republican colleagues, who could have worked openly with Democrats to improve the ACA and build on its progress. But it appears that the GOP isn’t ready to work with Democrats, or to work to protect the American people.”

 ROSENSTEIN SHOULD APPOINT SPECIAL PROSECUTOR & RECUSE HIMSELF, and Renews Call for Sessions Resignation

“Reporting today makes clear that Attorney General Sessions and Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein offered their ‘recommendations’ for FBI Director Comey's dismissal to give President Trump a modest cover, while in fact, the President’s anger underlay his outrageous decision to fire the person investigating him. This acquiescence at the highest level of the Justice Department shows a remarkable lack of integrity, judgment, and independence.

I renew my call for AG Sessions, who gave false testimony in his confirmation hearing, to step down. I also urge Deputy AG Rosenstein to request that a three-judge panel appoint a special prosecutor and then recuse himself from any investigations dealing with the Trump Administration. Their jobs are to enforce our laws, not give the President cover, and their actions leave them compromised and entangled in the President's scandal. 

“Furthermore, the Senate should postpone confirming any new Justice Department officials until a special prosecutor and an independent commission are in place to investigate the Trump-Russia Scandal. The President must not be allowed to entrust this issue to a hand-picked Trump insider. This week has already shown that his Administration puts his personal interests ahead of the rule of law.”
Engel Statement on President Signing Executive Order to Investigate Electoral Process
“Since the election and even prior, the President has perpetuated this unsubstantiated myth about voter fraud. Now he’s taken this myth to the next level with an Executive Order that creates a commission to investigate the electoral process. This is just the latest diversionary tactic the White House has deployed to draw attention away from the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia, which is the real story that requires serious investigation.”

STATEMENTS FROM MAYOR DE BLASIO AND COMMISSIONER PONTE ANNOUNCING COMMISSIONER PONTE’S RETIREMENT


Statement from Mayor de Blasio:

  "Joe Ponte has spent his life reforming jails. New York City owes a debt of gratitude to Commissioner Ponte for his tireless efforts to change the culture and improve the effectiveness of one of the nation’s most challenging jail systems. While much work remains, there is no doubt that our city’s jails are safer, more rehabilitative, and more humane as a result of Commissioner Ponte’s work. As we continue the search for our next commissioner, I will be looking for the same experience and progressive commitment to smart, effective correctional policy that Commissioner Ponte’s career has epitomized."

Statement from Commissioner Ponte:

  “I want to thank the uniformed and non-uniformed staff of the Department of Correction for the tremendous job they have done over the past three years to bring about meaningful reform and build a culture of safety at the Department. Without their hard work, the comprehensive reforms of the 14-point anti-violence reform agenda would not have gotten off the ground. That agenda is their agenda.

“I am happy to have spent the last chapter of my career in New York City. It was a privilege to work with the men and women of the Department as we reduced violence and the overuse of punitive segregation, brought on 3,700 new officers, retrained a large part of the staff, added thousands of security cameras, and provided new opportunities for education and training for inmates, among many other initiatives. I’m confident that all the hard work we’ve accomplished has positioned the Department for even more meaningful reform in the days ahead. It has truly been my honor to serve as Commissioner of the New York City Department of Correction.”

Bronx Week Centenarian Celebration


  Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. held his annual Centenarian Celebration to honor the 41 Bronxites who have passed the 100 year mark of their life. The oldest member of this club is 107 year old Joe Binder. Joe was called up front  by BP Diaz to tell a few jokes as has been done for the past few tears. The jokes Joe tells are could be called adult, and you will see the reaction of Deputy BP Greene in one of the photos. We hope to see all 41 current Centenarians next year with some more new member to the group.



Above - Bronx BP Diaz was joined by State Senator Jeff Klein during the event.
Below - Saxophonist Tony Smith was only one part of the entertainment.




Above - The PS 72 Ballroom Dancers.
Below - Some of the students danced with the seniors.




Above and below - BP Diaz and Senator Klein thanked the Centenarians.




Above - BP Diaz and Senator Klein congratulate 101 year old Irving Ladimer who is still an active member of Community Board 8.
Below - BP Diaz and Deputy BP Greene present the Bronx Quilt to one Centenarian.




Above - BP Diaz and Senator Klein congratulate 107 year old Joe Binder.
Below - You can see Deputy BP Greene's reaction to one of Joe's Jokes.


