ACTIONNYC: MAYOR’S OFFICE OF IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS ANNOUNCES FUNDING AWARDS TO ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING FREE AND SAFE IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES TO NEW YORKERS CITYWIDE

 

ActionNYC RFP awards more than $16 million over the next 2.5 years to 21 community-based organizations and legal service providers across the five boroughs. Selected organizations will provide free high-quality immigration legal services to the City’s most historically under-represented communities in over 40 languages and indigenous dialects.

 

New ActionNYC Capacity-Building Fellowship supports the development of immigration legal services programs in community-based organizations serving hard-to-reach African, Asian, and Caribbean immigrant communities.

 The Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and Department of Social Services/Human Resources Administration celebrate five years since the launch of ActionNYC by awarding 21 community-based organizations (CBOs) and legal service providers with more than $16 million in funding over the course of the next 2.5 years to provide immigration legal services to New York City’s immigrant communities. ActionNYC provides immigrant New Yorkers with free, comprehensive immigration legal screenings, legal representation, accurate and timely immigration-related information, and referrals to City-funded and community-based resources and support services.

 

Concluding a Request for Proposals (RFP) process initiated in November 2019, this investment further institutionalizes ActionNYC—the City’s premiere, free, community-based immigration legal services program—into the fabric of City-funded service offerings. Through the RFP awards, services will be provided at trusted community sites and at public schools, hospitals, and libraries citywide; anchored with a continued citywide hotline and appointment making system; and supported by continued legal training and assistance for ActionNYC attorneys and navigators.

 

The selected CBOs are uniquely positioned to meet community-specific needs due to their immigration legal expertise, strong local ties, and cultural and linguistic competence, and will serve immigrant communities that are historically under-represented and hard to reach. Through these awards, ActionNYC increases service provision to African, Asian, and Caribbean communities and furthers the City’s commitment to greater racial equity.

In addition to these awards, the City will provide more than $400,000 in funding to the ActionNYC Capacity-Building Fellowship program, which supports the development of legal expertise, infrastructure, and capacity of community-based organizations with small, limited, or growing immigration legal service programs. In Fiscal Year 2021, Fellows will serve immigrants from South Asia, Asia, Africa, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East, as well as immigrant members of the LGBTQ community.

 

“During this administration, we have made the largest local investment in immigration legal services in the nation because we know keeping families together and helping immigrant New Yorkers thrive makes us stronger as a city,” said Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Bitta Mostofi. “At a time when immigrant families continue to face cruel, xenophobic threats by the Trump Administration, New York City continues to stand with our immigrant communities. Furthering our commitment to diversity and inclusion by working with community organizations deeply rooted in our city’s hardest-to-reach immigrant communities, ActionNYC will reach even more New Yorkers in need at the trusted places they commonly turn to for help.”

 

“Penalizing families and children seeking food assistance and other essential services to make ends meet is unconscionable and un-American,” said Department of Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks. “Amid a pandemic and an unprecedented economic crisis, the Trump Administration is actively sowing distrust in government among our immigrant communities, which will only make our recovery harder. Our City remains committed to doing everything we can to protect and support our immigrant neighbors—and ActionNYC embodies this mission and commitment, which is why we’re proud to celebrate its progress and expand it to take that progress even further. We urge any New Yorker with questions or concerns about benefits, services, livelihood, or legal matters to get free legal help via the ActionNYC initiative.”   

  

“We are grateful for the partnerships MOIA is further enhancing to ensure all New Yorkers understand their rights regardless of their immigration status and are able to seek critical services throughout the City,” said NYC Health + Hospitals President and CEO Mitchell Katz, MD. “Our public hospital system has historically come to the aid of undocumented populations to provide important healthcare services. We’re proud to continue to advocate for these populations alongside other City agencies, CBOs, and allies.”

 

“ActionNYC is a critical resource for thousands of immigrant New Yorkers, and these partnerships will help expand access to free and safe immigration legal services for communities in need,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza. “We are proud to help connect New Yorkers to these services through our schools and know this initiative will strengthen legal assistance for immigrant residents across the five boroughs.”

 

“Over the past nearly five years, ActionNYC has provided thousands of non-citizens living in New York City with a range of vital—and free—legal services, with the goal of ensuring that all New Yorkers, regardless of immigration status, can access the assistance to which they are entitled,” said HRA Administrator Gary Jenkins. “As our City continues to recover from the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on building back fairer and more equitably than before, this Administration understands that all communities must be able to share in the growth and prosperity. Our expansion of ActionNYC continues to make sure New York City remains a place where anyone can strive towards a better future and thrive.”   

 

“For 125 years, The New York Public Library has welcomed New Yorkers from all walks of life, providing greater access to opportunities and a deeper sense of community,” said Adriana Blancarte-Hayward, Manager of Outreach Services at The New York Public Library. “We are proud to be a trusted space for newcomers to our City, offering vital programs for immigrants. Opening our doors to legal service organizations that provide valuable programs that complement our offerings furthers our mission to ensure everyone who visits the Library receives the support they need to succeed.”

