BRONX WOMAN SENTENCED FOR STEALING OVER $100,000 IN HRA AND SNAP BENEFITS

Defendant Pleaded Guilty to Falsifying Business Records; Must Pay Back Thousands to City of New York

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx woman has been sentenced for stealing over $100,000 in Human Resources Administration (HRA) benefits and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. 

 District Attorney Clark said, “Throughout the years the defendant illegally collected funds, her husband was working for the New York City Fire Department and the New York City Department of Sanitation. The defendant also failed to disclose that she was working at Domino’s Pizza. She stole money that is meant to help those in the most vulnerable situations.” 

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Eleana Marrero, 32, of Westchester Avenue, Bronx, N.Y., was sentenced today to five years’ probation, was ordered to pay back $30,000 in restitution and received a $86,963 judgement order of restitution by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Linda Poust-Lopez. Marrero pleaded guilty to first-degree Falsifying Business Records on December 18, 2019. 

 According to the investigation, between May 2014 and May 2017, the defendant lied about her income in City of New York HRA and SNAP benefit applications and recertifications. In the paperwork, Marrero did not disclose her husband’s income, who was a City of New York employee for the FDNY and the NYC Department of Sanitation. The defendant also lied about her income by failing to disclose in applications that she was employed by Domino’s Pizza. Marrero stole $39,590.43 in welfare cash assistance, $22,736 in SNAP benefits and $54, 636.74 in Medicaid benefits, totaling $116,963.17 in stolen funds.

 District Attorney Clark also thanked Investigator Nyah Paul of the New York State Office of the Welfare Inspector General.

Statement from Senator Rivera on the Composition of the Medicaid Redesign Team II

 "I continue to be greatly concerned about the recommendations the Medicaid Redesign Team II will be making given that there are serious gaps in the representation of the membership and the unrealistic timeline outlined by the administration. While the team that was announced today includes respected members of the health care industry, it leaves key players and sectors that are a critical to our health care delivery system out of the decision making process, most notably safety net providers, like NYC Health +Hospitals and Federally Qualified Health Centers, actual medical providers, pharmacists, and consumer representatives. The goal of Medicaid is to provide health care to New Yorkers who can´t afford to pay for it. You would think that it would be critical to include those providing a significant part of that care in a conversation on how to redesign the program."

State Senator Gustavo Rivera is the Chair of the State Senate Health Committee.

STATE OF THE CITY 2020: MAYOR DE BLASIO AND CHANCELLOR CARRANZA ANNOUNCE ACCELERATED EXPANSION OF 3-K FOR ALL

City will now serve 26,000 three-year-olds across all five boroughs in 2020-21 school year

 As part of the Mayor’s 2020 State of the City address, Mayor de Blasio and Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza are announcing that 3-K is expanding to Districts 1 (Chinatown, East Village, Lower East Side) and 14 (Greenpoint, Williamsburg) in the Fall, bringing the total number of Districts to 16, spanning every borough across the City. In the Fall of 2020, 3-K will also expand to Districts 12 (Central Bronx) and 29 (Cambria Heights, Hollis, Laurelton, Queens Village, Springfield Gardens, St. Albans) as announced in 2018. 3-K and Pre-K applications open today.

Through this expansion, 3-K for All will serve 26,000 children citywide for the 2020-21 school year. This includes all 3-year-old children served citywide in Head Start and Child Care programs, which transferred from ACS to management by the DOE this summer to create a single early childhood system for families.

"Every family should be able to give their child the world, and expanding 3-K will help us set even more of our students on the path to success,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “3-K and Pre-K for All are unlocking the potential of every child and creating more opportunity for families.” 

"I'm so excited to make 3-K bigger and better than ever this fall, serving a total of 16 districts and up to 26,000 three year olds. We know that the City's youngest learners and their families benefit tremendously from getting in the classroom earlier, and I thank Mayor de Blasio for his leadership and support in growing early childhood education each year,” said Chancellor Richard A. Caranza.

3-K for All is the nation’s most ambitious effort to provide universal, free, full-day, high-quality early childhood education for every three-year-old child, and builds on the success of Pre-K for All. Research has found every dollar invested in high-quality early education saves taxpayers as much as $13 in the long-term.

These districts were selected based on need and space availability, and builds on the Mayor’s commitment to early childhood education. Each year, the City has outpaced its planned growth—originally, 3-K was expanding to only 8 districts by Fall 2020.