Important Changes to Saturday May 13th Events




Due to the Weather Forecast for Saturday May 13th, the Friends of Van Cortlandt Park will not be holding either of our previously scheduled events that day.  The Spring Garden Planting Day has been canceled and the  25th Anniversary Hike will now take place on Saturday May 20th, 2017.  See all of our upcoming May Events below. 


Food Scrap Drop-Off 
Every Tuesday until May 30th from 4pm to 6pm 
We want to use your food scraps to make compost and grow veggies at the Van Cortlandt Park Garden and Compost Site. This site will be operated by the NYC Compost Project hosted by The New York Botanical Garden. For more information about NYC food scrap drop-off site guidelines, emailcompost@nybg.org.  Held at the Garden & Compost Site – enter the Park at Broadway and Mosholu Ave.
              
East Meets West Celebration
Tuesday May 16th from 6pm to 8pm

The Friends of VCP are joining with the Friends of Pelham Bay Park to celebrate 25 years in our Park.  Special thank you to our generous host for the evening- The Bronx Beer Hall.  Tickets include: first beer free, finger foods and a pint glass.  Tickets in advance $25 plus processing fee, tickets at the door $35.  Click here to securely purchase your ticket online. 


Get Active Hiking Series
 New Date: May 20th at 10 am
Come see why VCP is Where NYC Hikes! This is a great opportunity to learn about the ecology and the history of the Park. Please wear appropriate shoes and bring plenty of water and a snack for the hike. 25th Anniversary Hike led by our Executive Director highlighting what the Friends have accomplished over the years and what future plans include. Meet at the Garden & Compost Site (enter the Park at Broadway and Mosholu Ave).

Wetland Volunteer Day
Saturday May 20th at 10am 
Did you know there are only 98 acres of freshwater wetlands left in the Bronx and 56 of them are in Van Cortlandt Park? Volunteers will help with native species planting, removal of non-native invasive plants and trash clean up within Tibbetts Wetlands. 
Meet inside the park near the last stop of the 1 train at Broadway and W. 242nd Street.

 TICKETS NOW ON SALE:
VIP Reception & Concert
Tuesday June 13th starting at 6:30pm
 
Join us on the lawn of the Van Cortlandt House for drinks and hors d’oeuvres before enjoying VIP seats at the New York Philharmonic Concert in the Park.  

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

MANHATTAN MAN SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON FOR $26 MILLION SCHEME TO DEFRAUD MEDICARE AND MEDICAID


Defendant Established Six Clinics in Brooklyn that Paid Elderly People to Pose as Patients, and Billed Medicare and Medicaid For Unnecessary and Non-Existent Medical Care and Equipment

  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ALEKSANDR BURMAN, a/k/a “Alexander Burman,” was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe to 10 years in prison. BURMAN organized and managed a large health care fraud scheme through six medical clinics in Brooklyn, through which BURMAN and his co-conspirators defrauded the Medicare and New York State Medicaid (“Medicaid”) programs of more than $26 million. As part of the scheme, BURMAN and his co-conspirators paid cash kickbacks to elderly and financially disadvantaged patients insured by Medicare and/or Medicaid, to induce those patients to receive medically unnecessary medical services and equipment, and then to bill Medicare and Medicaid for those unnecessary services or for additional non-existent services and equipment. BURMAN pled guilty on March 18, 2016, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Henry B. Pitman to conspiring to commit wire fraud and health care fraud, health care fraud, and committing an offense while on pretrial release in an earlier criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “Alexander Burman victimized both patients and taxpayers. He established and operated six fraudulent medical clinics, bilking Medicare and Medicaid out of more than $26 million. Medicare and Medicaid were established to assist the elderly and disadvantaged, not to enrich corrupt fraudsters.”
According to the Information to which BURMAN pled guilty, other filings in Manhattan federal court, and statements made in connection with BURMAN’s sentencing:
ALEKSANDR BURMAN established six clinics in Brooklyn (the “BURMAN Clinics”) that operated between 2007 and July 2013, which purported to offer medical services and diagnostic testing performed by or under the supervision of licensed medical doctors. Although BURMAN in fact owned and operated the Clinics, he caused them to employ three doctors (the “Clinic Doctors”) and arranged for these doctors to be listed as the respective nominal owners of the Clinics, since New York State law requires that such clinics be owned by health care professionals. Under BURMAN’s direction, employees of the Clinics paid cash kickbacks to elderly and disadvantaged people insured by Medicare and/or Medicaid to undergo unnecessary medical tests and procedures, and then fraudulently billed Medicare and Medicaid for such visits. The bills submitted to Medicare and Medicaid were fraudulent because, among other things, (a) they were for medically unnecessary treatment; (b) patients were paid kickbacks for receiving treatment; and (c) the bills fraudulently claimed that the Clinic Doctors had treated the patients. In other cases, BURMAN and his co-conspirators billed Medicare and Medicaid for medical services and supplies that were not provided at all.
The fraud also extended to other companies. For example, prescriptions from the doctors at the BURMAN clinics were used by a supply company that BURMAN partly owned to bill Medicaid for more than $3.5 million in durable medical equipment such as adult diapers, many of which were never provided to patients. Similarly, referrals from these same doctors were used by transportation companies to bill Medicaid for millions of dollars for medically unnecessary ambulette services.
In addition to his prison term, BURMAN, 55, a resident of Manhattan, was ordered to pay $16,686,811 in forfeiture, of which $1.8 million, plus 22 pieces of real estate, have already been forfeited. BURMAN was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and a restitution order of $18,683,691. BURMAN was immediately remanded to the custody of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
Nine former employees of the BURMAN clinics, as well an additional associate, are facing charges in a separate case for related conduct. Those defendants are awaiting trial before United States District Judge Lorna G. Schofield in United States v. Vaid.
Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New York State Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (“OMIG”).

