Former Executive Director Of New York City Non-Profit Organization Sentenced To Four Years In Prison For Corruption Offenses

  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that KWAME INSAIDOO, the former executive director of United Block Association (“UBA”), a New York-based non-profit organization, was sentenced to 48 months in prison and his wife ROXANNA INSAIDOO was sentenced to 30 months in prison, in connection with their embezzlement of over $580,000 from UBA, defrauding their mortgage lender of approximately $200,000, and related crimes.  They were convicted on May 2, 2017, following a one-week jury trial before United States District Judge Valerie E. Caproni, who also imposed today’s sentence.

Acting U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “As a Manhattan jury found, Kwame Insaidoo and Roxanna Insaidoo stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from a government-funded non-profit organization dedicated to serving senior citizens.  The Insaidoos enriched themselves and their family with taxpayer money that was supposed to support four senior centers in Upper Manhattan.  Now this husband-and-wife crime duo will serve time in prison for those crimes.”  

In imposing sentence, Judge Caproni stated that the “message has to be sent” that “it is not acceptable to steal money from the City that is designed for charitable goals to line your own pockets.”

According to the Indictment, other filings in Manhattan federal court, and the evidence admitted at trial:

UBA was a non-profit organization headquartered in New York, New York, that was controlled by KWAME INSAIDOO, its former Executive Director.  UBA had contracts with New York City through which it received taxpayer funds, including federal funds, to operate and provide healthy meals and programming to the elderly at four senior centers in Upper Manhattan.

As the jury found, KWAME INSAIDOO abused his authority as UBA’s Executive Director to embezzle, with the assistance of his wife, ROXANNA INSAIDOO, over $580,000 of UBA’s funds for his own benefit and that of his wife and son.  KWAME INSAIDOO and ROXANNA INSAIDOO concealed their embezzlement by laundering the money, in part, through a shell company that they had created.  KWAME INSAIDOO and ROXANNA INSAIDOO used the embezzled funds to pay for personal expenses, including the mortgage for their Long Island residence and the purchase of a Mercedes Benz and a Cadillac.  They also wired more than $300,000 to family members living abroad.    

In an effort to evade scrutiny regarding the embezzled funds, KWAME INSAIDOO repeatedly lied to the City, including to its auditors, in order to maintain UBA’s funding and to conceal the funds he and his wife had diverted to their shell company. 

In 2011, KWAME INSAIDOO and ROXANNA INSAIDOO also engaged in a scheme to defraud their mortgage lender in connection with a modification of their mortgage under the federally-sponsored Home Affordable Modification Program, by underreporting their income and assets, including the hundreds of thousands of dollars they had embezzled from UBA.  This scheme led to a write-off of almost $200,000 from KWAME INSAIDOO and ROXANNA INSAIDOO’s home mortgage.

In addition to the prison terms imposed today by Judge Caproni, KWAME INSAIDOO, 61, and ROXANNA INSAIDOO, 63, both of Bay Shore, Long Island, were ordered to forfeit a sum of $779,039.62.  

Mr. Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Department of Investigation and the Criminal Investigators of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York. 

DOI STATEMENT ON PRISON SENTENCES FOR CITY-FUNDED NONPROFIT EXECUTIVE AND SPOUSE IN CONNECTION WITH MORE THAN HALF-MILLION-DOLLAR THEFT

  Mark G. Peters, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”) issued the following statement today on the prison sentences of two defendants charged with more than $500,000 in fraud involving a City-funded not-for-profit that served senior citizens in Upper Manhattan. KWAME INSAIDOO, the former executive director of the United Block Association (“UBA”), was sentenced to 48 months in prison, and ROXANNA INSAIDOO, to 30 months in prison for their roles in the scheme, stealing funds intended to provide services to seniors, including providing meals, and using them to pay for personal expenses, including a mortgage on a home and payments for a luxury sedan. U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni imposed the sentence this afternoon in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The office of Joon H. Kim, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, prosecuted the case.

