Activists Hold Rally in Front of Senator Klein's Campaign Headquarters

  It was billed as a 'Coalition Grassroots Activists Condemning State Senator Jeff Klein's Alleged Sexual Misconduct'. Supporters were expected to assemble in front of Senator Jeff Klein's campaign office to rally against Senator Klein, and in support of  the former Klein staffer who has alleged misconduct by the senator. However on the warm drizzly night only about twenty-five people showed up, and it was hard to tell exactly who was there to protest, and who was there to cover the event. 

 When the rally started six women spoke. Dominique Shuminova, Liz Massie, Jennie Drieson (of 'Progressive Women of Pelham) Ms. Tasha D. Young (from Rockland County), Ms Samelys Lopez (Bronx), and one other unidentified woman, each condemning the action of Senator Klein as said by former staffer Erica Vladimer. Ms. Vladimer claims that Senator Klein forcibly kissed her outside an Albany bar. Senator Klein, Senator Diane Savino, and several staffers were celebrating the passage of the 2015 state budget on April 1, 2015 after forty-eight hours of non-stop work. Ms. Vladimer says that she and Senator Klein went outside the bar to smoke, and that was when the incident took place. Senator Klein has declared his innocence in the matter. 

 Each woman who spoke called for an investigation of the matter. Senator Klein in maintaining his innocence has also called for an investigation. Among the crowd were members of NYC16 INDIVISIBLE, an anti IDC group which held a rally at Lehman College in November of 2017. Present at that November meeting were current State Senate Democratic Conference Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, and past candidate for governor Zepher Teachout. 

Above - Ms. Jennie Driesen of Progressive Women of Pelham reads a statement condemning the alleged action, calling for an investigation of the matter. 

Below - Ms. Samelys Lopez also supported the former Klein staffer. 

The protesters assemble for a group picture.

State Police Arrest Three People at Henry Hudson Bridge.

One of two New York State Trooper Police Cars in front of the 50th Precinct in Kingsbridge Thursday night.

  Thursday night NY State Police who patrol the Henry Hudson Bridge brought two males, one female, and a child into the 50th Precinct. 

 The car one of the males was driving had an expired temporary New Jersey license plate cover. Also the car was found to have excessive tinted windows, a loud muffler, and a gun which the police say was stolen. 

  There were one male and one female both age 29, one male age 18, and a 9 year old child in the car. All three adults are charged with Criminal Possession of a weapon, Criminal Possession of stolen property (the gun), endangering the welfare of a minor, and the driver was charged with various motor vehicle violations. 

  The two male are from the same address in Mount Vernon and the female nearby in the North East Bronx. There was no mention of where the child was from.  

  Deputy Inspector O'Toole said that the state police often bring in suspects to the 50th precinct, and that the driver here is an alleged Blood Gang member with an extensive arrest history. 

 

Warwick Man Sentenced To 16 Years In Prison For Enticing Minors To Engage In Sexual Activity

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that ROBERT GARNEAU was sentenced to 16 years in prison for his enticement of three minors to engage in sexual activity.  GARNEAU pled guilty plea to three counts of enticement of a minor on May 25, 2017, before United States District Judge Nelson Román, who imposed today’s sentencing.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “Robert Garneau’s crimes are the nightmare of every modern parent.  Using everyday social media websites, Garneau exploited minors for his own sexual gratification.  As today’s sentencing underscores, we will continue to use every tool available to law enforcement to prosecute and punish those who sexually exploit children.”                                                                                                       

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in related court proceedings:

           

From September 2014 to December 1, 2014, GARNEAU, a registered sex offender, communicated online via Instagram and Kik with a then 12-year-old minor (“Victim-1”) in California, and convinced Victim-1 to take and send sexually explicit photographs of Victim-1 to GARNEAU.   On August 10, 2015, and July 18, 2015, GARNEAU engaged in the same type of activity with two more minors (“Victim-2” and “Victim-3”).   