Construction Company Owner Indicted for Manslaughter


Ignored Workers’ Safety Concerns and Industry Protocols Prior to Wall Collapse that Killed One Man and Seriously Injured Two Others

  Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Mark G. Peters, New York City Department of Buildings Commissioner Rick Chandler and Occupational Safety and Health Administration Regional Administrator Robert Kulick, today announced that the owner of a Bedford-Stuyvesant construction company and his businesses have been indicted on manslaughter and other charges after a wall collapsed at an excavation site, killing one construction worker and injuring two others. 

Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “Fernando Vanegaz should be alive today. Construction site deaths such as his are becoming all too common as builders ignore safety protocols and hire untrained workers to maximize profits. Even worse, we allege, is that in this case the builder went ahead with this illicit excavation even after the Department of Buildings explicitly prohibited it. I vow to continue investigating and prosecuting these unscrupulous builders whose practices endanger their workers and anyone near their sites.” 

Commissioner Peters said, “We have seen the tragic results on construction sites too many times when contractors ignore repeated warnings of danger and put the lives of workers at risk. In this case the warnings were clear, but the defendant disregarded them at a deadly cost. The City expects construction companies and general contractors to follow the laws that protect worker safety. When they do not, DOI and its partners, like the Brooklyn District Attorney, will hold them criminally accountable.” 

Commissioner Chandler said, “Fernando Vanegaz lost his life in a tragic and completely preventable accident. Our hearts go out to this young man’s loved ones, friends and co-workers. The criminal charges against this contractor are a warning to other bad actors in the construction industry that no building is worth a life, that cutting corners on the job site has very real consequences and that if you fail to protect your workers, the city will come after you. I thank DA Gonzalez and his team and our partners at DOI for their great work on this case.”

Regional Administrator Kulick said, “Mr. Vanegaz’s death and the injuries to the other workers were needless and avoidable. All workers have a right to a safe and healthful workplace and all employers have a responsibility to provide a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. When employers abandon their responsibility the consequences can be devastating and irreversible. We remind employers and workers that implementing effective safety and health programs, including training, and adherence to OSHA standards are critical to identifying and eliminating hazards that can harm workers.” 

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Michael Weiss, 47, of Throop Avenue in Williamsburg and his companies, RSBY NY Builders Inc. and Park Ave Builders Inc., both in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. He was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on a 14-count indictment in which Weiss is charged with second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, second-degree reckless endangerment, third-degree assault, third-degree grand larceny, fourth-degree criminal tax fraud, first-degree falsifying business records, offering a false instrument for filing, fraudulent practices under the workers’ compensation law, and failing to secure workers’ compensation insurance. An indicted co-conspirator is charged with two counts of second-degree reckless endangerment and will be arraigned at a later date.

Weiss was ordered held on bail of $250,000 bond or $100,000 cash and to return to court on August 9, 2017. He faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted of the top count. His co-defendant faces up to one year in prison if convicted. 