  At the time of their arrest last year, DOI issued a report on vulnerabilities and breakdowns in the City Department for the Aging’s (“DFTA”) oversight of fiscal practices at not-for-profit organizations, and recommended specific ways to improve fraud detection at the agency. At the time, DFTA agreed to implement all of the recommended reforms. A copy of DOI’s Report can be found at the following link: http://www1.nyc.gov/site/doi/newsroom/public-reports.page

  Commissioner Mark G. Peters said, “The defendants’ greedy and callous actions of stealing from seniors and City taxpayers will now be repaid with prison time. DOI thanks the Acting U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York and his team for their partnership in this investigation.”

  On May 2, 2017, after a one-week jury trial, KWAME INSAIDOO and ROXANNA INSAIDOO were convicted of embezzlement, money laundering, and defrauding their mortgage lender. KWAME INSAIDOO was also convicted of an additional count of wire fraud.

 According to the investigation, INSAIDOO authorized transfers of thousands of dollars of City funds from UBA’s accounts to himself, ROXANNA INSAIDOO, the couple’s son, and a shell corporation named Allied Home Care, which was controlled by KWAME and ROXANNA INSAIDOO. The funds were used to pay for personal items, including a mortgage for a Long Island home, a vehicle, and personal utilities

  DOI Commissioner Peters thanked Acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Joon H. Kim, and DFTA Commissioner Donna M. Corrado, and their staffs, for their cooperation and assistance in this investigation.

Friends of VCP's October Events

Youth Run Farm Stands
Wednesdays from 2-7pm until October 25th– 
at the Train Park at Orloff Ave and Gale Place.Thursdays from 12-7pmuntil November 16th– on the Corner of E. Gun Hill Road and DeKalb Ave. 
Wednesdays will include healthy cooking demonstrations and hands-on activities for the community.  Thursday’s market is being held in partnership with GrowNYC. Both markets will accept Cash, EBT/Credit/Debit, Healthbucks, FreshConnect Bucks, WIC and FMNP checks. Special Thank You to Our Supporters: New Yankee Stadium Benefits Fund, Clif Bar Family Foundation and Bon Secours Healthy Community Initiative.

Volunteer Trails Restoration CrewSaturday October 7th from 10am to 3pm
Crew Members will work alongside trails professionals, developing skills in various areas of trail construction while improving the various trails in Van Cortlandt Park.  Projects include building boardwalks, clearing waterbars and drainage swells and installing drainage dips.  No prior trails experience is necessary; all training will be offered in an on-the-job format.  Interested? Contact alex@vancortlandt.org for more information on September event. Must be 18 years of age to join.

Fall Wetland Volunteers Day
Saturday October 21st meeting 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.

Get Active Hiking Series in VCP

Saturday October 21st meeting at 10amJoin the Friends' Executive Director for a 25th Anniversary Hike. Please wear appropriate shoes and bring plenty of water and a snack for the hike. Meet inside the park near the last stop of the 1 train at Broadway and W. 242nd Street.

Canoemobile with Wilderness InquirySaturday October 21st from 1:30pm to 4:30pmJoin the Friends and Bronx Council for Environmental Quality for a fun afternoon of FREE canoe rides in 24 foot Voyageur Canoes with Wilderness Inquiry on VC Lake along with Children’s Activities.  Children, 17 and under, must have a parent/guardian present to sign a consent form.  Meet us at VC Lake near the Golf House- enter the Park at Van Cortlandt Park South and Bailey Ave.

Friends of Van Cortlandt Park

vancortlandt.org

718-601-1553

info@vancortlandt.org

80 Van Cortlandt Park South Ste. E1

Bronx, NY 10463, US

THE BRONX HOSTS DONATION DRIVE FOR PUERTO RICO & MEXICO

  On Saturday, September 30, 2017, the New York Hispanic Clergy Organization hosted a donation drive to help the victims of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and the earthquake in Mexico City.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr., State Senator Rev. Ruben Diaz, New York State Assembly Members Marcos Crespo and Luis Sepulveda, City Council Member Rafael Salamanca participated in the event, which saw tons of critical supplies donated to be shipped to assist relief efforts in Puerto Rico and Mexico.

