Wave Hill events April 11‒18

Sat, April 13

Family Art Project: Roots and Routes Portraits

Artists in Glyndor Gallery this spring are drawing from personal and cultural experiences to reimagine their relationship to place. Visit the gallery for this weekend’s exhibition opening, then respond to the artwork by using your own silhouette as the canvas to map out your personal and cultural relationship to the land. Infuse your own memorabilia—junk mail, letters, maps and family records—into your landscape to trace your own roots and routes. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

Wave Hill House, 10AM–1PM

Sun, April 14

Spring Birding

Welcome migratory birds back to Wave Hill this spring. Explore the gardens and woodlands with naturalist Gabriel Willowon a quest to spot both resident and rare birds as they pass through on their northern journey or settle down for the season. Severe weather cancels. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. Free with admission to the grounds. NYC Audubon Members enjoy two-for-one admission.

Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 9:30AM

Sun, April 14

Family Art Project: Roots and Routes Portraits

Artists in Glyndor Gallery this spring are drawing from personal and cultural experiences to reimagine their relationship to place. Visit the gallery for this weekend’s exhibition opening, then respond to the artwork by using your own silhouette as the canvas to map out your personal and cultural relationship to the land. Infuse your own memorabilia—junk mail, letters, maps and family records—into your landscape to trace your own roots and routes. Free with admission to the grounds.

Wave Hill House, 10AM–1PM

Sun, April 14

Family Nature Walk

Join naturalist and educator Gabriel Willow on a family-friendly walk through the gardens or woodlands. Ages five and older welcome with an adult. Severe weather cancels. Free with admission to the grounds.

Meet at Wave Hill House, 1PM

Sun, April 14

Spring Exhibitions Open in Glyndor Gallery

Meet the artists and curators of our spring exhibitions. Former Winter Workspace artists Camille Hoffman, Maria Hupfield and Sara Jimenez return with installations reflecting their deepening practices. Each has explored narratives about contested space that draw on personal and cultural touch points, reflecting a synergy to their work and shared interests that will be reinforced by their projects this spring. Hoffman’s mixed-media paintings and installations take inspiration from the Philippine weaving and the Jewish folk traditions of her ancestors, layered geographies emerging from materials collected from her everyday life. Based in Brooklyn, Hupfield is a citizen of the Anishinaabek Nation from Wasauksing First Nation in Ontario, Canada. Her sculptural body-objects, crafted from industrial felt, are often activated through performance. Also based in Brooklyn, Filipina-Canadian artist Jimenez’s installations and performances draw from familial narratives, abandoned objects and colonial texts, as well as photos, maps and textiles, to focus on concepts of origin and home, loss and absence. In the Sunroom Project Space, Rachel Sydlowski’s installation consists of layers of historical wallpaper that serve as a background for complex, screen-print collages of flora and fauna, architectural details and decorative motifs from Wave Hill, Inwood Hill Park and other surrounding green spaces, transforming the Sunroom into an anachronistic collage of past and present. Free with admission to the grounds.

Glyndor Gallery, 2—4:30PM

Sun, April 14

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, April 15

Closed to the public.

Tue, April 16

Gallery Tour

Tour Glyndor Gallery with Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow or Gallery Greeter to get an insider’s view of current exhibitions.Here We Land features three, former Winter Workspace artists Camille Hoffman, Maria Hupfield and Sara Jimenezwho return explore narratives about contested space that draw on personal and cultural touch points in their immersive installations. Rachel Sydlowski fills the Sunroom Project Space walls with complex, screen-print collages of flora and fauna, architectural details and decorative motifs from Wave Hill, Inwood Hill Park and other surrounding green spaces. Free with admission to the grounds.

Glyndor Gallery, 2PM

Wed, April 17

Garden Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM

Thu, April 18

Garden Highlights Walk

Join a Wave Hill Garden Guide for a public tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

Meet at Perkins Visitor Center, 1PM

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–5:30PM, March 15–October 31. Closes 4:30PM, starting November 1.