 

“The library is very often the first stop for immigrants upon their arrival in New York City and is as essential to the modern immigrant experience as Ellis Island was to those who arrived here a century ago,” said Nick Higgins, Chief Librarian at The Brooklyn Public Library. “We have long provided language classes, citizenship prep groups, legal services, civics workshops and a safe space for New York's diverse immigrant community to grow and thrive. We are delighted to be a part of Action NYC to continue this important, even urgent work in hard-to-reach-communities across the borough.”

 

New York City is home to 3.1 million immigrants who comprise about 37 percent of the city’s population and 45 percent of its workforce. Recognizing that when immigrants thrive, our City thrives, the de Blasio administration launched ActionNYC in December 2015 to provide immigrant New Yorkers with access to free, high-quality immigration legal services in their language, at safe locations in their community. The initial investment was more than $7.9 million—then the largest local investment in immigration legal services in the nation. 

 

Over the ensuing years, the current federal administration’s anti-immigrant policies, practices, and rhetoric heightened concerns among immigrant New Yorkers and increased the need for free and trusted immigration legal services. In this high-pressure environment, with the stakes for New York City’s immigrants higher than ever, ActionNYC fulfilled its mandate and provided immigrant New Yorkers with high-quality and timely immigration-related information and legal services, at trusted community locations, by professionals with relevant cultural and linguistic competencies. ActionNYC also provided referrals to other City-funded programs and organizations providing services contributing to the broader health and well-being of immigrant communities. Since its launch, ActionNYC has served over 35,000 immigrant New Yorkers and filed over 12,000 cases. 

 

The ActionNYC model enables community-based organizations to optimize their capacity to provide immigrant families with high quality, free legal services by pairing attorneys with trained navigators. Community navigators are community members who receive specialized training to assist in the provision of quality immigration services in their communities. Selected organizations receive legal technical assistance, including legal trainings and assistance in gaining or maintaining recognition and accreditation from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Legal Access Programs (OLAP). This model was designed with input from a range of City agencies, legal service providers, community partners, and philanthropic partners.

 

The ActionNYC RFP awarded contracts will further ensure CBOs and legal service providers with linguistically competent staff can serve community members with free, safe, and high-quality immigration legal services in their language at trusted community sites. Through these new partners, ActionNYC will provide services to community members from hard-to-reach immigrant populations in neighborhoods throughout all five boroughs.

 

ActionNYC provides free comprehensive legal screenings to all of its clients and provides application assistance for a wide range of cases, including green card renewals, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) renewals, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) applications, and citizenship applications. Individuals also receive other ancillary benefits, including referrals for non-immigration-legal needs including food assistance, education assistance and opportunities, housing support, non-immigration legal services, mental health services, and health care.  ActionNYC also connects community members with key City programs including NYC Care, a key component of Mayor de Blasio’s Guaranteed Health Care commitment to New Yorkers, and IDNYC, the largest municipal identification program in the nation. With this support, New Yorkers will continue to receive comprehensive immigration legal screenings and, where needed, legal representation over the course of the coming years.

 

The organizations receiving funding, either directly or via sub-agreement, are:

 

1. African Communities Together (ACT)
2. African Services Committee (ASC)
3. Arab American Association of New York (AAANY)
4. BronxWorks, Inc.
5. CAMBA Legal Services, Inc.
6. Caribbean Women's Health Association (CWHA)
7. Catholic Charities Community Services (CCCS)
8. Chhaya Community Development Corporation (Chhaya CDC)
9. Chinese American Planning Council (CPC)
10. Haitian Americans United for Progress (HAUP)
11. Immigrant Justice Corps (IJC)
12. Jacob A Riis Neighborhood Settlement
13. Little Sisters of the Assumption (LSA)
14. Lutheran Social Services of Metropolitan New York (LSSNY)
15. Make the Road New York (MRNY)
16. MinKwon Center for Community Action
17. New York Legal Assistance Group (NYLAG)
18. Northern Manhattan Improvement Corporation (NMIC)
19. SCO Family Services/Center for Family Life (CFL)
20. Sunnyside Communities (SCS)
21. The Door

 

“Our organization has been providing multilingual, culturally competent immigration legal services to underserved African immigrant communities across New York City for seven years. But until now we have been dependent on lawyers from other agencies to handle our cases,” said Amaha Kassa, Executive Director of African Communities Together (ACT). “This award from ActionNYC will enable ACT to serve our communities directly and meet the increasing needs of New York's fast-growing African immigrant communities.”

 

“For nearly four decades, African Services Committee has been dedicated to providing broad-spectrum solutions to immigrants, refugees, and asylees and we look forward to providing additional legal immigration services as a proud ActionNYC partner to lift up newcomers during this time of great fear, uncertainty, and loss,” said Franco Torres, Supervising Attorney at African Services Committee (ASC). “ActionNYC is an important program that allows organizations like ours to better serve and protect immigrant New Yorkers. We are thrilled to be a part of the expansion of this program and the vital support it offers to immigrant New Yorkers.”