Throughout the day hundreds of volunteers helped to move and pack hundreds of thousands of pounds of goods to support relief efforts for Puerto Rico and Mexico, filling four shipping containers and more than two dozen trucks. So much material was donated at the event that it took two days to completely pack and move all items, and the National Guard was called in to help move donations off the street.

“No matter where we are from; whether it is here, the United States, or Mexico or Puerto Rico; today shows the spirit of what happens when we work together, as a community, to help those in their time of greatest need,” said Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. “The tragedies that have hurt our Mexican and Puerto Rican brothers and sisters will take years to repair and rebuild. Today shows that we are here for them, for the long-haul, to help in any possible way that is needed so that both Puerto Rico and Mexican stand tall again.”

“I want to thank everyone for their generosity and for showing their love and compassion for our brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico and Mexico,” said New York State Senator Rev. Ruben Diaz.

Is during tragedies like this that all New Yorkers have an obligation to lend a helping hand of support. Because of the generosity of our residents and our institutions we are able to help so many people who need our assistance today.”  

“With the leadership of the Diaz family, and the support from elected officials, clergy, and community residents across the Bronx, we were able to do something great here today," said New York State Assembly Member Marcos A. Crespo. "This effort is a testament to the power of people coming together and showing that, whether our families are here in the United States or in the impacted areas, we have each other's backs and that we're here for long term. The situation in Puerto Rico, Mexico, and in the Caribbean won't be resolved in one day, one week, or even a several months; but our community will continue to work hand in hand to get through the recovery and rebuilding together. Even in these tough times, I walk away extremely proud of our Bronx residents and their generosity.”

“I am deeply impressed and heartened by the response of my fellow Bronxites and how they have come together so quickly to answer the cry for help from our brothers and sisters in Puerto Rico, suffering so terribly from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria. We can rightly call ourselves the borough with a heart,” said New York State Assembly Member Luis Sepulveda.

The event was made possible thanks to generous sponsorships from hip-hop legend Fat Joe, the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation, Jetro RD, Nebraskaland, Classico Cleaning, Havana Café, Keller Williams, Debbie Medina, Fever Records, Pedro Zamorra Entertainment Group, Associated Supermarkets Group, A. Duie Pyle, 92.3 AMP Radio, Freshdirect, Gino’s Pastry Shoppe, Glory of Christ Church, Sanitation Salvage, Metropolitan Transfer Station, Action Environmental, the West Haverstraw Fire Department, County Waste, Mid-Bronx Hauling Corp., AJ Recycling, Bronx Brewery, Tri-Boro Paper Fibers, H&R Block, India Beverage Corporation, HOT 97, Puerto Rico USA Import Corporation, the Mercy College School of Leadership, Joyce Coppin, Petronella Feaster, White Rose, Mary Ellen Hoffman, Esther and Mel Wermuth, Rose Rudnitski, Jimmy’s Café, Travesias, Made in Puerto Rico, Garden Gourmet Market, Vallone & Constantinople, Shavolian Builders and the Walison Corp., among others.

Former Managing Director At New York Broker-Dealer Sentenced In “Pay-To-Play” Bribery Scheme Involving Public Pension Fund

   Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DEBORAH KELLEY, a former managing director of institutional fixed income sales at a New York-based broker-dealer (the “Broker-Dealer”), was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to three years’ probation, including six months of home confinement, for participating in a “pay-to-play” bribery scheme involving the New York State Common Retirement Fund (“NYSCRF”), the nation’s third largest public pension fund.   KELLEY pled guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and honest services wire fraud on May 30, 2017, before U.S. District Court Judge J. Paul Oetken, who also imposed today’s sentence.   

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “Deborah Kelley bribed an official with control over the investment of more than $50 billion in state pension fund assets.  She did so to direct business to her brokerage firm and to reap hundreds of thousands of dollars in additional commissions for herself.  Kelly now has been sentenced for defrauding New York pensioners and depriving them of the honest services of the pension administrator.”

