NEWS FROM cONGRESSMAN eLIOT ENGEL

Engel on Senate GOP's Version of Trumpcare

  Congressman Eliot L. Engel, a top member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released the following statement regarding Senate Republicans’ version of the American Health Care Act, or “Trumpcare”:

“For weeks, Senate Republicans have been careful not to let a single detail of their health care bill see the light of day. There have been zero hearings, zero committee reviews, and they’ve shown zero willingness to explain their plan, which will intimately affect millions of Americans and upset one-sixth of the nation’s economy.

“There is one thing, though, that Senate Republicans have claimed: their version of Trumpcare will be better for Americans than the House version that President Trump called ‘mean.’

“They’re not fooling anyone.

“Just like the House bill, the Senate’s Trumpcare still makes harsh cuts to Medicaid, still abolishes the Medicaid expansion that’s brought health care to millions, and still lets states gut the protections Americans rely on for quality coverage. It still lavishes tax cuts on corporations and the very rich, paid for on the backs of hardworking families. And it will still force Americans to pay more and get less.

“If Republicans want to lie to themselves about what they’re doing, that’s fine. But they need to stop lying to the American people.

“Just yesterday, the President promised that the Senate’s Trumpcare would be ‘a plan with heart.’ If this is ‘a plan with heart,’ I’d hate to see what Republicans think is a plan without it.”

Engel Cosponsors Voting Rights Advancement Act

Congressman Eliot L. Engel, a leading member on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, has cosponsored H.R. 2978, the Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA), legislation that would fully restore key aspects of the Voting Rights Act that were struck down by the Supreme Court in 2013.

In Shelby County v. Holder the Supreme Court struck down key provisions of the landmark 1965 law, including section 5, which required jurisdictions with a history of discrimination to seek pre-approval of changes in voting rules that could affect minorities. The Voting Rights Advancement Act would restore full protections to the Voting Rights Act and create a new coverage formula that would apply to states with repeated voting rights violations in the last 25 years.

“The Supreme Court got it wrong in 2013 when they struck down key elements of the Voting Rights Act. Its time Congress took action to correct that mistake,” Congressman Engel said. “In the last four years we have seen some states, emboldened by the Shelby decision, enact laws that are designed specifically to suppress minority voting populations. This cannot stand. Congress must act to ensure every American’s right to vote is fully protected under law, and that is why we must pass the Voting Rights Advancement Act immediately.”

In addition, Engel has introduced a Constitutional Amendment, HJ Res. 28, that deals with several election law issues including voting rights, gerrymandering, and the abolishment of the Electoral College.

Assembly passes Sepulveda bill to allow high school students to pre-register to vote; bill moves to Senate

  With voter turnout at record low numbers, a new bill that just passed in the closing days of the New York State Assembly session could very well go a long way to bringing out new voters.

 

Bronx Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda's "Young Adult Voter Registration Act" would require each public high school within the state to make voter registration forms available to students.

 

While the voting age in New York State is 18, students who are 17-years-old could pre-register before reaching legal voting age," said Sepulveda.

 

"This would also be a step in helping to educate youth about civic responsibility and having a voice in determining who will represent their interests as younger members of society," he added.

 

"Regretfully, far too few New Yorkers vote in local, state or national elections, and voter participation has been declining," he said.

 

In the 2016 general election, New York State ranked 41st in the nation for voter turnout, with just more than 57 percent of registered voters casting ballots, Sepulveda said, with just under 56 percent of New York City voters and 52 percent of Bronx voters turning out.

 

"Affirmative steps are necessary to encourage and increase voter participation in all elections," said the Assemblymember.

 

 He attributed the decline and lack of participation, in part, to the fact that voters find it difficult to register to vote.

 

"Although state law provides mechanisms for distributing voter registration forms by state agencies as part of agency-based voter registration programs, the Department of Education does not participate in such programs," he noted, "despite it being uniquely positioned in the state to enhance the participation of young people in the democratic process by distributing voter registration forms to potential young voters."

 

The measure now goes to the Senate, where Queens Senator James Sanders Jr. is its prime sponsor.