 

“Since 2015, ActionNYC has changed and saved lives for thousands of immigrants across New York,” said Marwa Janini, Executive Director of the Arab American Association of New York (AAANY). “As our city deals with the impacts of COVID-19, ActionNYC has been more essential than ever, providing lifelines to tens of thousands of families struggling due to the pandemic. We're incredibly proud to be a part of ActionNYC's work to protect and support immigrants who are the backbone of our city, and we look forward to working with ActionNYC to support New Yorkers through this crisis and beyond.”

 

“BronxWorks is proud to accept the ActionNYC grant awarded by the Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Affairs. The ActionNYC program plays a critically important role in strengthening our community by providing free, safe, and reliable services to individuals and families that make up New York,” stated BronxWorks, Inc. “This program, in combination with the myriad of other services provided by BronxWorks, allows the agency to assist community members in a holistic manner that ensures the complex needs of the community can be addressed as a whole.”Today, the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs and Department of Social Services/Human Resources Administration celebrate five years since the launch of ActionNYC by awarding 21 community-based organizations (CBOs) and legal service providers with more than $16 million in funding over the course of the next 2.5 years to provide immigration legal services to New York City’s immigrant communities. ActionNYC provides immigrant New Yorkers with free, comprehensive immigration legal screenings, legal representation, accurate and timely immigration-related information, and referrals to City-funded and community-based resources and support services.

 

DEC ENCOURAGES HIKERS AND VISITORS TO CHECK OUT NEW YORK’S HIDDEN GEMS WHILE CONTINUING TO PLAY SMART * PLAY SAFE * PLAY LOCAL

 

DEC Encourages New Yorkers to Avoid Crowded Destinations and Recreate Responsibly during State's Ongoing Response to COVID-19 