ADMISSION – $10 adults, $6 students and seniors 65+, $4 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.

VISION ZERO: WITH SPRING WEATHER IN FORECAST, MAYOR ANNOUNCES RETURN OF “WARM WEATHER WEEKENDS” TRAFFIC SAFETY CAMPAIGN

 NYPD will strengthen enforcement tomorrow and on warm weekends throughout spring, when data show an increase in speed-related crashes

  Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced that with warm weather in the forecast, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) and the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) would re-launch the Vision Zero “Warm Weather Weekends” spring safety campaign this weekend.  Saturday’s weather forecast calls for a high in the 60s, and according to crash data, motorists and motorcyclists drive more dangerously on warmer spring weekends.   

“Springtime weather is no excuse for dangerous driving that puts New Yorkers at risk,” said Mayor de Blasio. “Warm Weather Weekends are targeted enforcement derived from our data-driven Vision Zero campaign that helped make 2018 the safest year ever on our streets. The NYPD will be out in force to make sure everyone is more mindful of road safety, so we can save lives across our city.”

Drivers should expect heightened enforcement this weekend, from NYPD Highway Patrol and local precincts, each of which now has its own speed detection equipment. Officials will remind drivers that they should continue to obey the speed limit, turn slowly and yield to pedestrians. They will also be calling on drivers to “Look twice for motorcycles,” while reminding motorcyclists – who ride in greater numbers over weekends – to make sure they have the right licensure and registration, avoid risky passing between vehicles, and get practice before riding the open road.

“Through the Warm Weather Weekends campaign, we and our Vision Zero partners are taking preventive action after seeing far too many tragedies accompany the rise in temperatures, especially among drivers and motorcyclists,” said DOT Commissioner Polly Trottenberg. “Our message to New Yorkers is simple: we’re all excited that spring is here, and we want you to get out there and enjoy it -- but if you are driving a car or riding a motorcycle, please do so safely.”

“As the temperature rises and being outdoors becomes more inviting, the NYPD will continue to ensure that drivers watch for the additional pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorcyclists who will be on the road, especially when making left turns,” said NYPD Chief of Transportation Thomas Chan. “Drivers need to be mindful of the harm caused by not yielding to these vulnerable road users. Motorcyclists can also prevent serious injuries by obeying the rules, especially our speed limits.”          

Warm Weather Weekends:  Officials were originally spurred to action by the events of April 29, 2017: In a year that was the overall safest-ever on New York City streets, that Saturday was the second deadliest day of the entire year.   The first warm weekend day at the end of an unusually cool month, April 29th was sunny with a high temperature of 87 degrees. In a number of different serious crashes around New York City that day, many of which involved speeding, 4 New Yorkers lost their lives and 204 were injured.

DOT then conducted a detailed analysis of traffic fatalities and severe injuries from 2007 to 2016, observing the rate of traffic deaths and serious injuries on warmer days in March through June.  Comparing crash data to weather records, DOT studied days where temperatures were 60 degrees or higher, and uncovered the following clear correlative trends:

·         The average number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) in traffic crashes on weekends starts to rise in March and peaks during June.  In April, the weekend KSI rate is 28 percent higher than in January/February.

·         The danger in the spring is most pronounced for motor vehicle occupants and motorcyclists: on warm weather Saturdays and Sundays in April, the KSI rate for drivers and car occupants is 41 percent higher than the winter weekend rate.  For motorcyclists, the KSI danger on weekends rises by 88 percent.

·         Data appear to show that higher KSI rates on warmer spring days are limited to Saturdays and Sundays.  On weekdays, DOT data show that the average number of KSI annually during April warm weather weekdays is only 4% higher than the January/February winter weekday rate. 

·         In response to this data, NYPD and DOT will bring back season-specific efforts to deter reckless behavior to keep all New Yorkers safe. 

