More than 2,000 New Yorkers in the Bronx Enroll in NYC Care in First Two Weeks; 100% of New Members Offered an Appointment with Primary Care Provider within Two Weeks

NYC Care Will Make Primary Care More Accessible and Affordable Across all 5 Boroughs

  NYC Health + Hospitals announced that NYC Care, a new health access program that is a key component of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s commitment to guarantee accessible and affordable health care for all New Yorkers, has enrolled more than 2,000 New Yorkers from every zip code of the Bronx since the August 1 program launch in the borough two weeks ago. In addition, 100 percent of patients enrolled in NYC Care were offered a first appointment within two weeks with a primary care provider who coordinates all treatment and services needed, and there were nearly 600 low-cost prescriptions filled during the new extended pharmacy hours. To prepare for the program roll-out, the seven NYC Health + Hospitals patient care facilities in the Bronx added new staff and evening and weekend hours to accommodate members. There are now more than 70 primary care providers in the Bronx seeing members. The program is on track to meet the Bronx enrollment goal of 10,000 patients in the first six months. 

NYC Care is the new no- or low-cost health care access program of NYC Health + Hospitals for New Yorkers who are not eligible for insurance or who cannot afford it. The program, which is now operating in the Bronx and will be available citywide by 2020, is expected to dramatically change the way the City’s public health system connects people to personalized, coordinated primary and preventive care at its 70+ patient care locations throughout the five boroughs, including 11 hospitals and its Gotham Health Federally-Qualified Health Center (FQHC)  network.   NYC Care offers affordable medications day or night, culturally responsive care, extensive language access and interpretation services, and provides new 24/7 customer service support. Eligible New Yorkers can enroll by calling 646-NYC-CARE to meet with a financial counselor at a health system patient care site and receive a personalized NYC Care membership card in the mail.

“In New York City, healthcare is a fundamental right, not a privilege. That’s why we launched the most comprehensive health care access program in the country—providing coverage to New Yorkers unable to access affordable insurance,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “With over 2,000 New Yorkers enrolled in NYC Care in just two weeks, we are making that right a reality to all those who need it.”

“We invited New Yorkers to unlock their right to health care with dignity and respect, and they have taken us up on that offer. We are on track to guarantee every New Yorker, starting with the Bronx, their own primary care provider who’s going to take care of them and offer continuity of care to keep them healthy and avoid unnecessary visits to the emergency room,” said Mitchell Katz, MD, President and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals. “After 30 years of medical practice, I can confidently say that’s what makes a difference – seeing people over time and knowing that when you have a problem, there is somebody that you can go to who knows you and can connect you with all the health care needs you’ll have at every stage of life.”

“Patients are bringing their new cards into visits and are already seeing the benefits of NYC care membership,” said NYC Care Executive Director Marielle Kress. “A brand new NYC Care patient came to see a primary care doctor on a Friday with an old pill bottle and only one pill left. In the past, that patient would have likely ended up going to the emergency room over the weekend for his medication because he could not wait until Monday. Thanks to the expanded pharmacy hours of the program, the patient was able to get the medication that same night.”

About NYC Care

NYC Care launched August 1, 2019 in the Bronx marked with a “Day of Action” when dozens of staff and volunteers from various City agencies and community-based organizations conducted a massive street outreach effort. They gathered at 18 busy subway stations across the borough, distributing 18,000 flyers in seven different languages to promote the new health access program for New Yorkers who are not eligible for insurance or cannot afford it.

NYC Care gives New Yorkers in the Bronx access to a dedicated primary care provider who will coordinate all treatment and services needed, allows them to receive coordinated, preventive care and routine screenings, gives them access to specialty care services, allows them to make appointments and navigate their health care needs through a new 24/7 customer service center. NYC Care members also get access to affordable medications day or night.

The customized membership card also details the specific discounted costs for primary care, specialty visits, and prescription drugs for each member based on household size and income. All services are provided by NYC Health + Hospitals and all information about patient care and treatment is kept private and confidential in accordance with the law.