The District Attorney said that, according to the indictment, on September 3, 2015, employees of Weiss and his companies were working at a construction site at 656 Myrtle Avenue in Bedford-Stuyvesant, where they were replacing a one-story building with a five-story building. Weiss ordered several of his employees to excavate in the rear of the lot in an area not permitted by the approved Department of Buildings plans and without knowledge of other professionals involved in the project.

Furthermore, it is alleged, despite repeated requests from his workers in the months, and even just hours before the collapse, Weiss refused to provide any material for shoring or underpinning of the excavation and adjacent exposed walls – despite OSHA regulations requiring him to do so – and refused to listen to the safety concerns of his workers, insisting they continue working in an unsafe area. At approximately 11:30 a.m., the wall of the adjacent building collapsed, and masonry blocks and other debris fell on three of the workers, killing one man and severely injuring two others. 

The deceased worker, Fernando Vanegaz, 18, suffered severe head trauma, lacerations to his head, broken legs and cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead at the scene. A second worker suffered a fracture of the lumbar vertebra, a fractured hip and injury to his spine. He has undergone multiple surgeries and continues to have difficulty walking or engaging in physical activity. A third worker also suffered a lumbar vertebra fracture, a fractured nose and skull and orbital area, a crushed face and scalp, a fractured rib and other facial bone fractures. He had back surgery and continues to have difficulty with physical activity and suffers constant back pain.   

The indicted co-conspirator was the owner of a construction company that had a safety registration with the DOB, with endorsements in concrete, construction and demolition, allowing his company to obtain permits from DOB to perform construction work in New York City. It is alleged that since Weiss did not have the appropriate licenses with DOB to apply for the necessary permits to perform the work he paid the co-defendant $10,000 to sign the work permit applications and insurance certificates as general contractor. 

The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the indictment, Weiss began working on the site in June 2015 after being hired by the building owners to replace a one-story fruit store with a five-story mixed use building that would house a shoe store and residential apartments. Weiss hired seven workers with little to no training and without OSHA safety certifications to do the demolition. 

In late July 2015, the next phase of construction began in which the untrained workers dug trenches around the perimeter of the existing cellar for foundation structures in accordance with DOB-approved plans, though DOB was not notified of this excavation prior to the work beginning as required by the building code, nor was the necessary shoring, bracing or underpinning provided. Furthermore, after the work began, Weiss instructed the workers to excavate beyond the approved area and in direct contradiction to the DOB-approved plans.

Throughout the excavation, it is alleged, several of the workers complained to Weiss that the excavation was unsafe because the adjacent walls were unstable, especially the rear concrete masonry wall because it had a crack. Weiss repeatedly refused to provide any materials to shore up the wall and refused a request to hire experienced workers.

By September 2, 2015, the excavation in the rear of the lot was more than six feet below the foundation of the adjacent building to the rear. This undermined the concrete masonry wall of the adjacent building. On that day, two of the workers again asked Weiss for lumber, according to the indictment, to shore up the wall. Finally, on September 3, 2015 at 8:00 a.m., Weiss’ employees reported for work. One worker, concerned about the crack, asked Weiss and his supervisor for 2 x 4s to shore up the wall, and informed Weiss that the wall could collapse.

Weiss stated that the materials were coming, and shortly thereafter lumber arrived. However, Weiss refused to allow them to shore up the wall with it, instead saying it was for formwork for the upcoming concrete pour and that he would bring lumber to shore up the wall the following day. He also allegedly told the workers they were working too slowly and ordered three workers, including the deceased, to work in the rear excavated pit. The wall of the rear adjacent building then collapsed onto the workers.

Furthermore, according to the indictment, Weiss failed to maintain workers’ compensation insurance coverage while employing seven construction workers at the site, then applied for coverage hours after the collapse. He also allegedly committed tax fraud by failing to report $75,000 in income on his state tax returns. Based on this unreported income he owed state taxes of $4,310 and unlawfully received a refund of $3,686. He thereby stole $7,996 from the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance.

The case was investigated by Chief of Investigations with the DOI Buildings Special Investigations Unit Barry Romm and Chief Investigator James McElligott, under the supervision of Inspector General Gregory Cho, Associate Commissioner James Flaherty, Deputy Commissioner/Chief of Investigations Michael Carroll and First Deputy Commissioner Lesley Brovner.

An indictment is merely an accusation and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.