With this increased commitment, the full schedule for 3-K expansion is: 

·    2017-18: District 7 (South Bronx) and District 23 (Brownsville)

·   2018-19: District 4 (East Harlem), District 5 (Harlem), District 16 (Bedford-Stuyvesant), and District 27 (Broad Channel, Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Rockaways)

·   2019-20: District 6 (Washington Heights and Inwood), District 8 (Country Club, Pelham Bay, Throgs Neck, Castle Hill, Soundview, Hunts Point), District 9 (Grand Concourse, Highbridge, Morrisania), District 19 (East New York), District 31 (Staten Island), and District 32 (Bushwick)

·   2020-21: District 1 (Chinatown, East Village, Lower East Side), District 12 (Central Bronx), District 14 (Greenpoint, Williamsburg), and District 29 (Cambria Heights, Hollis, Laurelton, Queens Village, Springfield Gardens, St. Albans)

The application for 3-K opens today, Wednesday February 5, and will remain open until Friday, April 24. Families in these new districts will be notified as new program options are added to the application, and they will be able to update their application at any time before submitting. Families can find programs and apply online at MySchools.nyc. Families can also apply over the phone at 718-935-2009, or in person at a Family Welcome Center. The online application is available in ten languages, and families can submit an application over the phone or in person in over 200 languages. All New York City families with children born in 2016 can apply for pre-K, and all families with children born in 2017 can apply for 3-K in the 2020-21 school year.

3-K and pre-K enrollment specialists – experts on sites across each neighborhood – will also be available to help families throughout the process as they find a program that best fits their child’s needs. 

Pre-K for All and 3-K for All are part of the Mayor and Chancellor’s Equity and Excellence for All agenda, which is building a pathway to success in college and careers for all students. 3-K for All and Pre-K for All are strengthening foundational skills and instruction earlier; Universal Literacy is working towards ensuring every student is reading on grade level by the end of 2nd grade; and Algebra for All is improving elementary- and middle-school math instruction and ensuring that all 8th graders have access to algebra. Equity and Excellence for All is also offering students more challenging, hands-on, college and career-aligned coursework – Computer Science for All brings 21st-century computer science instruction to every school, and AP for All is giving all high school students access to at least five Advanced Placement courses. Along the way, they are giving students and families additional support through College Access for All, Single Shepherd, and investment in Community Schools. Efforts to create more diverse and inclusive classrooms, outlined in the 2017 New York City school diversity plan and through diversity pilots taking root in eight districts, are central to this pathway.

News From Congressman Eliot Engel

Engel Leads New York City Delegation to Protect Public Health Preparedness Program

 Congressman Eliot L. Engel led the entire New York City Congressional Delegation on a letter to the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) about changes to the Hospital Preparedness Program (HPP), which could affect the City’s ability to respond to public health threats.

“Having a robust public health infrastructure is critical to protecting the City from 21^st century health threats,” said Rep. Engel. “The Hospital Preparedness Program provides crucial resources to support these efforts. Any changes to program need to account for the complex and unique threats that urban centers like New York City face.”

“The Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response must explain what methodology led to a cut to New York City’s Hospital Preparedness Program funding,” said New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot. “Coordination between public health departments and the health care system is critical for public health emergency response. As we are learning from the current coronavirus outbreak, the only way to prevent another outbreak is to maintain vigilance—and if you start cutting the budget, the cost down the road will be even greater. We look forward to working with Representative Engel and the New York City delegation on this important issue.”

HPP is the only source of federal funding for helping health care systems prepare and respond to complex health threats, including natural and man-made incidents. In 2019, ASPR proposed changes to HPP’s grant formula which could eliminate nearly 5% of the City’s HPP dollars, affecting local hospitals such as Montefiore Hospital-Wakefield Campus. This letter seeks additional information about ASPR’s changes to HPP.

Congressman Engel has been a long-time proponent of HPP. On June 4, 2019, he supported passage of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness and Advancing Innovation Act, which was signed into law and provides $385 million annually for HPP over the next five years. Engel is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee.

ENGEL STATEMENT ON THE END OF SENATE REPUBLICANS’ SHAM TRIAL

Representative Eliot L. Engel, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement:

“There’s no such thing as an acquittal when you don’t have a real trial. The Senate’s sham process was nothing more than an extension of the President’s coverup. Today’s vote was the ultimate demonstration that the Party of Lincoln has become the Party of Trump, and that for Republican lawmakers—with one courageous exception—there’s no duty or oath higher than showing loyalty to this President.