In January 2019, Mayor de Blasio announced the launch of the largest, most comprehensive initiative in the nation to guarantee health care for every New Yorker. When fully implemented, New York City will ensure the estimated 600,000 New Yorkers currently without insurance are connected to health care – including NYC’s Public Option, MetroPlus – or have direct access to the nation’s largest public health care system through the NYC Care program. Of the 600,000 uninsured New Yorkers, approximately half of them are currently ineligible for health insurance or unable to afford it based on the Affordable Care Act definition, and would be eligible to enroll in NYC Care. The $100 million program will be implemented in all five boroughs by the end of 2020, ensuring that all New Yorkers to have the health care access they need.

Wave Hill events August 29–September 5

Thu, August 29

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

Fri, August 30

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

Sat, August 31

Family Art Project: Shadow Play

Catch the sun and chase your shadow. Use your body, props, paper and the sun’s rays to create art and tell stories of all things under the sun. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

Wave Hill House, 10AM–1PM

Sat, August 31

Gallery Tour

Tour Glyndor Gallery with Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow or Gallery Greeter to get an insider’s view of current exhibitions. The exhibition Figuring the Floral features artists who employ flowers to explore representations of identity—constructing narratives on race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, and aging. The exhibition includes paintings, collages, drawings, sculptures and an outdoor installation. In the Sunroom, Kate Bae’s immersive installation consists of flowers created from layers of acrylic paint. They drape from the ceiling into a wishing well. The landscape evokes the ecosystem of Mount Halla on South Korea’s Jeju Island, a holy symbol of the unification of South Korea and North Korea. In the Sun Porch, Riad Miah creates a multi-part installation of double-sided, oil and acrylic, rectangular paintings on Dura-Lar. He traces light throughout the calendar year to portray a sense of time, with each piece representing a single month. Free with admission to the grounds.

Glyndor Gallery, 2PM

Sun, September 1

Family Art Project: Shadow Play

Catch the sun and chase your shadow. Use your body, props, paper and the sun’s rays to create art and tell stories of all things under the sun. Free with admission to the grounds.

Wave Hill House, 10AM–1PM

Sun, September 1

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, 2PM

Mon, September 2

Labor Day Garden Highlights Walk

Wave Hill is open on Labor Day. 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, 2PM

Wed, September 4

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, September 5

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.

ENGEL STATEMENT ON ISRAEL DENYING ENTRY TO REPS. OMAR & TLAIB

  “In the countless times I’ve traveled to Israel in a personal or official capacity, I’ve learned more about the country and its people. I find that my colleagues in Congress have the same experience and come home with a greater understanding of the challenges facing Israel. We learn about threats to Israel and how Israelis make sacrifices every day to ensure its safety and security. We hear about Israel’s incredible achievements that make it one of our most steadfast allies and partners in the world. And I have met with Palestinian officials and civil society many times to help inform my approach to peacemaking.

“It won’t surprise anybody that I have disagreements with Representatives Omar and Tlaib when it comes to Israel. I probably wouldn’t have planned the same trip they did. But as I said to Ambassador Dermer yesterday, it’s a mistake for the Israeli government to bar entry of members of Congress into Israel. If Israel’s government hopes to win the support of American lawmakers across the political spectrum, then this visit could have been an opportunity to share views and make a case for why American support for Israel is so important. Instead, refusing entry to members of Congress looks like Israel closing itself off to criticism and dialogue. This decision will only strengthen the anti-Israel movements and arguments many of us find so troubling, further politicize support for Israel in the United States, and ultimately play right into the hands of Israel’s enemies. If my two colleagues had seen what I’ve seen over the years, I believe they would have come away with valuable new perspectives. Now they won’t have that opportunity, and it’s a real shame.”

END OF SUMMER CELEBRATION WITH SENATOR BIAGGI!