During his communications with his victims, GARNEAU utilized the screen names “Raptorr427,” “BobbySixx,” “Allison Denario,” and/or “Giannafitz81.”  While communicating with his victims, GARNEAU posed as a minor and threatened his victims that if they did not send additional photos and/or videos, they would be arrested for the photos and/or videos they had already sent.  With respect to Victim-2, GARNEAU also threatened to show the photos and videos to Victim-2’s Instagram followers.

In addition to the prison term, GARNEAU, 23, of Warwick, New York, was sentenced to 15 years of supervised release.

Mr. Berman praised the efforts of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Long Island University, the Nassau County Police Department, and the Vacaville Police Department in Vacaville, California, in connection with this investigation.

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Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Fraud And Bribery Charges Against Former Director Of Financial Aid Of Graduate School

Melanie Williams-Bethea Engaged In Kickback Scheme With Students, Three Of Whom Are Also Charged

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, 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 the unsealing of a criminal complaint charging four individuals, including the former Director of Financial Aid of a graduate school receiving federal funds (the “Graduate School”) and three students, with fraudulently obtaining hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Graduate School, bribery, and kickback scheme.  MELANIE WILLIAMS-BETHEA, the former Director of Financial Aid, and student ANNICE KPANA were arrested this morning and presented today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses.  Student CARMEN CANTY was arrested this morning in the Middle District of North Carolina, and student KYLA THOMAS, a/k/a “Kyla Britt,” was arrested this morning in the District of South Carolina; both are expected to be presented in those districts today.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As alleged, for years, these four defendants took advantage of a federal program intended to assist those who need financial aid to make higher education a reality.  The defendants’ alleged falsification of documents to show extreme financial hardship enabled the student defendants cumulatively to pocket hundreds of thousands of dollars for which they did not qualify.  A substantial portion of this stolen money was allegedly kicked back to Williams-Bethea.  Student loan fraud ultimately affects all students and taxpayers with increased fees and interest rates.”

ED-OIG Assistant Special Agent in Charge Debbi Mayer said:  “Today’s action alleges that Melanie Williams-Bethea knowingly and willfully abused her position of trust for personal gain and recruited others to assist her in a fraud scheme that targeted the very students she was supposed to help.  OIG Special Agents will continue to aggressively pursue those who seek to enrich themselves at the expense of our nation’s students.  America’s students, their families, and taxpayers deserve nothing less.”

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

From 2008 through 2017, WILLIAMS-BETHEA, KPANA, CANTY, and THOMAS engaged in fraud and bribery schemes resulting in the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars from the Graduate School.  WILLIAMS-BETHEA, who was employed by the Graduate School as the Director of Financial Aid during the relevant time period, perpetrated the scheme by approving aid payments to KPANA, CANTY, and THOMAS (collectively, the “Students”) well in excess of their need, and then obtaining kickback payments from the students of portions of the unjustified aid. 

Specifically, WILLIAMS-BETHEA approved excessive “cost of attendance” figures for the Students that did not comport with their actual needs or costs of living, which had the effect of increasing the amount of financial aid they were eligible to receive, and by then approving stipends for the Students up to – and at times exceeding – these inflated amounts.  To facilitate some of the stipends, WILLIAMS-BETHEA created fraudulent stipend request forms for financial awards to the Students, which gave the appearance that professors or other administrators had requested stipends for KPANA, CANTY, and THOMAS, when in fact they had not, and then approved the fraudulently requested stipends herself.

After WILLIAMS-BETHEA facilitated these awards of unjustified financial aid, KPANA, CANTY, and THOMAS paid WILIAMS-BETHEA more than $350,000 in kickbacks.

WILLIAMS-BETHEA, 47, of Springfield Gardens, New York, KPANA, 35, of Valley Stream, New York, CANTY, 39, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and THOMAS, 39, Greer, South Carolina, each are charged with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and fraud in connection with federal student aid, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of bribery, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.  WILLIAMS-BETHEA, CANTY, and THOMAS are each also charged with one count of fraud in connection with federal student aid, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencings of the defendants would be determined by the judge.

Mr. Berman praised the investigative work of the Department of Education Office of Inspector General in this investigation, and thanked the Graduate School for its cooperation with the investigation.

