Mayor Bill de Blasio Gets Vaccinated During His Morning Press Conference

 

During his Thursday morning press conference Mayor Bill de Blasio with his wife Charlene next to him took the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccination from New York City Department of Health Commissioner Doctor David Chokshi. 

Doctor Chokshi wiped the mayor's arm clean before administrating the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine which was done quickly. After the vaccination was administered Mayor de Blasio joked "Any time now Dr. Chokshi, you can give me the vaccination shot". Mayor de Blasio then returned to his press conference which included the latest COVID-19 indicators.

NYC Department of Health Commissioner Dr. David Chokshi gives Mayor Bill de Blasio the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

289 Days and Counting

 

I like these video press conferences, because I have a moderator who calls on the reporters I want to hear questions from, and I take questions from only eight reporters.

Defendant Charged In $1.4 Million Covid-19 Fraud Scheme

 

Elvin German Arrested for Submitting in Excess of 250 Fraudulent COVID-19 Unemployment Benefit Applications

 Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael C. Mikulka, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General (“DOL-OIG”), and Patrick Freaney, Deputy Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the U.S. Secret Service (“USSS”), announced the unsealing of a complaint charging ELVIN GERMAN with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a COVID-19 unemployment benefit scheme that resulted in the loss of more than $1.4 million from the New York Department of Labor (“NY DOL”).  GERMAN was arrested on March 16, 2021 in the Bronx, New York, and will be presented this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Sarah L. Cave.    

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As alleged, Elvin German used the identities of over 250 unknowing victims to file false claims in order to receive over $1.4 million in COVID-19 unemployment benefits. But investigators were able to detect a pattern to his alleged scam, partly because German typically used the same IP address and security question and answer – the name of family dog, Benji – to illegally submit applications on the DOL’s website. We thank our partners at DOL and Secret Service for alertly detecting German’s attempt to profiteer from funds earmarked to provide relief for families struggling with financial hardships resulting from the ongoing pandemic.”

DOL-OIG Special Agent in Charge Michael C. Mikulka said: “Investigating fraud involving the Unemployment Insurance Program is an important part of the mission of the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General, particularly now when our nation is providing billions of dollars in unemployment benefits to American workers in need due to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to vigorously investigate unemployment insurance fraud.”

USSS Deputy Special Agent in Charge Patrick Freaney said:  “It is a priority of the U.S. Secret Service to investigate and hold responsible those who manipulate financial programs for their own personal gain. In this case, the defendant allegedly used personally identifiable information of over 200 individuals to file fraudulent unemployment insurance claims resulting in over a million dollars of loss.  The Secret Service looks forward to our continued partnership with the U.S. Department of Labor as we collectively pursue those who seek to commit unemployment insurance fraud.” 

As alleged in the Complaint[1]:

From May 2020 through March 2021, ELVIN GERMAN engaged in a scheme to obtain COVID-19 unemployment benefits by fraudulently filing and verifying applications using the names and social security numbers of more than 250 other people.  The NY DOL was alerted to the suspicious activity based on metadata associated with the applications (the “Applications”), which indicated that the Applications were either submitted and/or verified on a weekly basis from the same internet protocol (“IP”) address.   Additionally, the Applications had the same security questions and responses, including that the applicant’s first pet was named “Benji.”  After identifying the residence assigned to the IP address, DOL-OIG and USSS conducted a joint search of the residence, locating, among other items linked to GERMAN, approximately $7,000 in cash, a computer loaded to the NY DOL unemployment benefits page with the personal identifying information of four individuals named in the Applications open in an adjacent computer file, and, consistent with the security question used in the fraudulent applications – a dog wearing a collar inscribed with the name “Benji.”  As a result of GERMAN’s scheme, the NY DOL authorized the release of more than $1.4 million of COVID-19 unemployment benefits. 

ELVIN GERMAN, 41, is charged with (1) wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and (2) aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence. 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 assigned judge.

Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of DOL-OIG, the USSS, and the NY DOL.

The case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit.  Assistant United States Attorney Danielle M. Kudla is in charge of the prosecution.

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

Governor Cuomo Announces More Than 7 Million Total COVID Vaccine Doses Administered Across New York State

 

Public Facing Essential Workers from Governmental and Nonprofit Entities Are Eligible for COVID Vaccine Beginning Today 

148,564 Doses Administered Across New York State in the Last 24 Hours       

More than 1 Million Doses Administered Over Past Seven Days       

Vaccine Dashboard Will Update Daily to Provide Updates on the State's Vaccine Program; Go to ny.gov/vaccinetracker   

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced more than 7 million total COVID vaccine doses have been administered across the state. Beginning today, public facing essential workers from governmental and nonprofit entities are eligible for the vaccine. 148,564 doses have been administered across New York's vast distribution network in the last 24 hours, and more than 1 million doses have been administered over the past seven days.   