“The evidence is overwhelming that the President deserved to be impeached and removed. His abuse of power was blatant. His obstruction of a legitimate congressional inquiry was unprecedented; not even Richard Nixon went so far. There can be no justification for his actions. Those who voted not to remove him acted out of sheer partisanship and did damage to the institutions that underpin our democracy.

“Despite the Senate Republicans’ near total abdication of their responsibility, the House will not go along with the notion that this President is above the law. The Foreign Affairs Committee will push ahead with our oversight efforts to hold this administration accountable and to demonstrate to the American people that some of us in Washington still believe in the Constitution and the rule of law.”

Partnerships for Parks - Bronx News Blast-February

Partnerships for Parks is turning 25 this year!

Since 1995, PfP has been working side-by-side with communities across New York City to sustain parks through greening, beautifying, and programming. Join us to celebrate our 25th anniversary and envision the future at one of our upcoming events. The schedule will be available shortly on our website. Please sign up for our newsletter, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for updates. Share your own photos with us using the hashtag #wearepfp.

NEW YORK CITY REPORTS SECOND AND THIRD PERSON UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR NOVEL CORONAVIRUS

A second and third person in New York City met the criteria to have samples sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Both individuals, who are currently hospitalized, had recently been in mainland China

The Health Department is educating health care providers and community members about the coronavirus outbreak as the situation evolves

 Two additional people in New York City have been identified for testing for the novel coronavirus. Both individuals, who are over 60-years-old, had recently been in mainland China and presented with fever and cough or shortness of breath without another common cause, like influenza and other cold viruses, identified on testing. The first individual has been hospitalized at Flushing Hospital Medical Center. The second is hospitalized a New York-Presbyterian Queens. Both are in stable condition. Testing to determine whether these are confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus will take a minimum of 36-48 hours and depends on CDC testing capacity. 

“With the best public health system in the world, New York City stands ready to respond to any confirmed cases of the coronavirus,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I urge all New Yorkers to remain vigilant, and if you or anyone you know matches the criteria and have recently traveled to the affected areas of China, please see a medical professional.”

“We are continuing to work closely with our partners at the CDC, State and federal government as the coronavirus situation evolves,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot. “If you have traveled to the area affected by the outbreak in the last 14 days and feel unwell, call your doctor or visit a clinic, and you will be cared for. Also, practice everyday precautions like you would during flu season—wash your hands frequently, and cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze. We remain grateful to all New Yorkers for their cooperation.”

There are now eight confirmed cases in the United States and over 14,000 worldwide. At least 300 people have died. The first person under investigation for the novel coronavirus in New York City remains at Bellevue Hospital and in stable condition. The Health Department has not received results of the CDC test, and will share information about the test as soon as the results are provided.

Cases under investigation should not be presumed as likely to be confirmed. As of Friday, January 31—the latest available national numbers from CDC on cases under investigation—only six of the 120 specimens tested were identified as novel coronavirus.

The novel (new) coronavirus is a strain of coronavirus that has not been previously detected in humans. This novel coronavirus can lead to symptoms of fever, cough or shortness of breath. While some infections have resulted in severe illness, and even death, others have presented with milder symptoms and been discharged from care. 

The Health Department is continuing to monitor the evolving worldwide situation daily, including the latest data on transmissions, incubation, new cases, and guidance. The Department has distributed educational materials so that people have the facts about how to protect themselves and their families, what to do if they feel unwell and have a travel history to affected areas, and other important information about this disease. The Health Department has conducted outreach and is providing guidance to local community-based organizations and health care providers serving our communities to inform them of the necessary precautions they need to take if someone with symptoms of coronavirus visits them.

For those who feel sick with fever, cough, or difficulty breathing, and traveled to Hubei province China—or been in contact with a confirmed case novel coronavirus—within 14 days of symptom onset, the CDC recommends:

Seek medical care right away. Before going to a doctor’s office or emergency room, call ahead and tell them about recent travel and symptoms.

Avoid contact with others.

Do not travel while sick.

Cover mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not hands) when coughing or sneezing.

Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.

For more information about the coronavirus, visit the Heath Department website at nyc.gov/health.

Iranian National Charged With Bank Fraud And Lying To Federal Agents In Connection With A Scheme To Use The U.S. Financial System To Send More Than $115 Million To Iranian Individuals And Entities

  Geoffrey S. Berman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, Cyrus R. Vance Jr., New York County District Attorney, and William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today that BAHRAM KARIMI was charged with conspiring to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and making false statements in connection with his involvement in a joint project initiated by the Governments of Iran and Venezuela in which more than $115 million was illegally funneled through the U.S. financial system for the benefit of various Iranian individuals and entities.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan. 