“We need to encourage more young people to take part in the democratic process by voting," said Sanders. "I am proud to support Assemblyman Luis Sepulveda and to be the sponsor of this bill in the senate."

"Since the next generation will shape the future of our country, they should be informed in order to make smart choices," Sanders added. "I hope that registering to vote will encourage them to be more active in politics and in learning about the role of government in their lives.”

Assemblyman Sepulveda represents the 87^th Assembly District covering Parkchester, Castle Hill, West Farms, Van Nest and Stratton Park.

COUNCIL MEMBER ANDY KING TO HOST CONSTITUENT NIGHT ON JUNE 27

  In order to better serve his constituents beyond the hours of 9-5, New York City Council Member Andy King and his staff will be hosting “Constituent Services Night” every other week in a different NYCHA housing development in the 12th Council District.

A Constituent Service Night Event will be held on Tuesday, June 27, 5:00 -7:00 p.m. at Boston Secor Houses, 3550 Bivona St., Bronx.. Services will include resources and solutions for housing, food stamps, immigration status and basic services. Representatives from Home Base/Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New York and Urban Justice Center will be in attendance to address constituents’ needs as well as provide information and resources.

There are five NYCHA housing developments in the 12th District. They are Gun Hill Houses, Baychester Houses, Boston Secor, Eastchester Gardens and Edenwald.

NYCHA residents can preschedule an appointment by calling the Office of Council Member Andy King at (718) 684-5509. Ask for Cee Lewis.

Community Education Council 8 Meeting

  What should have been a quick meeting under 30 minutes with less that 30 total attendees including the CEC members, district staff and few parents seemed to be like an old school board meeting where over 50 parents were in attendance. Another thing that reminded me of an old school board meeting was the heat in the new auditorium, and that the air-conditioning was not working, which schools did not have during the school board era.

  What little voice the CEC has is when it comes to zoning, the item on the agenda was titled 'Throggs Neck Rezoning' by the Office of District Planning/Division of Space Management. No schools were listed on the agenda for the meeting which was held at the old IS 192 building on Hollywood Avenue. The schools now listed on the agenda were MS 371, PS 392, and MS 467 at the Hollywood address. Having been a Citywide parent leader, when you see school numbers such as those it means that the original school was either closed or redesigned due to continued poor student performance. 

  As the evening went on the issue was about overcrowding and poor planning by the district and Department of Education. The superintendent of the District 8, I was told is in her second year and it seemed that parents and CEC members (half of whom are leaving as of July 1st) still had no answers as there was a power point presentation concerning the overcrowding at the area public schools. PS 14 and PS 71 will have the temporary transportable classrooms removed (as they should have been during the previous mayoral administration) and PS 14 is to get a 344 seat addition to the building by the beginning of the 2018 school year. PS 14 is currently at a utilization rate of 155 percent. PS 71 is currently at a utilization rate of 138 percent. Information asked for was to be posted online tomorrow, and the following chart was shown in which enrollment figures are missing for PS 14, PS 71, PS 72, PS 304, and PS 392.

Below were the reasons for rezoning.

The current Throggs Neck Zoning is divided into three zoned elementary schools, and two overflow elementary schools currently. 

The issue will be revisited in the fall with the new CEC or new school board in place to vote on, as this was an informational meeting only.

The members of CEC 8 with Superintendent Ames in the middle.

Also on the CEC agenda was a resolution to adopt the Superintendent's Evaluation for the school year 2016 - 2017. The resolution passed by a five in favor, zero opposed, and four abstentions.

Brooklyn Man Sentenced To More Than 20 Years In Prison For Murder Committed In Broad Daylight In January 2016

  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Ashan M. Benedict, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (“ATF”), and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner of the Police Department for the City of New York (“NYPD”), announced that RAYSHAWN DEMOSTHENE, a/k/a “Smooth,” was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to a prison term of 244 months for the murder of Michael Morris in Brooklyn, New York, on January 11, 2016. DEMOSTHENE pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara C. Moses on December 29, 2016, to murdering Morris. DEMOSTHENE was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel.