BOROUGH PRESIDENT DIAZ HOSTS ANNUAL ‘BACK TO SCHOOL’ EVENT

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. hosted his annual “Back to School” Literacy & Health Fair at Poe Park – located on Grand Concourse The event took place from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m, and all book bags were given out midway through the event.

The event was co-sponsored by Empire BlueCross BlueShield and Montefiore Health System. School supplies for local students will be donated by Montefiore Health System. 

Entertainment was provided by performers from the New York University African Percussion Ensemble, Little Branches of Borinquen and other local talent. 

Over 1,000 people were estimated to have come to Poe Park for the Borough President's event.

Above - There were dozens of tables set up with various free items for people to have, as you can see this table by Montefiore has plenty of items on it.

Below - Community Board 7 had a table where the District Manager filled bags with various useable items.

Above - The NYPD had a table full of helpful information from the Community Affairs Bureau.

Below - Bronx BP Diaz joined in with everyone as he stopped by to have his blood pressure taken.

Above and below - Councilman Ruben Diaz Sr. dropped by to take some photos with his son the Bronx Borough President.

Above and Below- It cane to give out the book bags. 

Tennessee Man Convicted Of Defrauding Investors In A Snack Company And A Pet Food Company

Defendant also Convicted of a Firearm Offense and Pled Guilty to a Narcotics Offense

  Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that yesterday, following a seven-day jury trial before U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff, JOEL MARGULIES was convicted of participating in two schemes to defraud more than 50 investors in the Starship Snacks Corporation and the All American Pet Company of more than $2.8 million.  MARGULIES made false and fraudulent representations about, among other things, the status of the companies’ products, guarantees that purportedly backed the investments, and the interest of large multi-national corporations in acquiring the companies.  The jury also convicted MARGULIES of illegally transferring a firearm to an out-of-state resident.  Additionally, today, MARGULIES pled guilty before Judge Rakoff to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine.

U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman said:  “Joel Margulies went to trial in Manhattan federal court to face a slew of charges related to defrauding more than 50 investors by making materially false representations about the snack and pet food companies he helped run.  As part of his schemes, Margulies used other people’s identities and created falsified documents that were sent to investors, on the basis of which he and his co-conspirators raised more than $2.8 million.  Rather than using those funds for their intended purpose of creating dog food bars and caffeinated candies, the co-conspirators spent the money on real estate in Bel Air, Manhattan, and West Palm beach, as well as on plastic surgery, luxury clothing, and the purchase of a Mercedes.  Not only was Margulies convicted unanimously by a Manhattan jury, but he also pled guilty today to conspiracy to distribute cocaine to one of his fraud scheme co-conspirators.  Margulies’s criminal conduct was as audacious as it was diverse, and he faces a lengthy sentence in federal prison.”

According to the evidence presented during the trial and statements made in related court filings and proceedings:

The All American Pet Company Fraud Scheme

From October 2013 through May 2017, MARGULIES, Lisa Bershan, and a co-conspirator raised more than $575,000 in purported loans for the All American Pet Company (“AAPT”), a penny-stock company that produced, marketed and sold food bars and other products for dogs, based on the following misrepresentations, among others: (a) that the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) had accepted an “offer in compromise” from AAPT that significantly reduced the back taxes AAPT owed to the IRS; (b) that Bershan had paid to the IRS the amount of this offer in compromise and had thus absolved AAPT of its outstanding tax liability; (c) that Bershan was the beneficial owner of a bank account containing over $6.9 million; (d) that Bershan would personally guarantee some of the loans; and (e) that Nestlé USA had proposed various business deals with AAPT.  Margulies held himself out as AAPT’s Vice President for Marketing and Advertising, but in reality he played a number of roles at the company, including communicating with investors and creating fake documents, such as forged bank account statements and letters, to support AAPT’s misrepresentations to investors.

Although MARGULIES and his co-conspirators had promised investors that they would use the loans to help improve AAPT’s manufacturing and distribution capacities, the conspirators instead used those funds largely for their personal expenses, including the rental of a luxury villa in the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles where all three of them lived.