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said:  “As alleged, Bahram Karimi knowingly and willfully facilitated the circumventing of sanctions against Iran, and then lied about it to FBI agents.  Karimi allegedly enabled the concealed transfer through U.S. banks of more than $100 million from a Venezuelan state-owned company to an Iranian construction firm, and when questioned, told the agents he didn’t know that was prohibited by the sanctions.”

FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said:  “At the end of the day, these charges reflect the use of our financial system to generate U.S. dollars for Iranians and Iranian entities.  That’s why our government has robust sanctions in place against Iran and Iranian entities who seek to use the U.S. banking system for their own benefit.”

As alleged in the Superseding Indictment and statements made in court filings and proceedings[[1]]:

In August 2004, the Governments of Iran and Venezuela entered into a Cooperation Framework Agreement, whereby they agreed to cooperate in certain areas of common interest.  The following year, both governments supplemented the Cooperation Framework Agreement by entering into a Memorandum of Understanding regarding an infrastructure project in Venezuela (the “Project”), which was to involve the construction of thousands of housing units in Venezuela. 

The Project was led by Stratus Group, an Iranian conglomerate with international business operations in the construction, banking, and oil industries.  In December 2006, Stratus Group incorporated a company, which was then known as the Iranian International Housing Corporation (“IIHC”), in Tehran.  IIHC was responsible for construction for the Project.  Thereafter, IIHC entered into a contract with a subsidiary of a Venezuelan state-owned energy company (the “VE Company”), which called for IIHC to build approximately 7,000 housing units in Venezuela in exchange for approximately $475,734,000.  Stratus Group created the Venezuela Project Executive Committee to oversee the execution of the Project.  KARIMI was a member of the committee and was responsible for managing the Project in Venezuela.

In connection with his role on the Project, KARIMI worked with others to defraud U.S. banks by concealing the role of Iranian parties in U.S. dollar payments sent through the U.S. banking system.  Specifically, between April 2011 and November 2013, the VE Company made approximately 15 payments to IIHC through two front companies, which were created to conceal the Iranian nexus to the payments, in violation of U.S. economic sanctions.  These 15 payments totaled approximately $115 million. 

In January 2020, KARIMI was interviewed by, among other people, two FBI agents.  During that interview, KARIMI falsely stated that, during the course of the Project, he believed that international sanctions against Iran did not apply to Iranian companies or persons.

KARIMI, 53, of Canada, is charged with (1) conspiring to commit bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; (2) bank fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison; and (3) making false statements, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.  The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Berman and Mr. Demers praised the outstanding investigative efforts of the New York County District Attorney’s Office and the FBI.  Mr. Berman also thanked the New York County District Attorney’s Office for their ongoing assistance in this investigation.

The charges contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Superseding Indictment and the description of the Superseding Indictment and statements and filings in court set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described herein should be treated as an allegation as to the defendant charged in the Superseding Indictment.

NYC ADVISORY COMMISSION ON PROPERTY TAX REFORM RELEASES PRELIMINARY REPORT

Report includes 10 initial recommendations to make City’s property tax system simpler, fairer and more transparent

 The New York City Advisory Commission on Property Tax Reform today released its Preliminary Report with an analysis of the City’s property tax system and a set of ten initial recommendations for system reforms. The report marks the first review of the property tax system by a government-appointed commission since 1993. The report can be found here.

The Commission reviewed the system through the lens of fairness and transparency, with the goal of ensuring properties of similar value are taxed equitably, taxes are clearly administered, and steps are in place to prevent resident displacement. The report includes a brief history of New York City’s property tax system, the current methods that the Department of Finance uses to calculate property tax bills, the challenges with the existing property tax system and initial recommendations for reform. 

The Commission reached consensus on 10 initial recommendations:

The Commission recommends moving coops, condominiums and rental buildings with up to 10 units into a new residential class along with 1-3 family homes. The property tax system would continue to consist of four classes of property: residential, large rentals, utilities, and commercial.

The Commission recommends using a sales-based methodology to value all properties in the residential class.

The Commission recommends assessing every property in the residential class at its full market value.

The Commission recommends that annual market value changes in the new residential class be phased in over five years at a rate of 20% per year, and that Assessed Value Growth Caps should be eliminated.   