According to the Indictment charging KELLEY, other filings in Manhattan federal court, and statements made during her sentencing proceeding:

The NYSCRF

The NYSCRF is a pension fund administered for the benefit of public employees of the State of New York.  From January 2014 through February 2016, Navnoor Kang served as Director of Fixed Income and Head of Portfolio Strategy for the NYSCRF.  In that capacity, Kang was responsible for investing more than $53 billion in fixed-income securities on behalf of the NYSCRF.  Kang owed a fiduciary duty to the NYSCRF and its members and beneficiaries, and was required to make investment decisions in their best interests and free of any conflict of interest.  New York State law and NYSCRF policies prohibited Kang and other NYSCRF employees from receiving any bribes, gifts, benefits, or consideration of any kind, as KELLEY well knew.

The Scheme to Steer NYSCRF Fixed-Income Business in Exchange for Secret Bribes

From 2014 through 2016, Kang, KELLEY, and others participated in a scheme to defraud the NYSCRF and its members and beneficiaries, and to deprive the NYSCRF of its intangible right to Kang’s honest services.  The scheme involved, among other things, an agreement among Kang, KELLEY, and others to pay Kang bribes – in the form of entertainment, travel, and lavish meals, among other things – in exchange for fixed-income business from the NYSCRF.  Such bribes were strictly forbidden by the NYSCRF, and were paid secretly and without any disclosure to the NYSCRF and its members and beneficiaries concerning the conflicts of interests inherent therein. 

In exchange for the bribes paid by KELLEY, Kang used his position as Director of Fixed Income and Head of Portfolio Strategy at the NYSCRF to promote the interests of KELLEY and her brokerage firm.  Kang, in exchange for the bribes he received, agreed to steer fixed-income business to the Broker-Dealer.  In so doing, Kang, with KELLEY’s knowledge and approval, breached his fiduciary duty to make investment decisions in the best interest of the NYSCRF and its members and beneficiaries, and free of conflict, and deprived the NYSCRF of its intangible right to Kang’s honest services.  

As KELLEY paid bribes to Kang, the Broker-Dealer’s fixed-income business with the NYSCRF skyrocketed.  The value of NYSCRF’s domestic bond transactions with the Broker-Dealer increased from zero in the fiscal year ending March 1, 2014, to approximately $156 million in the fiscal year ending March 1, 2015, and to approximately $179 million in the fiscal year ending March 1, 2016.  Kang’s trades resulted in the payment of more than a half-million dollars in commissions to the Broker-Dealer, of which KELLEY personally earned nearly $200,000.

Obstruction of Justice

In late 2015, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) opened an investigation into the entertainment and benefits that KELLEY had provided Kang, and the SEC subpoenaed both KELLEY and Kang for their testimony.  In advance of their testimony, KELLEY and Kang agreed to align their stories and testify falsely before the SEC in order to conceal their scheme.  In late 2015 and early 2016, KELLEY and Kang each falsely testified under oath before the SEC about expenses KELLEY had paid for Kang.  

KELLEY, 58, of Piedmont, California, was also ordered to pay a fine of $50,000, to forfeit $187,991.19, and to complete 1000 hours of community service.  Restitution will be determined within 90 days of sentencing.

In December 2016, Gregg Schonhorn, a former a vice president of fixed income sales at another New York-based broker-dealer, pled guilty for his participation in the scheme.  Kang, against whom charges for conspiracy, securities fraud, honest services wire fraud, and obstruction of justice are currently pending, is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  Kang is scheduled to proceed to trial on December 4, 2017.

Mr. Kim praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and noted that the investigation is continuing.   He also thanked the SEC, which filed civil charges against Kang, KELLEY, and Schonhorn in a separate civil action, and the Office of Inspector General for the Office of the New York State Comptroller.

Cuny Medgar Evers College Lecturer Charged With Federal Offenses For Selling Fake College Certificates

    Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Catherine Leahy Scott, New York State Inspector General, and Debbi Mayer, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General, Northeastern Regional Office (“ED-OIG”), announced today that MAMDOUH ABDEL-SAYED, a full-time, tenured lecturer at the City University of New York’s Medgar Evers College (“Medgar Evers College”), was arrested this morning and charged in Manhattan federal court with fraud, corruption, and obstruction offenses related to his selling of sham Medgar Evers College certificates that purported to represent the completion of health care courses at the College.  ABDEL-SAYED was arrested this morning and will be presented this afternoon in Manhattan federal court.    