In connection with the AAPT fraud scheme, MARGULIES used the stolen identities of three individuals – an IRS employee, a Nestlé Purina employee, and a Manhattan attorney – to create false and fraudulent letters that were sent to AAPT investors to induce them to make loans to AAPT.

The Starship Snack Corporation Fraud Scheme

From approximately August 2015 through August 2017, MARGULIES, Bershan, and a co-conspirator, Barry Schwartz, raised more than $2.3 million from investors in a company originally called the Awake Company and later renamed Starship Snacks Corporation (“Starship”), which purported to be in the business of developing and manufacturing caffeinated snack products, based on the following misrepresentations, among others: (a) that investments in Starship were guaranteed against losses by Bershan; (b) that Starship was going to be acquired by Monster Beverage (“Monster”) in a one-for-one stock exchange; (c) that Starship was engaged in actual product development and had procured samples of chocolate candies infused with caffeine; (d) that MARGULIES and others at Starship had entered into non-disclosure agreements with Monster that prohibited them from discussing Starship’s purported acquisition by Monster and its purported product development.  Margulies’s title at Starship was Senior Vice President; he served as the primary point of contact for investors, to whom he made the aforementioned misrepresentations, and he also created a number of fake documents that were used in connection with the Starship fraud.

After receiving funds from Starship investors, Margulies and his co-conspirators used those funds to maintain their own extravagant lifestyles, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on things like luxury clothing, plastic surgery, interior decorating, the rental of a high-end apartment in New York City, and the down payment for a multi-million dollar house in Florida. 

The Illegal Firearm Transfer and Narcotics Distribution of Narcotics

In addition to the fraud and identity theft conduct set forth above, the jury also convicted MARGULIES of illegally transferring a firearm and ammunition from Tennessee to Bershan in New York via commercial courier without being a licensed firearms dealer.  

Finally, MARGULIES pled guilty today to a narcotics distribution charge that had been severed from the charges that were the subject of the trial.  Specifically, MARGULIES pled guilty to a conspiracy to distribute cocaine that lasted from October 2015 through August 2017, during which MARGULIES sent, and caused to be sent, quantities of cocaine via commercial courier in interstate commerce to Bershan. 

JOEL MARGULIES, 75, of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, was convicted at trial of wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy in relation to AAPT; aggravated identity theft; securities fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit securities and wire fraud in relation to Starship; and illegally transferring a firearm to an out-of-state resident.  Today, he also pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine.  The wire fraud, securities fraud, and conspiracy to commit wire fraud counts carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; the conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud count carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; the aggravated identity carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to run consecutively to any punishment; the firearm offense carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and the drug conspiracy count carries a maximum sentence 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 would be determined by the Court.

MARGULIES is scheduled to be sentenced before Judge Rakoff on December 16, 2019, at 11:00 a.m.

Lisa Bershan and Barry Schwartz each previously pled guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced before Judge Rakoff on October 17, 2019 and October 10, 2019, respectively.

Mr. Berman praised the work of the FBI, and thanked the SEC for its assistance.

Attorney General James Takes Down Motorcycle Theft Ring In New York City

11 Individuals Indicted and Charged with 187 Crimes for Theft and Resale of Dozens of Motorcycles

  Attorney General Letitia James announced the takedown of a motorcycle theft and distribution operation in New York City. The 11 members of the ring were charged with 187 crimes related to the theft of 43 motorcycles in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and The Bronx during a six-month period from November 2018 to May 2019.

“The joyride is over for this group,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “For months, these individuals allegedly stole dozens of motorcycles from unsuspecting New Yorkers and then dismantled them for profit or resold them to customers who knowingly purchased stolen goods. I want to thank the NYPD and the Queens District Attorney’s Office for their partnership in bringing these individuals to justice. Our streets are safer today than they were yesterday.”