The Commission recommends creating a partial homestead exemption for primary resident owners with income below a certain threshold. The exemption would be available to all eligible primary resident owners in the residential class and would replace the current Coop-Condo Tax Abatement.

The Commission recommends creating a circuit breaker within the property tax system to lower the property tax burden on low-income primary resident owners, based on the ratio of property tax paid to income.

The Commission recommends replacing the current class share system with a system that prioritizes predictable and transparent tax rates for property owners. The new system would freeze the relationship of tax rates among the tax classes for five-year periods, after which time the City would conduct a mandated study to analyze if adjustments need to be made to maintain consistency in the share of taxes relative to fair market value borne by each tax class.

The Commission recommends that current valuation methods should be maintained for properties not in the new residential class (rental buildings with more than 10 units, utilities, and commercial).

The Commission recommends a gradual transition to the new system for current owners, with an immediate transition into the new system whenever a property in the new residential class is sold.

The Commission recommends instituting comprehensive reviews of the property tax system every 10 years.

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Council Speaker Corey Johnson announced the formation of the Commission in May of 2018. The Commission was charged with developing recommendations to reform the existing property tax system to make it simpler, clearer, and fairer, while ensuring that there is no reduction in revenue used to fund essential City services.

Since its creation, the Commission conducted public hearings across the City for members of the public to testify on their view of the challenges with the existing property tax system, as well as for experts to share insights on specific issues such as mechanisms to provide relief to homeowners. In total, the Commission sponsored 10 public events, including these hearings and two public meetings where overviews of the system were presented by expert staff at the Department of Finance and City Council Finance Division.  The Commission will hold additional public hearings in each borough to solicit public input before issuing its final recommendations.

In addition to the next round of hearings and extensive stakeholder engagement, the Commission will work on addressing a number of outstanding issues to arrive at a set of final recommendations.

Commission members include Marc V. Shaw, Chair, Allen P. Cappelli, Carol O’Cleireacain, Kenneth J. Knuckles, James A. Parrott, Gary Rodney and Elizabeth Velez.  The Commission also included non-voting ex-officio members including the Commissioner of Finance Jacques Jiha, Budget Director Melanie Hartzog, City Council Finance Division Director Latonia McKinney, and the Deputy Director and Chief Economist of the City Council Finance Division Raymond Majewski. Vicki Been was co-chair of the Commission prior to her appointment as Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development.

“The property tax remains the City’s most important single revenue source, representing almost half of all the City’s annual tax revenues. The work undertaken by the Commission, first and foremost, reflects our collective desire to protect the City’s fisc, while at the same time making the system more fair, predictable and transparent,” said Commission Chair Marc V. Shaw.

“This blueprint for reform provides the opportunity to finally have equity in our real property tax system,” said Commission Member Allen P. Cappelli. “Unfairly treated communities, including much of Staten Island, should not only receive equal treatment, but also have a transparent and easily understood system!”

“The real property tax has been around a long time and engendered much animosity, particularly with respect to fairness.  So, any reform commission should view its task with much humility.  Within our mandate, we address here the sorest points.  Clearly, there is a lot of work to be done to ensure a fair system for residents and one that makes sense for the City’s twenty-first century economy,” said Commission Member Carol O’Cleireacain.

“In order for any property tax system to be deemed credible, such system must be perceived as fair, transparent, and understandable. For most City residents, real property taxes impact their largest source of capital investment and wealth.  Accordingly, there is a duty to ensure that the governing system is equitable.  I think the Commission's 10 initial recommendations represent a significant step in that direction.  I look forward to the additional feedback we will receive in public hearings across the City in the near future,” said Commission Member Kenneth J. Knuckles.

“This preliminary report presents a far-reaching set of recommendations to make the city’s property tax system more transparent, fair and equitable. There are no easy solutions to the problems rooted in state law that have festered for nearly 40 years. This report deserves careful consideration through the upcoming borough public hearings and other discussions that hopefully will result in a broad public consensus in support of these recommendations,” said Commission Member James A. Parrott.

“Everyone feels the impact of the inequities in our property tax system.  The recommendations in this preliminary report attempt to address the challenges of our system by making it fairer for everyone regardless of their neighborhood.  We look forward to working collaboratively with our partners at the city and state to make comprehensive reform of our property tax system a reality,” said Commission Member Gary Rodney.

“Property tax reform is of significant importance and should allow for a more understandable and equitable structure. This is especially relevant as it relates to its impact on New York City’s homeowners and the corresponding burden on renters within our communities,” said Commission Member Elizabeth Velez.