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “As alleged, a faculty member of Medgar Evers College abused his position to enrich himself by creating and selling fake certificates stating students had completed health care programs at the college.  In allegedly doing so, Abedel-Sayed out of greed put public health at risk.  I want to thank our partners at the New York State Inspector General and Department of Education Office of Inspector General for their continued efforts to root out corruption at federally funded New York schools.”

New York State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott said:  “This defendant ignored repeated warnings and allegedly still brazenly abused the name and resources of his college employer to operate what amounted to his own fraudulent trade school on the grounds of the City University of New York.  He allegedly traded on the reputation of Medgar Evers College and pocketed all the fees students paid while undercutting legitimate schooling being performed by his colleagues across the campus.  I will continue my overarching and ongoing investigation into the management and oversight of CUNY campuses while diligently pursuing anyone, as in this case, who allegedly violates the trust of their public position.”

ED-OIG Assistant Special Agent in Charge Debbi Mayer said:  “Today’s action alleges that Mr. Abdel-Sayed not only abused his position of trust for personal gain, but did so at the expense of students.  That is unacceptable.  OIG will continue to aggressively pursue those who misappropriate education funds for their own purposes.  America’s students and taxpayers deserve nothing less.”

According to the allegations contained in the Complaint[1] unsealed today in Manhattan federal court and publicly available documents:

MAMDOUH ABDEL-SAYED is a tenured lecturer in the Biology Department at Medgar Evers College.  From at least 2013 through 2017, without authorization from Medgar Evers College, ABDEL-SAYED purported to teach health care courses at the College on topics such as Electrocardiograms, Phlebotomy, and Sonography, and provided students with sham certificates of completion for the courses, in exchange for which ABDEL-SAYED charged fees of up to $1,000 per certificate, which money he kept for himself.  ABDEL-SAYED attempted to avoid scrutiny from the College’s security guards in conducting the unauthorized courses.    

 In addition to charging fees for the unauthorized courses and sham certificates, ABDEL-SAYED encouraged students to use the certificates in obtaining employment in the health care field, including at New York City-area hospitals.  When asked by employment agencies to verify the authenticity of the certificates, ABDEL-SAYED falsely informed the agencies that the certificates were issued by Medgar Evers College.  In fact, ABDEL-SAYED created the sham certificates himself, and provided them to students even if the students did not attend his unauthorized courses, so long as the students paid ABDEL-SAYED for the certificates.  In addition, ABDEL-SAYED distributed copies of purported national certification examinations – which he informed students on a recorded conversation it was “illegal” for them to possess – in order to assist the students in passing licensing examinations supposedly administered by the State for certain medical techniques. 

After ABDEL-SAYED became aware of the investigation, he instructed an undercover law enforcement investigator, who had posed as a student and purchased several unauthorized certificates from him, to provide false information to federal law enforcement agents and to conceal those certificates from the agents.       

ABDEL-SAYED, 68, of Kearny, New Jersey, is charged with one count of conversion from a program receiving federal funds and one count of soliciting bribes, each of which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, and one count of wire fraud, one count of mail fraud, and one count of obstruction of justice, each of which carry a maximum penalty of 20 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 a judge.

Mr. Kim praised the investigative work of the New York State Inspector General’s Office and ED-OIG. 

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is 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 set forth below constitutes only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

Founder And Former CEO Of Technology Firm Sentenced To 49 Months In Prison For Multimillion-Dollar Fraud On Investors

  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that MARYSE LIBURDI was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to 49 months in prison for her scheme to defraud investors in a technology company founded and operated by LIBURDI out of more than $7 million.  LIBURDI was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote, before whom she previously pled guilty.

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “Maryse Liburdi lied to investors about the condition of her company and used over a million dollars in investor funds to pay for her own rent, clothing, spas and salons.  For those crimes, today she received a sentence of 49 months in federal prison.”

                       

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

Since at least in or about 2010, LIBURDI perpetrated a multi-year scheme to defraud individuals into investing in a technology company (the “Company”) founded and run by LIBURDI.  LIBURDI repeatedly made misrepresentations to investors about the Company’s revenue and assets, manipulated Company bank accounts to hide the Company’s true financial condition and, contrary to LIBURDI’s express promises to the investors, converted investor funds to her own use.