"New York's ability to fight the COVID virus is only as strong as the state's vaccination program, and that's why we're constantly expanding our distribution network and getting shots in arms across the state," Governor Cuomo said. "We're opening new sites large and small and making sure the vaccine gets to underserved communities, and New Yorkers should practice safe behaviors until it's available to a wider pool of people. New York is making progress on vaccinations and we'll continue to push the envelope to reach more residents and their families." 

New York's vast distribution network and large population of eligible individuals still far exceed the supply coming from the federal government. Due to limited supply, New Yorkers are encouraged to remain patient and are advised not to show up at vaccination sites without an appointment.                  

The 'Am I Eligible' screening tool has been updated for individuals with comorbidities and underlying conditions with new appointments released on a rolling basis over the next weeks. New Yorkers can use the following to show they are eligible:

·     Doctor's letter, or

·     Medical information evidencing comorbidity, or

·     Signed certification

Vaccination program numbers below are for doses distributed and delivered to New York for the state's vaccination program, and do not include those reserved for the federal government's Long Term Care Facility program. A breakdown of the data based on numbers reported to New York State as of 1PM today is as follows.                

STATEWIDE BREAKDOWN

Total doses administered - 7,003,834     

Total doses administered over past 24 hours - 148,564

Total doses administered over past 7 days - 1,048,858

Percent of New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 23.5%

Percent of New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 12.2%     

A RECOVERY FOR ALL OF US: MAYOR DE BLASIO, LABOR UNIONS, INDUSTRY LEADERS AND ADVOCATES CALL ON THE STATE TO PASS COMMUNITY HIRING LEGISLATION

 

Community Hiring legislation will allow the City to address economic disparities exacerbated by COVID-19 by connecting low-income people and economically disadvantaged communities to good jobs and apprenticeship opportunities; Once implemented, the program would create an estimated 200,000 jobs over five years for these individuals and communities

 Mayor Bill de Blasio, labor unions, industry leaders and advocates today called on the State Legislature to pass Community Hiring legislation, which will harness the City’s economic power and help ensure a fair and equitable recovery by providing employment and apprenticeship opportunities for low-income people and residents of economically disadvantaged communities or NYCHA. 133 organizations recently sent a letter to the State Legislature in support of the Mayor's plan.

 

“COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on low-income communities and communities of color,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “A recovery for all of us will be built by focusing on these communities and creating good jobs for the people who need them the most. Community hiring legislation will put more money in the hands of working people by creating new opportunities for New Yorkers in need to succeed. I urge the State Legislature to join the cause and pass community hiring into law.”

 

"Community Hiring has long been a demand from communities of color in New York City. A key way we can lift people out of poverty is to bring job opportunities to those who haven't had them," said Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives J. Phillip Thompson. "I stand alongside the coalition of over 130 advocates in labor and advocacy to call on the State to pass Community Hiring. As I have said in the past, City dollars can do more than get work done, they can lift people out of poverty. A good job is the best anti-poverty program we can support."

 

Economic disparities have widened due to the economic and health effects of COVID-19. State legislation would allow the City to develop and implement a Community Hiring Program to help reverse that trend. For construction and building service labor, hiring goals are based on geographic areas that are economically disadvantaged. For other work, such as a technology or inspection services contracts, hiring is based on an individual’s income. This plan would generate an estimated 40,000 jobs annually for target individuals and communities, and would provide an estimated $1 billion in wages and benefits for newly hired individuals during the first full year of the program. Over the next five years, the City estimates the Community Hiring Program will generate nearly 200,000 jobs for low-income people and residents of economically disadvantaged communities.

 

This legislation enables the City to connect contractors with apprenticeships and referral sources such as workforce development programs that will help them meet their hiring goals by training and referring qualified talent. Such workforce development programs could include ones that typically serve NYCHA residents, people with disabilities, justice-involved individuals, CUNY graduates or immigrants.