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today is encouraging outdoor enthusiasts to explore less-traveled destinations instead of crowded hotspots while following the principles of Leave No Trace. In anticipation of visitors looking to get outside over the upcoming holiday weekend, Commissioner Seggos called on visitors to do their part to protect all State Lands for future generations by packing out what they bring in and not leaving litter behind. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, DEC is also reminding hikers and visitors to use common sense guidelines for smart and safe recreation, including incorporating social distancing and wearing a face mask, planning trips ahead, choosing a destination close to home, and visiting at off hours. "New Yorkers are desperate for a chance to get outside, go for a hike, see new sights, and get a breath of fresh air. It’s fantastic that so many people are discovering the outdoors, but these lands belong to all of us and everyone can help to protect State Lands for generations to come," Commissioner Seggos said. "We’re asking New Yorkers to try a trail less traveled and enjoy the many other incredible destinations across the state so that we can all recreate safely and responsibly during the pandemic.” Over the last decade, DEC has witnessed a steady increase in the number of visitors recreating on the lands and waters of the Forest Preserve and conservation easements in the Adirondacks, particularly in the High Peaks area. DEC has also seen increased use in the Catskills and on lands statewide. With this increase in use, DEC is also seeing an uptick in impacts to natural resources and recreational infrastructure, and complaints about degradation of the visitor experience. DEC held four focus group meetings in 2018 to help identify strategies and potential solutions to responsible recreation. A stakeholder meeting in 2019 identified priorities to address including illegal parking, public safety, and trail degradation. The outcome of the stakeholder meeting was the formation of the High Peaks Strategic Planning Advisory Group, which is developing its final report to submit to DEC. Rather than visiting the High Peaks, DEC is encouraging New Yorkers to check out the State’s hidden gems. In the Southern Tier, Cameron State Forest in Steuben County is a great place to start for those looking for an opportunity in the more remote wilderness. While there are no designated parking lots, parking is available along the edges of Pump Station Road. Wildlife spotted in the area include black bear, black-throated warblers, and brook trout. Outdoor adventurers looking for easier trails can visit Pharsalia Woods State Forest, which features the Round Pond Observation Platform in Chenango County. An accessible boardwalk leads from the accessible parking lot to the platform, which overlooks the 90-acre Round Pond wetland complex. In Steuben County, Urbana State Forest has a short loop trail with access to Huckleberry Bog. On Long Island, the Ridge Conservation Area offers 184 acres of mixed wooded and open habitats. Trail markers and an interpretive trail help visitors explore the property that includes 81 acres of reverting farm fields, 85 acres of forest, and four acres of fishable ponds. Randall Pond is a prime site for a picnic or casting a line. In addition, Long Island visitors can check out the Clarence Hylan Beavers Memorial Trail in Smithtown. Part of Kings Park Unique Area, this 69-acre green space is open for hiking and wildlife viewing and features an accessible parking lot and trail. The longest hiking trail is the 1.1-mile Blue Loop Trail. The Clarence Hylan Beavers Memorial Trail is a 0.3-mile accessible trail made of crushed stone and sand. The trail drops one foot in elevation for every 20 feet in length. In the Finger Lakes, check out Conesus Inlet Wildlife Management Area in Livingston County, which has two trails that can be accessed from Sliker Hill Rd. The first trail connects three boardwalks that extend out into the edge of the marsh. A portion of the trail along the stream is fully accessible. The second trail is a loop trail that parallels the road for about half its length and travels through field habitat. In Central New York, Muller Hill Historic Site in Madison County features a 0.25-mile accessible trail, which provides access to the former mansion site of Louise Muller and a wildlife viewing site on Muller Pond. The Mohawk Valley features the Black River Wild Forest in Herkimer and Oneida counties. The 127,135 acres are located in the southwestern foothills of the Adirondack Forest Preserve and offer a broad spectrum of recreational opportunities. Elevations in the unit range from 1,350 to 2,600 feet, with the highest relief found between Nicks Lake and Woodhull Lake and around North and South Lakes. The Ledge Mountain Trail (Vista Trail) in the town of Ohio, Herkimer County, is 2.25 miles east of the intersection of NYS Routes 8 and 365, on Rt. 8. Look for the large snowplow turnaround on the north side of the road. Park in the turnaround on Route 8 and hike in on the right-hand driveway until the sign-in register/trail head sign. The Vista Trail is an easy 1.1-mile hike to a scenic view on Ledge Mountain overlooking the West Canada Creek Valley. The Bear Lake Trail in the town of Ohio, Herkimer County, is 1.25 miles down the Herkimer Landing Road from the hamlet of McKeever. Grass River Wild Forest in St. Lawrence County is home several rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds, providing plenty of opportunities for paddling, boating, and fishing. One of the scenic features is Harper Falls on the North Branch of the Grass River. The trailhead just off the Donnerville Road is a fairly easy 1.4 miles round trip with a vertical drop of approximately 60 feet. The WAG Trail can be found in Allegany County, in Western New York. It’s a nine-mile, multi-use recreational trail and historic transportation corridor that extends between the village of Wellsville and the Pennsylvania state line. The trail follows the route of the former Wellsville, Addison and Galeton (WAG) Railroad along the upper Genesee River. In New York City, Old Place Creek in Richmond County is home to 70 acres of land featuring a critical tidal and subtidal wetland habitat. The headwaters for the creek begin in the forested wetlands of Graniteville Swamp Woods and then slowly meander toward the northern end of the Arthur Kill next to Goethals Bridge, providing a wonderful stretch of tidal salt marsh. Also in Richmond County is Mt Loretto State Forest, 74 acres of unique and diverse green space. This property includes both mixed hardwood forest and wetland habitats, features that make it a beautiful area to hike and one of the best places in the area to spot amphibians. The Mid-Hudson region is home to the Sundown Wild Forest in Ulster County. A series of picturesque waterfalls with pools, dropping about 30 feet in four stages can be found at the Vernooy Kill Falls. A foot bridge crosses the base of the falls for a gorgeous view. Nearby is a tall stonewall, a remnant of the Vernooy Mill which served as a major crossroads where farmers near and far brought grain for milling 200 years ago. The upper falls of the Vernooy Kill can be accessed via a multiple use trail starting at the newly constructed parking area on Upper Cherrytown Road in the town of Rochester. For the Capital Region, check out Taconic Ridge State Forest in Rensselaer County. The Taconic Crest Trail runs 35 miles along the New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts border, with a maximum elevation of almost 3,000 feet at Berlin Mountain. A popular section of the trail begins in Petersburg, New York, and leads to the popular "snow hole," a cave-like crevice where snow is sometimes found even in summer. Leave No Trace Litter is both an eyesore and poses a danger to local wildlife and delicate ecosystems. DEC is encouraging visitors to the State's natural areas and facilities to keep New York's environment clean by properly disposing of waste. Follow these tips to Leave No Trace:  Carry out what you carry in. Don't leave trash, food, gear, or any other personal belongings behind.  Trash your trash. Use designated receptacles when available or carry your trash in a small bag so you can throw it out at home. Never put trash in outhouses or porta-potties.  Use designated bathroom facilities when available. If traveling, use the rest areas closest to your destination before you arrive. Learn how to dig a cat hole(leaves DEC website) and properly dispose of your human waste for the times when nature calls and a bathroom is not available.  During the COVID-19 public health crisis, take extra precautions when picking up trash you find on the trail. Wear gloves and make sure to hand sanitize when you are done.  This past summer, DEC and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) launched the PLAY SMART * PLAY SAFE * PLAY LOCAL Campaign to encourage all New Yorkers to recreate safely, responsibly, and locally this summer and to always treat fellow outdoor adventurers with respect. The campaign invites people to take the PLAY SMART * PLAY SAFE * PLAY LOCAL pledge, and promise to use common sense to protect themselves and others when enjoying the outdoors. During the State's ongoing response to COVID-19, New Yorkers across the state want and need to get outside for a nature break, which is good for physical and mental health. The campaign and pledge include common sense guidelines for smart and safe recreation, including incorporating social distancing and wearing a face mask, planning trips ahead, choosing a destination close to home because public restrooms and restaurants may not be open, and visiting at off hours. The agencies are also encouraging New Yorkers to take the pledge and use the hashtag #PlaySmartPlaySafePlayLocal when sharing their outdoor adventures on social media.   New Yorkers are strongly advised to plan their outdoor adventures ahead of time and choose alternate destinations if their first choice is closed or crowded. Check parks.ny.gov and 511 for park capacity closure alerts and visit the DECinfo locator to find the nearest DEC-managed lands. DEC and State Parks websites also feature guidelines to help New Yorkers safely engage in outdoor activities including swimming, hunting, fishing, boating, golf, and hiking. Indoor spaces and restrooms at State Parks and DEC public facilities may remain closed out of an abundance of caution to prevent community spread of COVID-19, so New Yorkers are encouraged to stay local, within their region, and use the #RecreateLocal hashtag on social media. Note: Attached photos of Conesus Inlet Wildlife Management Area, WAG Trail and Old Place Creek courtesy of DEC.