“As the weather heats up this spring and into summer, motorists need to be more cautious of their speeds when driving on our city streets. Thank you to the NYPD and DOT for the joint enforcement effort to keep our city streets safe for pedestrians and cyclists,” said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, Chair of the Committee on Transportation. “It’s vital that we continue to implement the Vision Zero agenda and other traffic calming measures to keep everyone safe while commuting throughout New York City.”

“The numbers do not lie, warmer weather results in more traffic accidents,” said Council Member Margaret S. Chin. “With spring around the corner, we must be vigilant and remember that safety is as important as enjoying the warmer temperatures. Last year, Vision Zero’s Warm Weather Weekends campaign significantly reduced the number of accidents throughout the spring months. I wholeheartedly support the return of this campaign and I hope all New Yorkers can enjoy the warmer weather.”

“Widely-broadcast enforcement efforts are one of the best deterrents to reckless driving,” said Transportation Alternatives Interim Director Marco Conner. “We're pleased to see NYC DOT and the NYPD making sure drivers slow down, especially on warm-weather weekends when more New Yorkers are out running and biking.” 

About Vision Zero:

Vision Zero is the de Blasio administration’s initiative to use every tool at its disposal to end traffic deaths and injuries on New York City streets. In 2018, New York City experienced its safest year on record with the fifth straight year of fatality declines. Since the program’s inaugural year in 2014, when New York City became the first American city to adopt Vision Zero, the city’s traffic fatalities have declined more than 30 percent — bucking national fatality trends, which have increased 15 percent over the same period.

For more information about the de Blasio Administration’s Vision Zero initiative, please seewww.nyc.gov/visionzero.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. - A CALL TO MEN! Sexual Assault Awareness Month

NORTHWEST BRONX ELECTEDS TO HOST NORWOOD TOWN HALL ON APRIL 4

The town hall meeting will be the fourth held in the “Democracy in Action” series and will be co-hosted by Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, State Senator Jamaal Bailey, Council Member Andrew Cohen, and Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez.

  Over the past several months, a series of town hall meetings has been held in every corner of the Northwest Bronx to hear directly from constituents what they want to see from government and in their communities. Democracy in Action will continue on Thursday, April 4 in the Norwood section of the Northwest Bronx. The town hall will be held at Montefiore Medical Center Cherkasky Auditorium, located at 110 East Gun Hill Road, and will run from 7:00pm until 8:30pm.

A hallmark of the Democracy in Action town hall series has been presenting a unified front with fellow elected officials who represent each neighborhood where the town halls have taken place. In Norwood, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz will be joined by State Senator Jamaal Bailey, Council Member Andrew Cohen, and Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez. “Our greatest strength in the Northwest Bronx is the fact that our leaders work together to address important issues before our communities,” said Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz. “Many communities in New York do not have this luxury and are instead marred by in-fighting and posturing between divided factions. This means that energy which should be spent advocating for their constituents is instead wasted trying to one-up each other.”

Discussion topics are open-ended, and previous town halls have offered a wide diversity of concerns including overdevelopment, poor bus service, rent reform, government efficiency, and more. There will be future town hall events, including a housing town hall in Kingsbridge several weeks later.

Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz added, “The single most important aspect of my job is to listen to my constituents and their concerns. We may not agree on every single issue, but people should know what I think about something and I should know what they think too. By working together on areas of common interest, we will continue to build a strong community in the Northwest Bronx.”

State Senator Jamaal Bailey said: “Engaging with constituents and listening to their concerns is one of my main priorities. I am glad to be a part of the Norwood Town Hall meeting and I want to thank Assemblymember Dinowitz for hosting the event. I look forward to seeing the community and having a fruitful discussion.”

“I am very excited to hear the Norwood community’s input on current issues within our district and to share my upcoming legislative priorities. Our “Democracy in Action” town hall series has been a wonderful way to engage with our constituents about the issues that matter most to them. Together we can build a stronger Northwest Bronx community” said Council Member Andrew Cohen.