“The charges show that the NYPD and our law enforcement partners will shatter the false belief of any criminals who believe they can operate in plain sight with apparent impunity,” said NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill. “I commend and thank the Office of the Attorney General, the Queens District Attorney’s Office and the hardworking members of our NYPD Auto Crime unit for their professionalism and dedication to this investigation – which is now bringing justice to these eleven individuals.”

“Over the course of an ongoing investigation, my office’s Organized Crime and Rackets Bureau developed information of crimes that extended beyond the borders of Queens County,” said Acting Queens District Attorney John M. Ryan. “In keeping with Judge Brown’s tradition of collaborating with our law enforcement partners, we brought this information to the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force with full confidence the case was in good hands. We thank Attorney General James for her work to ensure justice is served.” 

This takedown originated with the Queens County District Attorney’s Office and was ultimately cultivated and completed by the Attorney General’s Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) and the New York City Police Department’s (NYPD) Auto Crime Division.

In a 187-count indictment unsealed today before Kings County Supreme Court Judge Danny Chun, the following 11 defendants were charged with numerous counts of Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the Third and Fourth Degrees, Grand Larceny in the Third and Fourth Degrees, Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Auto Stripping, and Conspiracy in the Fifth Degree, among other charges, for conspiring to steal, possess, and sell 43 stolen motorcycles and one stolen GMC Savana van, valued at a total of over $280,000.

JENNAR BATTIESTE, a/k/a/ “FIDEL” – 38 years old, Bronx, NY

DILLAN BUDHOO – 27 years old, Brooklyn, NY

PATRICK BULL, a/k/a “P-WAY” – 33 years old, Brooklyn, NY

TREVOR DAVIS, a/k/a “FORTY” – 32 years old, Edison, NJ

TIAHRA JONES, a/k/a “TIA” – 22 years old, Queens, NY

LUMAS LAENS, a/k/a “SPAZZO” – 36 years old, Brooklyn, NY

LEWIS MORAN, a/k/a “LEW” – 41 years old, Brooklyn, NY

KAON MURRAY, a/k/a “KAY” – 29 years old, Brooklyn, NY

DIMITRI ORTIZ, a/k/a “MEECH” – 26 years old, Brooklyn, NY

JOSE RIVERA III, a/k/a “FLUFF” – 32 years old, Brooklyn, NY

STANLEY WEBB, a/k/a “STAN” – 43 years old, Brooklyn, NY

The investigation revealed motorcycle theft crew members Patrick Bull, Tiahra Jones, Lumas Laens, Kaon Murray, Dimitri Ortiz, and Jose Rivera III, were responsible for locating, stealing, dismantling, and reselling stolen motorcycles throughout New York City. After stealing these motorcycles, the theft crew members transported the motorcycles back to a garage located in Brooklyn, where the motorcycles were either dismantled and sold for parts or disguised and sold whole to customers who knowingly purchased stolen goods, including Jennar Battieste, Dillan Budhoo, Trevor Davis, Lewis Moran, and Stanley Webb.

This joint investigation included hundreds of hours of physical and covert surveillance, court-authorized wiretapping of numerous target phones, execution of search warrants, and the recovery of dozens of hours of surveillance video capturing the thefts of numerous motorcycles. During the course of the wiretapping, conspirators frequently utilized coded and cryptic terminology in an attempt to disguise their illicit activities, such as referring to conducting a motorcycle theft as “busting a move,” dismantling a motorcycle for parts as “chopping it up,” and altering a vehicle identification number (VIN) as “stamping.”

If convicted, each of the defendants faces a maximum of seven years in prison. The charges against the defendants are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The charges in the indictment are the result of a joint investigation by the Attorney General’s OCTF, and the NYPD Auto Crime Unit. In addition, the Attorney General would like to thank the Queens County District Attorney’s Office and the New York State Department of Financial Services for their valuable participation in this investigation.

Bronx Chamber of Commerce - Networking & Card Exchange on August 20th.

Free raffle for a $50 gift card to one of the best restaurants in the Bronx