DEC 2020 Hidden Gems Conesus Trail in Livingston County.jpg DEC 2020 Hidden Gems Old Place Creek in Richmond County.jpg DEC 2020 Hidden Gems WAG trail in Allegany County.jpg

Former Construction Executive Pleads Guilty To Tax Evasion In Connection With Bribery Scheme

 

Other Executives Charged and Sentenced in Same Construction Kickback Scheme

 Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ANTHONY GUZZONE, a former Director of Global Construction at Bloomberg, LLC (“Bloomberg”), pled guilty today to charges of evading taxes on more than $1.45 million in bribes he received from building sub-contractors.  In related proceedings, co-conspirator Michael Campana, a subordinate construction manager at Bloomberg, was sentenced on July 24, 2020, by U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote to 24 months in prison, for evading taxes on more than $420,000 in the same scheme.  In addition, Ronald Olson and Vito Nigro, two managers of a construction contractor that performed projects for Bloomberg, were separately charged in July 2020 for evading taxes on more than $1.4 million and $1.8 million, respectively, in bribes that they received in the same scheme.  Olson pled guilty to those charges on July 29, 2020, before U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel.[1]

Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said:  “Bribery and tax evasion each impose hidden, unfair costs on the law-abiding public.  The sort of criminality admitted to by Anthony Guzzone imposes that burden widely, on customers, on employers, and on taxpayers.  Guzzone now awaits sentencing for his crime.”

According to the four criminal Informations filed in these federal cases, as well as other public documents and recent court proceedings:

Between 2010 and 2017, GUZZONE was the Director of Global Construction at Bloomberg, a global financial firm that was engaged in various building projects in New York City and elsewhere, while Olson and Nigro were executives at a construction contractor that performed projects for Bloomberg.  For most of that time, beginning in 2013, Campana was also a construction manager at Bloomberg.  Each of the defendants participated in a scheme to obtain bribes from construction sub-contractors, who paid kickbacks to the defendants in exchange for being awarded various construction contracts and sub-contracts performed for Bloomberg.

In all, the defendants are charged with failing to pay taxes, between 2010 and 2017, on bribes exceeding $5.1 million.  The defendants received such bribes in various forms, including millions of dollars in cash, as well as construction labor and materials for work on their individual homes and properties, and the direct payment of personal expenses.  Such personal expenses included charges related to Campana’s 2017 wedding, such as approximately $40,000 paid by sub-contractors to a catering hall in New Jersey, over $13,000 to a photography studio, and over $23,000 to a travel agent for airline tickets purchased in connection with Campana’s honeymoon.  Each of the defendants evaded federal income tax on this bribery income, by failing to declare it on income tax returns for various years between 2010 and 2017.

GUZZONE, 51, of Middletown, New Jersey, pled guilty today to a single count of tax evasion for the tax years 2010 through 2017.  GUZZONE is scheduled to be sentenced on January 7, 2021, at 2:00 p.m., before United States District Judge Lewis J. Liman. 

Olson, 53, of Massapequa, New York, pled guilty on July 29, 2020, to a single count of tax evasion for the tax years 2011 through 2017.

Nigro, 59, of Middletown, New Jersey, was charged on July 16, 2020, with a single count of tax evasion for the tax years 2011 through 2017.

The charges against GUZZONE, Olson, and Nigro each carry a maximum sentence of five years in prison, a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, and an order of restitution.  The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judges.

Campana, 34, of Tuckahoe, New York, pled guilty to a tax evasion charge on November 26, 2019, for the tax years 2014 thought 2017, and was sentenced on July 24, 2020, to 24 months in prison, three years of supervised release, restitution of $155,000 in unpaid taxes (which he has repaid), and a fine of $10,000. 

Ms. Strauss praised the excellent work of the Internal Revenue Service.

[1]  In addition, all four defendants have been charged in New York State Supreme Court for participating in the underlying bribery scheme. Nigro and Campana have pled guilty in that case and are awaiting sentencing.

Former Wall Street Trader Sentenced To More Than 5 Years In Prison For Running A Ponzi Scheme

 

 Audrey Strauss, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that PAUL A. RINFRET was sentenced in Manhattan federal court today to 63 months in prison for participating in a Ponzi scheme in which he obtained approximately $19 million in total from victims through a variety of lies and misrepresentations.  RINFRET pled guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of securities fraud on October 8, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Gregory H. Woods, who also imposed today’s sentence.