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim stated: “In broad daylight, on a residential street in Brooklyn, Rayshawn Demosthene executed Michael Morris. Demosthene’s cold-blooded murder and utter disregard for a fellow human life was driven by greed, a desire to steal drug money. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the SPARTA Joint Robbery Task Force of the NYPD and the ATF, Demosthene has been brought to justice and will serve a lengthy sentence for his crime.”

ATF Special Agent-in-Charge Ashan M. Benedict stated: “The defendant and his co-conspirators committed a cold-blooded, ambush murder of the victim in order to steal money the victim intended to use to purchase narcotics. In the process, they turned the streets into a shooting gallery, endangering the lives of any number of innocent bystanders. This investigation highlights the ever-present danger of violence that goes along with the narcotics trade, and how invariably that violence plays out on the streets. I would like to extend my gratitude to the ATF Special Agents and NYPD Detectives assigned to the ATF SPARTA Joint Robbery Task Force, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their outstanding work in ensuring that this killer faced the justice he so overwhelmingly deserved.”

NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill stated: “The individual involved in this case not only participated in the illegal drug trade but compounded his actions by engaging in the wanton murder of another human being for nothing more than his own greed. Murder, no matter what the circumstances, can never be tolerated in a civilized society.”

According to the Indictment and other documents filed in the case, as well as statements made during the plea and sentencing proceedings:

On the morning of January 11, 2016, RAYSHAWN DEMOSTHENE walked along a residential street in Brooklyn toward the car in which Michael Morris was sitting and opened fire. Morris, who was a resident of Virginia, had traveled to Brooklyn that day in the belief that he would purchase drugs in exchange for approximately $30,000 in cash. But the supposed drug transaction was a ruse. Unbeknownst to Morris, DEMOSTHENE and his co-conspirators had agreed beforehand to murder Morris and take his money. After Morris arrived in Brooklyn, DEMOSTHENE carried out the homicide by shooting Morris in the head and killing him.

In addition to his prison term, DEMOSTHENE, 24, of Brooklyn, New York, was also sentenced to five years of supervised release.

Mr. Kim praised the investigative work of the NYPD and the ATF, and in particular the Strategic Patterned Armed Robbery Technical Apprehension (“SPARTA”) Task Force, which is composed of agents and officers of the ATF and the NYPD.

Chief Digital Officer Of Premium Cable Network Pleads Guilty In Manhattan Federal Court To Defrauding His Employer Of More Than $7 Million

  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, today announced that EMIL RENSING pled guilty in connection with his scheme to defraud his employer, a premium cable network (the “Network”), of more than $7 million through false statements about purported services to be provided to the Network by companies RENSING owned and controlled that were, in large part, never performed. RENSING pled guilty earlier today before United States Magistrate Judge James L. Cott in Manhattan federal court.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “Emil Rensing, an executive at a premium cable network, defrauded his employer out of more than $7 million by causing the network to pay companies Rensing controlled for services that were never rendered. To conceal his role in the payments, Rensing used false and stolen identities and dummy email accounts. I want to thank the FBI for their work to hold Rensing accountable for his crimes.”

According to the allegations in the Indictment to which RENSING pled guilty, a criminal Complaint filed against RENSING, and statements made during the plea and other court proceeding proceedings:

EMIL RENSING defrauded the Network of more than $7 million over the course of his five-year employment with the Network. Through his position as Chief Digital Officer of the Network, RENSING caused the Network to contract with vendor companies owned and controlled by RENSING to perform digital media services for the Network and to perform those services through vendor personnel identified in the contracts. In truth and in fact, however, the promised services were, in large part, never performed, and the vendor personnel designated in the contracts to perform the services – which included several of RENSING’s former professional associates and business partners – had never heard of the vendors or performed services for the Network. These individuals were further unaware that their names were being used by RENSING in this manner.