“As elected officials, our first role is to hear the voices of our community and inform them on what’s happening in their local government,” said Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez. “These town halls are pivotal in establishing a strong relationship between ourselves and our constituents. When we create a platform in which discourse is open and free, our constituents get to see what work we’re doing in the area and they can bring to our attention the issues that they see prevailing in their backyards. Only by working together can we build a stronger community.”

BRONX JEWISH CENTER Hosts Community Dinner

  Please join us for our next community Shabbat dinner at the Bronx Jewish Center,1969 Haight Avenue,Bx NY 10461 to be held on Friday, April 5th , starting at 7:00 PM. The special theme for that evening will be Shabbat in Philippines... Yes,That"s right Philippines.   All of your favorite Philippine  style  dishes will take center stage!  We look forward to seeing you! Enjoy a delicious 4 course dinner with your fellow neighbors.Turn your Friday night Shabbat into an evening of spiritual awakening,inspiration, Jewish songs and culinary delight.

  Please RSVP@718-812-1701 to let us know you are coming, Shabbat dinners are held the first Friday of every month.

Time : 7:00 pm......Friday    April 5th

Address: 1969 Haight Avenue Bx NY 10461

Cost: Free of charge and all are welcome to join!

Website:www.BronxJewishCenter. org

Contact: office@bronxjewishcenter.org 

Telephone:  #718-812-1701

Leaders Of The ‘Blood Hound Brims’ Gang Convicted In Federal Court Of Racketeering, Narcotics, And Firearms Offenses

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that LATIQUE JOHNSON, a/k/a “La Brim,” a/k/a “Straight 2 Business,” a/k/a “Breezy,” a/k/a “Boss Dog,” BRANDON GREEN, a/k/a “Light,” a/k/a “Moneywell,” and DONNELL MURRAY, a/k/a “Don P,” were found guilty yesterday of racketeering conspiracy, narcotics trafficking conspiracy, and firearms offenses in connection with their membership in the “Blood Hound Brims” (“BHB”), a violent street and prison gang that operated in New York City, upstate New York, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere.  In addition, JOHNSON and MURRAY were found guilty of committing assault in aid of racketeering for a 2012 shooting at a fast food restaurant in the Bronx involving an AK-47 firearm.  JOHNSON was found guilty of attempted murder in aid of racketeering for ordering a 2012 shooting of rival gang members in the Bronx.  The convictions followed a five-week trial before the Honorable Paul G. Gardephe.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “Latique Johnson, Brandon Green, and Donnell Murray were leaders of the Blood Hound Brims, a ruthless gang, and were responsible for extensive narcotics trafficking and terrible violence.  They now stand convicted of their crimes, and will no longer be able to inflict harm on the people of this city.”

According to court documents and the evidence at trial:

BHB was a criminal enterprise that operated principally in the greater New York area, from 2005 to 2016.  BHB was a faction of the Bloods street gang, which operates nationwide, and is under the New York Blood Brim Army (“NYBBA”).  The BHB operated within and around various locations in New York, including New York City, Westchester County, Elmira, and in Pennsylvania, as well as within and outside federal and state penal systems.

The BHB used a hierarchical structure that was organized, in part, by geography, including New York City, and that was maintained, in part, through the payment of dues.  The founder and leader of the Gang was JOHNSON, and other members and associates of the BHB referred to JOHNSON as the “Godfather.”  The Gang was divided into several “pedigrees,” each of which had its own leadership structure which was approved by JOHNSON.  Other leadership positions included, among others, treasurers who collected dues from members of a particular pedigree, and individuals who performed security and disciplinary functions for the pedigree.  In addition to JOHNSON, GREEN, and MURRAY all held leadership positions within the Gang at different times.