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said:  “Today, Paul Rinfret was brought to justice for callously lying to investors.  Rinfret told investors his investment returns were excellent, when in fact he failed to invest investor funds as promised, generated losses when he did invest, and diverted the majority of investor funds to his personal use and to repay investors in a Ponzi-like fashion.  We will continue to aggressively pursue frauds like this one, which caused millions of dollars in losses, in order to preserve investor confidence in our capital markets.”

According to the allegations contained in the Complaint and the Indictment:           

From at least 2016 through 2019, RINFRET engaged in a scheme to defraud potential and actual investors in an entity called Plandome Partner s L.P. for his own personal gain and for the gain of his family members.  RINFRET offered potential investors the ability to invest in Plandome Partners through the purchase of limited partnership interests.  In soliciting investments, RINFRET falsely represented to potential and actual investors (the “Victims”) that he would use all of their investment funds to trade futures contracts tied to the Standard & Poor’s 500 index using a propriety trading algorithm he had developed, taking for himself a fee equivalent to 25% of the net profits on the trades. 

Through his fraudulent scheme, RINFRET obtained approximately $19 million in total from approximately six Victims on the false claim that he would utilize their investment funds for trading.  RINFRET’s lies and misrepresentations were varied and many.  For example, RINFRET claimed that Plandome Partners traded through certain brokerage accounts, one of which simply did not exist, and two of which were not open at a time when RINFRET claimed to be trading in those accounts. 

Further, RINFRET used only a small portion of the Victims’ invested funds to engage in actual trading.  Instead, RINFRET used most of the Victims’ money to purchase luxury goods and high-end vacation rentals for himself and family members.  For example, RINFRET used the Plandome Partners account to spend almost $50,000 on a luxury Hamptons vacation rental, more than $40,000 on jewelry, and tens of thousands of dollars on the event venue where his son held his engagement party. 

When RINFRET did actually engage in trading with Victims’ funds, he generated losses.  But, to prevent his Victims from seeking a return of their money, and to induce additional investments, RINFRET falsely reported excellent investment performance results to the Victims through false and fraudulent monthly account statements that RINFRET typically emailed to the Victims.  RINFRET also sent fabricated brokerage account statements to the Victims.  

In addition to the prison term, RINFRET, 71, of Manhasset, New York, was sentenced to two years of supervised release, ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $20,268,268, and to pay $12,290,803 in restitution to his victims.           

Ms. Strauss praised the investigative work of Homeland Security Investigations and also thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance in the investigation.

Governor Cuomo Announces 16 Additional Bar and Restaurants' Liquor Licenses Suspended for Egregious Violations of Coronavirus-Related Regulations

 

217 Businesses' Liquor Licenses Have Been Suspended During Public Health Emergency

Multi-Agency Task Force Conducted Over 8,600 Compliance Checks Over the Last Week, Observing 40 Additional Violations in New York City and on Long Island

1,161 Charges Have Been Filed and Processed To Date; Updated List of Suspensions and Charges Available HERE

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the state has suspended liquor licenses for 16 additional bars and restaurants in New York State after finding egregious violations of pandemic-related Executive Orders, bringing the total number of liquor licenses suspended during the coronavirus pandemic to 217. Over the last week, the state's multi-agency task force -- led by the State Police and State Liquor Authority -- conducted 8,634 compliance checks, documenting violations at 40 establishments. Businesses found in violation of COVID-19 regulations face fines up to $10,000 per violation, while egregious violations can result in the immediate suspension of a bar or restaurant's liquor license. 

In addition, the SLA continues its enforcement efforts throughout the rest of the state, with a focus in and around college areas and counties with upticks in COVID-19 cases. Suspensions in Albany, Dutchess, and Ontario Counties are a direct result of this detail's work. The SLA will continue to patrol these areas to protect New Yorkers during the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure colleges can continue to operate.

"Our heightened enforcement efforts are clearly making a difference - leading to more compliance and fewer violations, which has always been the goal. However, some business owners still believe these health and safety measures are optional, and we will not hesitate to hold those who recklessly put their fellow New Yorkers' health and safety at risk accountable," Governor Cuomo said. "With the start of flu season upon us, colleges and schools opening, and localized coronavirus clusters in the state, we cannot take any chances - and we must continue to enforce the rules that helped us beat back this deadly virus."

State Liquor Authority Chair Vincent Bradley said, "The task force has been working diligently to stop the small number of businesses who feel they are above the law from putting the public's health and safety at risk. There are more good apples in New York than bad, and we want to thank those who have been adapting to these tough situations and working to keep their employees and patrons healthy."

The 16 establishments issued emergency orders of summary suspension from the State Liquor Authority Board are located in New York City, Long Island, Mid-Hudson and Capital Region.