While LIBURDI repeatedly told investors that the Company had millions of dollars in revenue, the Company’s bank records show that, from at least 2008 until the Company ceased operating in January 2015, the Company earned little or no revenue.  Moreover, as reflected in the Company’s bank records, LIBURDI misappropriated investor funds, transferring over $1 million to her and her former husband’s bank accounts and to pay LIBURDI’s personal expenses, including luxury clothing.  For example, LIBURDI used funds from one victim investor for, among other things, transfers to a personal bank account in the name of LIBURDI and her former husband, rental payments for LIBURDI’s three-bedroom Manhattan apartment, payments for personal credit cards, and substantial personal expenditures on corporate credit cards, including, among other things, expenditures at various retail clothing, accessories, and cosmetics stores, salons and spas, and wine and liquor stores. 

In order to hide her scheme, LIBURDI manipulated the Company’s bank accounts by, on at least three occasions, writing checks for hundreds of thousands of dollars drawn on accounts with insufficient funds in order to fraudulently inflate the balance of a Company bank account and thereby hide the Company’s true cash balance from the investors.  For example, in October 2013, LIBURDI wrote and deposited into the Company’s bank account a $700,000 check drawn on a different account that had a balance of only about $2,000.  LIBURDI then falsely represented to the victims that the Company’s bank account held approximately $700,000 and showed investors a bank statement for the Company account listing the inflated balance.  As result of LIBURDI’s fraud, victim-investors in the Company lost more than $7 million.

In addition to the prison term, LIBURDI, 46, formerly of Victoria, Minnesota, and New York, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release, and was ordered to forfeit $7,069,904.46 and to pay $7,069,904.46 in restitution to the victims of her offense.

Mr. Kim praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  He also thanked Italian law enforcement authorities, including Interpol Rome, for their assistance in LIBURDI’s arrest, as well as the Department of Justice’s Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Rome and the DOJ Office of International Affairs.

High-Ranking “YGz” Gang Member Sentenced To 42 Years In Prison For Murder Of 17-Year-Old And Other Crimes

  Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JASON MOYE, a/k/a “Tall Jay,” was sentenced this afternoon to a term of 444 months in prison, which must run consecutive to a prior prison sentence of five years, for his crimes as a high-ranking member of the “Young Gunnaz” or “YGz” gang, including the December 22, 2011, murder of Taisheem Ferguson, a/k/a “Trey,” 17.  MOYE was sentenced in Manhattan federal court by United States District Judge Valerie E. Caproni, before whom he previously pled guilty. 

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said:  “A few days before Christmas in 2011, in broad daylight on a busy street, Moye ordered a fellow YGz gang member to shoot into a crowd, senselessly killing 17-year-old Taisheem Ferguson.  With today’s sentence, Moye has been held to account for this tragic murder and for his other crimes.  We hope that today’s sentence brings some consolation and justice to the victims of Moye’s crimes, in particular the family of Taisheem Ferguson.  Together with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute gang violence in our community.”

According to the charging and other documents filed in the case, and statements made during MOYE’s guilty plea and sentencing proceedings and other court proceedings in this case:

MOYE was a high-ranking member of the Bronx-based street gang known as the YGz.  From 2005 to 2016, members and associates of the YGz enriched themselves by committing robberies and by selling drugs, such as crack cocaine, heroin, and marijuana, and committed numerous acts of violence, including the murder of both rivals and innocent bystanders. 

As part of his involvement in the YGz gang, MOYE participated in numerous acts of violence in the South Bronx.  In particular, on the afternoon of December 22, 2011, MOYE ordered a member of the YGz to shoot into a crowd of rival gang members who were approaching them on Morris Avenue near 151st Street in the Bronx.  The YGz member fired several gunshots as directed, one of which killed Ferguson.

MOYE, 29, of the Bronx, is the sixth defendant to be sentenced this year by Judge Caproni for participation in a YGz-related murder.

Mr. Kim praised the outstanding work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New York City Police Department in the investigation of this case.  He also thanked the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office for their support in this case.