Members of the BHB had regular meetings, sometimes called “pow wows” or “9-11s,” at which members were required to pay dues.  Some of the meetings were among members of a particular pedigree, and other meetings were for all members of the Enterprise.  Word of the meetings was disseminated via text message, word-of-mouth, and flyers.  The BHB’s business, including rivalries with other gangs, shootings, the arrest of gang members, guns, and drugs, was regularly discussed at these meetings.  “Kitty dues” – money that paid for commissary funds, lawyers, guns, and drugs, and that served as tribute to JOHNSON – were collected at these meetings.  The BHB maintained its own rules and constitution that new members were required to learn.  Members of the BHB also used code words and secret phrases to communicate with each other both while in prison and on the street in order to avoid detection by law enforcement.

One of the BHB’s principal objectives was to sell cocaine base, commonly known as “crack cocaine,” powder cocaine, and heroin, which members and associates of the BHB sold throughout the greater New York area and in Pennsylvania. 

Members and associates of the BHB engaged in multiple acts of violence against rival gangs.  These acts of violence included assaults and attempted murders, and were committed to protect the Gang’s drug territory, to retaliate against members of rival gangs who had encroached on the territory controlled by the BHB, and to otherwise promote the standing and reputation of the Gang vis-à-vis rival gangs.  These acts of violence also included assaults and attempted murders against members and associates of the BHB itself, as part of internal power struggles within the Gang.

For example, on January 28, 2012, in the Bronx, New York, JOHNSON, aided and abetted by MURRAY, used an AK-47 assault rifle to fire into a restaurant where rival gang members were gathered, injuring two individuals who survived the shooting.  The violence continued in fall of 2012 when JOHNSON ordered the shooting of two other members of a rival gang, who survived.

A chart providing more information regarding the charges and potential penalties is set forth below.  The statutory penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Feinstein, Allison Nichols, and Andrew Chan are in charge of the prosecution.

COUNT	DEFENDANT	MAXIMUM PENALTY
Count One:  Racketeering Conspiracy	LATIQUE JOHNSON, 39, of the Bronx, New York BRANDON GREEN, 36, of the Bronx, New York DONNELL MURRAY. 39, of the Bronx, New York	Life in prison     Life in prison     20 years in prison
Count Two:  Assault in aid of racketeering	JOHNSON   MURRAY	20 years in prison   20 years in prison
Count Three:  Attempted murder in aid of racketeering	JOHNSON	10 years in prison
Count Four:  Narcotics conspiracy	JOHNSON   GREEN   MURRAY	Life in prison   Life in prison   20 years in prison
Count Five:  Firearms offense	JOHNSON   GREEN   MURRAY	Life in prison   Life in prison   Life in prison

High-Ranking Member Of ‘Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods’ Pleads Guilty In Connection With Manhattan Armed Robbery And Brooklyn Shooting

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that KIFANO JORDAN, a/k/a “Shotti,” pleaded guilty today in Manhattan federal court to firearms offenses in connection with a robbery and a non-fatal shooting carried out as part of his participation in the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods (“Nine Trey”).  U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer presided over the defendant’s guilty plea.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “Today, Kifano Jordan admitted in open court to committing multiple acts of violence in furtherance of the Nine Trey enterprise.  This conduct is simply intolerable.  We continue our daily work with our law enforcement partners to keep our communities safe and to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who bring violence to our streets.”

As alleged in the underlying Indictment and statements made in open court:

Nine Trey was a criminal enterprise involved in committing numerous acts of violence, including shootings, robberies, and assaults in and around Manhattan and Brooklyn.  Members and associates of Nine Trey engaged in violence to retaliate against rival gangs, to promote the standing and reputation of Nine Trey, and to protect the gang’s narcotics business.  Members and associates of Nine Trey enriched themselves by committing robberies and selling drugs, such as heroin, fentanyl, furanly fentanyl, MDMA, dibutylone, and marijuana. 

JORDAN, 36, of Brooklyn, pled guilty to one count of using and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence for an assault with a dangerous weapon that occurred in Manhattan on April 3, 2018, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed; and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence for a shooting that occurred in Brooklyn on April 21, 2018, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed. 