RENSING concealed his fraudulent scheme by, among other things, using false and stolen identities to hide his own involvement in the scheme. As to one of the vendors used to perpetrate the scheme (“Vendor-1”), RENSING provided the Network with a false name and email address as the “contact” to be used by the Network to communicate with Vendor-1. As to a second vendor, (“Vendor-2”), provided the Network with the name of a personal acquaintance as a “project manager” and “contact” for Vendor-2 when, in truth and in fact, this acquaintance had nothing to do with Vendor-2. Unbeknownst to this personal acquaintance, also established an email account in that acquaintance’s name that RENSING, posing as the acquaintance, used regularly to communicate with the Network about the vendor’s billing and other administrative matters.

After the Network learned of RENSING’s fraudulent scheme, RENSING was interviewed by attorneys for the Network. During this interview, which was recorded at the request of RENSING and his counsel, RENSING made multiple false statements to further conceal his fraudulent scheme.

RENSING, 43, of Manhattan, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and three years of supervised release. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.

Nigerian Man Pleads Guilty In Manhattan Federal Court To Participating In Business Email Compromise Scams

  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that DAVID CHUKWUNEKE ADINDU pled guilty this morning before U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty in Manhattan federal court to a superseding Information that charged him with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to use a means of identification in connection with a federal crime.  These charges stemmed from ADINDU’s participation in fraudulent business email compromise scams that targeted thousands of victims around the world, including the United States.  Collectively, the scams attempted to defraud victims of millions of dollars.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “As he has now admitted, David Chukwuneke Adindu participated in thousands of business email compromise scams, trying to trick various businesses into wiring millions of dollars to his overseas bank accounts.  Cyber is increasingly becoming a powerful tool for criminals, including those like Adindu who indiscriminately target businesses around the world with scams.  We are committed to tracking down and holding these cyber fraudsters accountable.”

FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said:  “Adindu targeted his victims from afar, but the pain he likely inflicted upon them hit too close to home. Most people assume they won't become a victim of a business email scam, but this case should remind the public that everyone is at risk. Today's guilty plea is yet another example of our efforts to confront cyber crime worldwide.”

According to the Information and statements made at public court proceedings:

Between 2014 and 2016, ADINDU participated in Business Email Compromise scams (“BEC scams”) targeting thousands of victims around the world, including in the United States.  As part of the BEC scams, emails were sent to employees of various companies directing that funds be transferred to specified bank accounts.  The emails purported to be from supervisors at those companies or third party vendors that did business with those companies.  The emails, however, were not legitimate.  Rather, they were either from email accounts with a domain name that was very similar to a legitimate domain name, or the metadata in the emails had been modified so that the emails appeared as if they were from legitimate email addresses.  After victims complied with the fraudulent wiring instructions, the transferred funds were quickly withdrawn or moved into different bank accounts.  In total, the BEC scams attempted to defraud millions of dollars from victims.

ADINDU and others carried out BEC scams by exchanging information regarding: (1) bank accounts used for receiving funds from victims; (2) email accounts for communicating with victims; (3) scripts for requesting wire transfers from victims; and (4) lists of names and email addresses for contacting and impersonating potential victims.                

ADINDU, 29, of Lagos, Nigeria, and Guangzhou, China, was arrested on November 22, 2016.  ADINDU pled guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and one count of conspiracy to use a means of identification in connection with a federal crime, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

ADINDU is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Crotty on September 26, 2017 at 3:30 p.m.

Mr. Kim praised the investigative work of the FBI.  Mr. Kim also thanked the Yahoo! E-Crime Investigations Team, and noted that the investigation is continuing.

U.N. Employee Charged In Manhattan Federal Court With Fraud Offenses In Connection With Employment Of Bangladeshi Domestic WorkerU.N. Employee Charged In Manhattan Federal Court With Fraud Offenses In Connection With Employment Of Bangladeshi Domestic Worker

  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Christian Schurman, Acting Director of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (“DSS”), announced the arrest of HAMIDUR RASHID, an economist working at the United Nations Secretariat ‎in the Development Policy and Analysis Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, on fraud and theft charges in connection with RASHID’s hiring of, and obtaining a visa for, a Bangladeshi national employed as a domestic worker at RASHID’s home in New York, New York.  RASHID was arrested today and will be presented this afternoon in Manhattan federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge James C. Francis IV.       