 

[1] As the introductory phase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

A.G. Schneiderman Announces Over 4,700 Collection Bins Across New York Now Disclose Whether Donated Items Are Used For Charitable Purposes

AG Enforcement Effort Requires Signage to Disclose Whether Donated Items Will Be Used for Charitable or For-Profit Purposes

AG Encourages New Yorkers to Report Any Bins that Do Not Comply with New State Law 

  Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today announced that over 4,700 donation collection bins throughout New York now disclose whether clothing or other items deposited in those bins are used for charitable or for-profit purposes. This follows the Attorney General’s enforcement effort to ensure bin owners’ compliance with a new state law that imposes strict regulations on the placement, maintenance, and transparency of collection bins across the state.

“New Yorkers who drop-off personal items into collection bins deserve to know whether they are making a charitable donation or enriching a for-profit corporation,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “We are committed to ensuring that New Yorkers will know how their donations will be used.”

General Business Law § 399-bbb, which took effect in June 2016, was enacted to address the proliferation of collection bins across the state, and the lack of transparency regarding how collected items are used. The law sets forth specific requirements for signage that must be placed on all collection bins – such as a clearly labeled statement of purpose that explains whether donations will be used for profit or charitable purposes. Additionally, collection bins must be labeled with the name, physical address, phone number, and website of the owner of the bin, as well as contact information for the Attorney General’s office. The law prohibits the placement of bins on public property and regulates the maintenance of the bins, including a requirement that they are regularly emptied.

The new state law follows a 2015 settlement reached by the Attorney General’s office with Thrift Land USA of Yonkers, Inc. (“Thrift Land”), a for-profit company that operated 1,100 collection bins throughout the New York metropolitan area. The settlement followed allegations that Thrift Land used a charitable veneer to trick and mislead the public into believing that the clothing and personal property they donated would benefit the charity whose name and logo appeared on its bins. However, Thrift Land sold the clothing and other items at a huge profit, while the charities named on the bins received only a small fee for the use of their name and logo. As part of the settlement, Thrift Land agreed to rebrand its bins so they did not state or imply that items deposited in the bins will benefit any charity or serve any charitable purpose. Thrift Land also made a payment of $650,000 to two not-for-profit organizations and paid $50,000 in penalties and costs to the state.

To ensure that owners of collection bins are in compliance with the new law, investigators from the Attorney General’s office inspected bins across the state and determined whether they met the statutory requirements. Notices of violations were then issued to bin operators, recycling companies, and charities that detailed the steps each owner must take in order to bring their respective bins into compliance with the law.

To date, a total of 4,762 collection bins throughout New York have been brought into compliance. The compliance effort is ongoing; Attorney General Schneiderman will continue to take appropriate enforcement action against bin owners and operators that fail to take the necessary steps to come into compliance.

Bringing a bin into compliance requires any person, business, not-for-profit organization, or other entity who owns or operates publicly accessible collection bins to affix a readily visible label on the front of the bin that includes the following:

• Factual information
  (1) name of the entity that owns the bin and any agent thereof
  (2) legal address
  (3) telephone number
  (4) e-mail address and website
  (5) any permit or license required by local law
  (6) a statement that nothing shall be left outside of such bin
  (7) a statement that takes the form: for more information, contact the Attorney General’s office at 800-771-7755 or ag.ny.gov

• A statement of purpose
  (1)“DONATED ITEMS WILL BE USED FOR CHARITABLE PURPOSES” – if all the property placed in the bin is directed to a non-business purpose
  *For collection bins owned by a not-for-profit organization, a statement describing the charitable causes that will benefit
  (2) “DONATED ITEMS WILL BE USED FOR PROFIT” – if any of the property placed in the bin is not directed to a non-business purpose

The Attorney General encourages New Yorkers to report out-of-compliance bins to his office at 800-771-7755 or submit a complaint online.

Below is a list of 20 bin owners with collection bins located throughout the state that are now in compliance.