In New York City, that includes:

• Bronx - 1
• Brooklyn- 4
• Manhattan - 1
• Queens - 1

Those outside of New York City include:

• Albany - 1
• Dutchess - 2
• Nassau - 2
• Oneida - 1
• Ontario - 1
• Suffolk - 2

The emergency suspensions were ordered by Chairman Bradley, Commissioner Lily Fan and Commissioner Greeley Ford at special meetings of the Full Board between September 19th and September 27th conducted by a digitally recorded video under social distancing guidelines. Emergency Summary Suspensions are imposed when the SLA finds the continued operation of a licensed business threatens public health and safety. Suspension orders are served immediately and remain in effect indefinitely, with the maximum penalty including the permanent revocation of the license and fines of up to $10,000 per violation. Licensees subject to an emergency suspension are entitled to an expedited hearing before an SLA Administrative Law Judge.

"La Fuente Steak House" at 1306 Jerome Avenue in the Bronx, on September 27, 2020

On August 26th, investigators with the state's multi-agency task force and officers with the NYPD observed over thirty patrons standing and congregating, drinking, and smoking hookah in this business' sidewalk café area and on the street and sidewalk extending in front of a neighboring business.  Over ten patrons were seated under a tented area, which was enclosed on three sides, making it a prohibited indoor-type seating area. Multiple employees were observed without facial coverings, including members of the kitchen staff and a bartender. The business is a repeat offender, with pending charges filed just one day earlier for violations including no food service and employees without facial coverings, in addition to operating a hookah establishment without a permit. 

The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports Announces Opening of New Women’s Addiction Treatment Program on Long Island

Outreach's Recovery Residence for Women Offers 25 Residential beds for Women Affected by Addiction in Suffolk and Nassau Counties

 The New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS) today announced the opening of Outreach's Recovery Residence for Women on Long Island. Operated by Outreach Development Corporation, the new 25-bed women’s residential treatment program, which opened officially earlier this year, will provide adults with comprehensive addiction services such as early recovery supports, medication-assisted treatment, and trauma informed care. OASAS contributed $1 million in funding for the facility and the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) oversaw construction. 

“During this difficult time with the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important now more than ever to make sure individuals and families have the services and support they need,” said Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul, Co-Chair of the NYS Heroin and Opioid Task Force. “The opening of this new women’s addiction treatment program on Long Island will offer recovery services and residential options for women who are struggling with addiction in the Nassau and Suffolk County area. We are committed to continuing to invest in treatment and facilities across the state to help build back better, enhance quality of life and combat the opioid epidemic in New York.”

“Many gender specific life circumstances experienced by women may require a specialized treatment approach and this program will enable us to meet these unique needs,” OASAS Commissioner Arlene González-Sánchez said. “The opening of this new women’s program continues to build upon our overall statewide efforts to expand and provide targeted resources and supportive services for specific populations while also providing them with the tools to help them to thrive and achieve a life in sustained recovery.”

Outreach will be able to serve an additional 50 to 75 women per year as a result of this program. The addition of these beds furthers New York State’s efforts to provide a full continuum of residential care for women suffering from addiction in order to better deliver the individualized care that is essential to recovery. By incorporating essential elements of treatment all in one place, the Outreach staff is able to work with each individual to establish a personalized treatment plan which effectively addresses their recovery needs.

This new facility will offer residential addiction treatment services for women, ages 18 and over from Suffolk and Nassau counties, helping them to successfully transition back into their communities when they are ready. Residential treatment services also include case management services, group counseling, skill-building, training in life skills and parenting, and recreational activities. Additionally, the facility has 24-hour staffing, common living and recreational space, and transportation available to and from Outreach's enhanced outpatient program for women, also in Brentwood.

Outreach's Recovery Residence for Women is located at 400 Crooked Hill Road, West Brentwood, NY 11717. A video walkthrough of the facility can be viewed here.

“DASNY is proud to have managed this project for our partners at OASAS, helping oversee the design of a facility with features put in place specifically to help a vulnerable population receive the services they need on their road to recovery,” said Reuben R. McDaniel, III, DASNY President and CEO. “The additional living and treatment space provided, as well as special attention given to one-on-one and group therapy settings will ensure more women on Long Island have safe access to quality care.”

New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state's toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369). 

Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, residential, community residence, opioid treatment programs or outpatient care can be found using the NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the NYS OASAS website.

New Rochelle Man Charged With Attempted Murder Of Fbi Task Force Officer During A Broad Daylight Shooting In Yonkers

 

 Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and John J. Mueller, Commissioner of the Yonkers Police Department, announced charges today against DARREN SMITH for attempting to murder a federal law enforcement officer.  The defendant will be presented in White Plains federal court today before Chief United States Magistrate Judge Paul E. Davison.

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said:  “As alleged, the defendant fired a handgun into a commercial hub in Yonkers and, in a further wanton disregard for human life, attempted to direct his fire at a federal law enforcement officer.  Our Office will work to ensure that those who put our law enforcement partners in danger are held to account.”

FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said:  “As law enforcement professionals, we all take an oath to protect the public from harm.  When this subject allegedly fired his gun wildly into a public square to prevent his arrest, police officers, including a task force officer from our Westchester Safe Streets Task Force, took immediate action to prevent innocent people from being killed or injured by stray bullets.  We take our oath seriously, and we won’t back away from our pursuit of holding criminals accountable for their actions.”