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “Domestic workers brought to our country from abroad find themselves in a vulnerable position, far from home and facing a huge power imbalance relative to their employers. As alleged, Hamidur Rashid, an employee of the United Nations, took cruel advantage of his position of power, grossly overworking his domestic worker while paying her well below the wage he reported to the State Department and to the U.N.  Rashid also allegedly obtained the visa for his domestic worker through lies about the wages he intended to pay her, and once she was brought here, he allegedly set up a sham bank account to spend for himself the wages he purported to pay her.  In this country, even the most powerless have the same human rights as the most powerful.  And everyone is subject, in an equal way, to the rule of law.  We thank the Diplomatic Security Service for their commitment to this important principle of justice.”

Acting DSS Director Christian Schurman said:  “As the lead agency in this investigation, the Diplomatic Security Service demonstrated its commitment to maintaining the integrity of U.S. travel documents and the rights of visitors to the United States. We pursue those who fraudulently use domestic worker visas, like the G-5, to manipulate and exploit their employees for personal gain.  Diplomatic Security Service’s strong relationship with our law enforcement partners and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, continues to be essential in the pursuit of justice.” 

According to the allegations in the Complaint unsealed today in Manhattan federal court[1]:

Employees of international organizations such as the United Nations (the “UN”) may obtain G-5 visas for their domestic workers if they meet the requirements set out in 9 Foreign Affairs Manual (“FAM”) 41.21 and 41.22.  As part of the application process, an interview of the domestic worker at the embassy or consulate is required.  Proof is required that the applicant will receive a fair wage by U.S. and State Department standards.  To apply for a G-5 visa, the visa applicant must submit an employment contract that must include, among other things, the number of hours of work per week and the hourly wage, which must be the greater of the minimum wage under U.S. federal and state law, or the prevailing wage.  The employment contract must also state that, after the first 90 days of employment, all wage payments must be made by check or electronic transfer to the domestic worker’s bank account, to which the employer should not have access.

RASHID made false promises to a Bangladeshi national (“Witness-1”), who was to be RASHID’s domestic employee at an address in Manhattan, New York, about Witness-1’s salary in order to procure her employment in the United States.  In order to obtain a G-5 visa for Witness-1, RASHID caused false statements about Witness-1’s salary to be transmitted to the State Department in the form of an employment contract (the “First Employment Contract”) that satisfied the State Department’s requirements for payment of a lawful wage.  The First Employment Contract stated, among other things, that RASHID would pay Witness-1 $420 per week, which equates to a rate of $10.50 per hour, that the prevailing hourly wage for domestic employees in the New York City metropolitan area is $9.63, and that Witness-1 was not to work in excess of eight hours a day, five days a week.

RASHID then entered into a second employment contract (the “Second Employment Contract”) with Witness-1 with a substantially lower rate of pay, which did not meet State Department requirements for payment of a lawful wage.  The Second Employment Contract stated, among other things, that RASHID would pay Witness-1 $290 per week, which equates to a rate of $7.25 per hour.

Witness-1 worked for RASHID as a domestic employee in New York, New York, from approximately January 2013 through approximately October 2013.  Notwithstanding the terms of the First Employment Contract, Witness-1 worked far more than 40 hours per week, and Witness-1 was paid substantially less than what was required by both the First Employment Contract and the Second Employment Contract.  In order to deceive the UN into believing that RASHID was paying Witness-1 a lawful wage, RASHID created a sham bank account (“Bank Account-1”) purportedly belonging to Witness-1, into which RASHID deposited what would have amounted to a lawful wage.  RASHID then provided bank statements to the UN as proof that RASHID was paying Witness-1 as required.  However, RASHID never gave Witness-1 access to Bank Account-1 and instead used Bank Account-1 as RASHID’s own account.

HAMIDUR RASHID, 50, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of visa fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; one count of access device fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison; one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison; and one count of fraud in foreign labor contracting, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison.  The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Kim praised the efforts of DSS in this investigation.  He added that the investigation is continuing.

The allegations contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.