Wave Hill Events Jan 26‒Feb 2

Wave Hill Events Jan 26‒Feb 2

Sat, January 27    Woodworking Workshop: The Wave Hill Chair—Day 1

Wave Hill’s inspirational landscape is complemented by the iconic Wave Hill chair. In this two-day workshop, construct your own Wave Hill Chair under the guidance of master woodworker, author and Wave Hill Director of Facilities Frank Perrone. Participants receive step-by-step instructions; no previous carpentry skills required. Must attend both sessions. Space is limited! $240/$210 Wave Hill Member. Registration required, online at wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center. Day 2 takes place on Sunday, January 28.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 9:30AM−4PM

Sat, January 27    Family Art Project: Painted Papers and the Stories of Eric Carle

What better season than winter to cuddle up with stories you love—like Eric Carle’s tales illustrating the wonders of nature. Hear Family Art Project storyteller Rama Mandel tell some of these enchanting favorites, then learn from Eric Carle’s techniques as we cut and layer hand-painted papers to form bright and colorful images. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. 

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sat, January 27    Cooking Demo: Barking up the Right Tree—Cooking with Cinnamon

Cinnamon is the dried bark taken from a number of closely-related tree species. Originating in East Asia, this warming spice has been used throughout the world for centuries. Watch—and taste—as a chef from Great Performances demonstrates some cinnamon-laced delicacies. Free with admission to the grounds.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 2PM

Sun, January 28    Woodworking Workshop: The Wave Hill Chair—Day 2

Wave Hill’s inspirational landscape is complemented by the iconic Wave Hill chair. In this two-day workshop, construct your own Wave Hill Chair under the guidance of master woodworker, author and Wave Hill Director of Facilities Frank Perrone. Participants receive step-by-step instructions; no previous carpentry skills required. Must attend both sessions. Space is limited! $240/$210 Wave Hill Member. Registration required, online at wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center. Day 1 takes place on Saturday, January 27.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 9:30AM−NOON

Sun, January 28    Family Art Project: Painted Papers and the Stories of Eric Carle

What better season than winter to cuddle up with stories you love—like Eric Carle’s tales illustrating the wonders of nature. Hear Family Art Project storyteller Rama Mandel tell some of these enchanting favorites, then learn from Eric Carle’s techniques as we cut and layer hand-painted papers to form bright and colorful images. Free with admission to the grounds. 

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sun, January 28    Art Workshop: Dronescapes—Sketching from a Bird’s-Eye Perspective

Join artist Jessica Rohrer in her Winter Workspace studio in Glyndor Gallery to see her unique artistic process, which uses images from high-flying drones to inspire her landscape drawings. Experiment with perspective using drone-captured images and create ink drawings of Wave Hill from a bird’s-eye view. Ages 12 and older welcome with an adult. $55/$45 Wave Hill Member. Registration required, online at wavehill.orgor onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 10AM−1PM

Sun, January 28    Winter Workspace Drop-In Sunday

Artists in the Winter Workspace program share their studio practice with visitors on this Drop-In Sunday. Artists in Session 1 of this program are Tomie Arai, Camille Hoffman, Pedro Ramirez, Jessica Rohrer,Jean Shin and Austin Thomas. For more about who is in residence on Sundays, visit wavehill.org. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR  GALLERY, 1–3PM

Sun, January 28    Garden Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

Mon, January 29

Closed to the public.

A 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River  and Palisades, Wave Hill’s mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscape, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts.

HOURS  Open all year, Tuesday through Sunday and many major holidays: 9AM–4:30PM, November 1–March 14. Closes 5:30PM, starting March 15.

ADMISSION  $8 adults, $4 students and seniors 65+, $2 children 6–18. Free Saturday and Tuesday mornings until noon. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.

PROGRAM FEES  Programs are free with admission to the grounds unless otherwise noted.

Visitors to Wave Hill can take advantage of Metro-North’s one-day getaway offer. Purchase a discount round-trip rail far and discount admission to the gardens. More at http://mta.info/mnr/html/getaways/outbound_wavehill.htm

DIRECTIONS – Getting here is easy! Located only 30 minutes from midtown Manhattan, Wave Hill’s free shuttle van transports you to and from our front gate and Metro-North’s Riverdale station, as well as the W. 242nd Street stop on the #1 subway line. Limited onsite parking is available for $8 per vehicle. Free offsite parking is available nearby with continuous, complimentary shuttle service to and from the offsite lot and our front gate. Complete directions and shuttle bus schedule at www.wavehill.org/visit/.