The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by Judge Engelmayer.

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Former Controller Of College Of New Rochelle Pleads Guilty To Securities Fraud And Failing To Pay Over More Than $20 Million In Payroll Taxes

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector-in-Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), and Jonathan D. Larsen, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), announced that KEITH BORGE, the former controller of the College of New Rochelle (“CNR”), pled guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy to one count of failing to pay over federal payroll taxes and one count of securities fraud in White Plains federal court.  The case has been assigned to United States District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti. 

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “By covering up CNR’s true financial condition, Keith Borge deprived CNR’s leaders of the opportunity to address the college’s financial problems for two years.  Borge defrauded CNR’s bondholders and left CNR with a $20 million tax liability.  He committed federal crimes for which he will now pay the price.” 

USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Philip R. Bartlett said:  “Investors rely on accurate financial reporting when deciding on where to invest their hard-earned money.  When executives create and distribute inaccurate financial statements, investors are unknowingly steered into making poor investment choices.  The United States Postal Inspection Service is committed to protecting American investors and bringing those who manipulate the financial system to justice.”

IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen said:  “As the tax filing deadline looms, it’s important for the American taxpayer to have confidence that when they are paying their taxes, their neighbor and co-workers are doing the same. And for those individuals who are considering evading their tax duty, they should consider the consequences which include potential imprisonment and civil penalties.”

According to the allegations contained in the Information and other publicly filed documents:

From in or about 2011 to in or about August 2014, BORGE was the Vice President for Financial Affairs at CNR, a private college with its main campus in New Rochelle, New York.  From in or about August 2014 to in or about June 2016, BORGE was CNR’s controller.  CNR had approximately 500 to 900 paid employees, depending on the time of year.  CNR withheld both federal income tax and its employees’ contributions to Social Security and Medicare from its employees’ pay.  Federal law required that the college pay over those withheld taxes and contributions within one week of the day it paid its employees.  During that one-week period, CNR held those withheld taxes and contributions in trust for the federal government.

As controller, BORGE managed CNR’s financial affairs and was responsible for paying over withheld payroll taxes and contributions.  From the third quarter of 2014 through the second quarter of 2016, BORGE failed to do so.  By the end of the second quarter of 2016, BORGE had failed to pay over more than $20 million in combined federal and state payroll taxes and contributions.

BORGE also made false entries in CNR’s books and records to conceal the college’s actual financial condition.  As a result, CNR’s financial statements for its fiscal year ending June 30, 2015, reported the college had net assets of $25 million, which was overstated by at least $24 million.  Among other things, BORGE caused the financial statements to understate CNR’s liability for federal and state payroll taxes by approximately $11 million; to overstate accounts receivable by approximately $9.2 million by recognizing pledged donations twice; to understate accounts payable by at least $1.5 million by failing to enter unpaid vendor invoices into CNR’s books and records; and to overstate investment assets by at least $2.2 million by recognizing assets that did not exist and by failing to enter his withdrawals from CNR’s investment accounts into the college’s books and records.

BORGE caused CNR’s inaccurate financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015, to be released to the public by, among other things, providing the financial statements to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board for publication on the Electronic Municipal Market Access web site, where they could be reviewed by the investing public.  As a result, investors in bonds issued by the college through the City of New Rochelle Industrial Development Agency were defrauded by BORGE’s materially false and misleading statements in CNR’s financial statements. 

BORGE, 62, of Valley Cottage, New York, is charged with one count of failing to pay over payroll taxes, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence will be determined by the court.  BORGE is scheduled to be sentenced July 11, 2019, before Judge Briccetti. 

In a related case, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission brought a civil action today against BORGE in U.S. District Court in White Plains."

Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Postal Inspection Service and IRS-CI.  Mr. Berman also thanked the SEC for their investigative work.