Yonkers Police Commissioner John J. Mueller said:  “As this was one of the most depraved and reckless acts I have witnessed in my 28 years in law enforcement, the response by our Yonkers Police Officers was also one of the most heroic and selfless acts I have witnessed in my career.  We often hear how our police officers run toward danger, without consideration for their own well-being. In this incident, everyone who views the video can attest to the validity of this often used term.  As Yonkers Police Commissioner, I could not be prouder of the officers and supervisors that God has blessed me to work with.  Thank you also to the outpouring of support from our beloved community who have inundated the Yonkers Police with well wishes and gratitude.”

As alleged in the Complaint[1]:

On September 25, 2020, after law enforcement officers attempted to stop SMITH’s car, he fled on foot with a handgun.  As officers, including a FBI Task Force Officer, attempted to arrest him, SMITH fired his handgun into Getty Square in Yonkers.  As the FBI Task Force Officer attempted to control SMITH’s hand to prevent him firing again, SMITH struggled to turn the gun in the Task Force Officer’s direction and continued to fire.  In the course of the struggle, the Task Force Officer fractured his finger, sprained his knee, and suffered several abrasions to his right hand.

SMITH, 24, of New Rochelle, New York, is charged with one count of attempting to murder a federal officer, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, one count of using a deadly weapon to interfere with the performance of a federal officer’s official duties, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of discharging a firearm in the course of a crime of violence, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed. 

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.

Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force, which comprises agents and officers from the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, U.S. Probation, the New York State Police, the New York City Police Department, the Westchester County Police Department, the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, the Yonkers Police Department, the Mount Vernon Police Department, the Peekskill Police Department, the Greenburgh Police Department, and the New Rochelle Police Department. 

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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

Acting U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Correctional Officer Who Demanded Bribe In The Form Of Sex From A Female Prison Visitor

 

 Audrey Strauss, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging ROBERT ADAMS with bribery and blackmail.  ADAMS was arrested this morning and is expected to be presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe.

Acting U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said:  “As alleged, Robert Adams was derelict in his duties as an MCC correctional officer, not only by turning a blind eye to the smuggling of contraband, thereby putting inmates and fellow officers at risk, but also by exploiting his position of authority to pressure a prison visitor into having unwanted sex with him.  Now Adams, a sworn law enforcement officer, is facing prosecution for these alleged serious violations of the law.”

FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said:  “Correctional officers are supposed to serve as society’s guardians – protecting us all from some of the worst offenders while they complete their sentences, not making offenders’ lives more comfortable by breaking rules, and certainly not engaging in their own extortionate behavior while doing so.  We allege Adams did just that – he allowed illegal contraband into the MCC, risked the overall security of the facility and safety of his co-workers, and even more egregiously, he used his position of authority to blackmail a victim to have sex.  Today we want to remind those who guard federal facilities the consequences for illegal behavior are just as severe for sworn officers as they are for anyone else in society.”

According to the allegations contained in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]

ADAMS is a correctional officer employed by the United States Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”) at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (“MCC”), a federal prison located in New York, New York.  Between June 2019 to August 2019, ADAMS was, among other responsibilities, assigned to work in the visit area of the MCC.  Among his official responsibilities in that capacity, ADAMS was required to conduct searches, deny entry, detain visitors, and make reports when, among other things, he believed a visitor was smuggling contraband into the MCC. 

ADAMS abused his official position as a correctional officer by blackmailing and corruptly demanding that a visitor, whom he had caught smuggling contraband into the MCC (“Visitor-1”), engage in sexual acts with him, or else be arrested and denied future entry to the MCC.  Specifically, on or about July 5, 2019, while working as a correctional officer in the MCC’s visit area, ADAMS escorted an inmate away from a visit with Visitor-1, who was still in the visit area.  After discovering that the inmate was carrying contraband, ADAMS confronted Visitor-1 and told her that he had caught the inmate with contraband she had provided to him.  ADAMS further told Visitor-1 that she would be in trouble unless she met him at a nearby pizzeria.

As instructed by ADAMS, Visitor-1 left the MCC – without being reported or arrested for smuggling contraband – and walked to the nearby pizzeria.  Soon thereafter, ADAMS met Visitor-1 at the pizzeria, where he requested that Vistor-1 get in his car and travel with him to a motel to have sex.  ADAMS conveyed to Visitor-1that unless she had sex with him, she would be prohibited from visiting the MCC and would be arrested.  After arriving at the motel, ADAMS and Visitor-1 had sex.  Visitor-1 did not want to have sex with ADAMS, but agreed to it in exchange for not being reported to law enforcement or having her visiting privileges at the MCC revoked.

After the July 5, 2019, incident, Visitor-1 was permitted to continue to visit the MCC.  Not only did ADAMS not report Visitor-1 on July 5, 2019, for smuggling contraband, in dereliction of his official duties, but he was also present on other occasions where she returned to the MCC with contraband.

ADAMS, 39, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of bribery, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, and one count of blackmail, which carries a maximum penalty of one year 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.

Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.  She also thanked the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General for its assistance in this matter.  

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

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