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at www.wavehill.org.

MAYOR DE BLASIO NAMES JON PAUL LUPO AS DIRECTOR OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

Sherif Soliman named Senior Advisor to the First Deputy Mayor, Simonia Brown named Director of State Legislative Affairs, and Jeff Lynch named Director of City Legislative Affairs

  Mayor de Blasio has named Jon Paul Lupo as Director of Intergovernmental Affairs, Sherif Soliman as Senior Advisor for the First Deputy Mayor, Simonia Brown as Director of State Legislative Affairs, and Jeff Lynch as Director of City Legislative Affairs.

“We’re building a world-class team to help make New York City stronger and fairer than ever before,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Jon Paul, Sherif, Simonia and Jeff are extraordinarily talented public servants who work tirelessly on behalf of our city. I am thrilled to have them playing senior roles in our second-term agenda."

Jon Paul Lupo has been promoted to Director of the Mayor’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, where he will be responsible for coordinating the City's interaction with the City, State and Federal Legislative Affairs Offices, as well as coordinating with the offices of the City Comptroller, Public Advocate and Borough Presidents. Lupo was previously Director of City Legislative Affairs and was responsible for managing the Administration’s interactions with the City Council and coordinating legislative priorities. Prior to his time in the Mayor’s Office, Lupo had more than a decade of experience in government, politics and communications, including as Chief of Staff to Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz and in senior positions on the campaigns of Senator Jim Webb in Virginia and Senator Tim Johnson in South Dakota.

Sherif Soliman was named Senior Advisor to the First Deputy Mayor, where he will advise the First Deputy Mayor on policy, program implementation and special projects.  His work will include but not be limited to labor, pensions, tax policy and public authorities. Soliman previously served as Director of State Legislative Affairs, where he was responsible for coordinating legislative priorities and the team that serves as a liaison between the Administration and the State Senate and Assembly. Soliman has over two decades of experience working in city and state government in different capacities, including the completion of thirteen state legislative sessions in Albany. In his most recent role as Director of State Legislative Affairs for Mayor Bill de Blasio, Soliman secured several victories on behalf of the City of New York including the enactment of the City’s nation-leading universal pre-kindergarten program.

Simonia Brown was named Director of State Legislative Affairs and will coordinate legislative priorities and manage the team that liaises with the State Legislature. Simonia Brown currently serves as an Associate Director at the Office of Management and Budget. During her tenure, she managed the Education and CUNY budgets, Intergovernmental Relations, and Community Board Relations. Before joining OMB, Brown worked for nine years in the New York State Assembly, serving as Senior Assistant Secretary for Program & Policy to the Speaker and Assembly Leadership, making policy recommendations for Assembly Standing Committees and leading numerous budget and policy negotiations.

Additionally, Jeff Lynch will now serve as Director of City Legislative Affairs. Lynch was previously First Deputy Commission of the Community Affairs Unit, where he provided crucial support to the Commissioner in managing day-to-day operations and coordinating staff and community interactions. Before that, he served as Assistant Commissioner of Intergovernmental Affairs at Department of Transportation, and Chief of Staff to Council Member James Vacca for 8 years.

Council Member Rafael Salamanca, Jr - New Chair of the Land Use Committee

Statement on the Committee on Land Use

“I’m incredibly proud to have the confidence of the Speaker and my colleagues to serve as the Land Use Chair for this session. ‘Our city is at a crossroads, including my community in the South Bronx. This body, led by a Speaker who understands the importance of having a strong, independent Council, should be on the front lines on shaping the planning, development and all other land use actions in a way that listens to and addresses the concerns of all New Yorkers. ‘I believe we can and will do that. After seeing much development in my district and working to approve over 4,000 units of affordable housing in under two years, I believe I am ready to work with each and every member of the Council to ensure the needs of their constituents are met with any given land use action. ‘With that said, I’m ready to roll up my sleeves, visit as many neighborhoods as I can and most importantly, listen on how I can help to shape land use for the five boroughs over the next four years. Let’s get to work.”