 

“We’re proud to work with our partners at both the city and state level to ensure this Community Hiring legislation serves as a pathway to not just jobs, but real middle-class careers for New Yorkers from historically underserved neighborhoods. This legislation recognizes the fundamental role of union pre-apprenticeship and direct-entry programs in launching the careers of working people, and ensures that the immediate economic impact of shovel-ready New York City construction projects will benefit minority New York neighborhoods with opportunity, investment, and good middle-class careers with benefits. We’re thankful for the City’s leadership in advancing this important legislation, and we will continue to advocate for its passage through the New York State Senate and Assembly,” said Gary LaBarbera, President of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York

 

“Community Hiring legislation will ensure that New Yorkers in underserved neighborhoods have a pathway to middle-class career opportunities and that those most heavily impacted by the pandemic can get back to work. This legislation recognizes that apprenticeship and workforce programs are an investment in the future of our city and that the economic impact of building activities needs to be felt in every neighborhood across the five boroughs. The Building Congress is proud to partner on this effort with City leadership and the building industry, and we urge the State Senate and Assembly to pass this measure, which will help our city recover from the impact of COVID-19.” said Carlo A. Scissura, Esq., President & CEO, New York Building Congress.

 

Attorney General James and DEC Commissioner Seggos Announce Conviction of Illegal Shark Trafficker

 

Joshua Seguine Kept Live Sharks in a Pool at His Home; Offered Them for Sale on the Internet

Seguine Ordered to Pay $5,000 fine and Sentenced to a Conditional Discharge

 New York Attorney General Letitia James and New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos announced the conviction and sentencing of Joshua Seguine, 40, of the Hamlet of LaGrangeville in Dutchess County. Seguine pleaded guilty in the Town of LaGrange Justice Court to Illegal Commercialization of Fish, Shellfish, Crustaceans, and Wildlife for the illegal possession with intent to sell seven sandbar sharks, a protected species under New York law. Seguine was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and sentenced to a conditional discharge.

“The tide has turned for Joshua Seguine, who was convicted and held accountable for his unlawful acts,” said Attorney General James. “Let this serve as a loud and clear message: We will not tolerate anyone who preys on protected species to line their pockets. My office will continue to enforce the laws that safeguard our wildlife, and we will hold accountable those who violate them.” 

“I applaud the work of our environmental conservation police officers, who spearheaded the investigation that resulted in Joshua Seguine being brought to justice,” said DEC Commissioner Seggos. “It is critical that we work to protect endangered species that are taken from their natural habitats and sold for profit. I thank Attorney General James and her staff for their work on this case and hope that it serves as a reminder to everyone that New York state will continue to crack down on these crimes, and prosecute those responsible.”

Seguine first came to the attention of DEC law enforcement in July of 2017, when he was arrested in the state of Georgia by Department of Natural Resources Investigator John Evans for driving without a license and for possessing five undersized sharks in a large circular tank in the back of his truck. Seguine admitted that he was transporting the sharks to New York state, where he intended to sell them, and that he possessed additional live sharks at his house in New York. After Investigator Evans sent this information to the DEC, investigators researched and discovered that Seguine — who was conducting business under the name Aquatic Apex Life LLC — had offered sharks for sale as recently as June 29, 2017, on the website MonsterFishKeepers.com.  

Equipped with this information, DEC police obtained a warrant to search Seguine’s house in LaGrangeville. DEC officers — accompanied by biologists from the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead, New York, and the Wildlife Conservation Society’s New York Aquarium at Coney Island — conducted the search and discovered an above-ground pool in Seguine’s house that contained seven live sharks. The sharks were subsequently identified as sandbar sharks, the possession of which is prohibited by New York law without a special license. The search also uncovered two dead leopard sharks, one dead hammerhead shark, and the snout of a smalltooth sawfish (an endangered species). 

Biologists from the two aquariums assessed the sharks and transferred them to the Riverhead facility. The sharks were subsequently moved to the New York Aquarium at Coney Island. 

ASSEMBLYMAN JEFFREY DINOWITZ STATEMENT FOLLOWING UNETHICAL RECORDING OF MAJORITY CONFERENCE MEETING

 

“I support Speaker Heastie’s decision on changes to our conference procedure, although I believe it is deeply regrettable that this change was made necessary at all.

 

“The confidentiality of our conference meetings is sacrosanct. Providing members with the space to freely express their views and ask questions about various issues of legislative importance is a critical component of an effective system of representative democracy in New York State.

 

“It is a violation of collegial trust and our conference decorum to record these confidential discussions and to disseminate those recordings. Any member who knowingly violates this trust should not be part of the majority conference. Membership in a legislative conference is purely voluntary, and no legislator is under any obligation to join if they do not want to respect their colleagues.”

EDITOR'S NOTE:

We disagree with Assemblyman Dinowitz, and would like to know what our representatives in City Hall, Albany, and Washington are talking about. There is something called the Open Meetings Law, and there should be no secret meetings of elected officials. 

One can only think that those elected officials have something to hide if they want to meet in secret. We are going into redistricting as is the case every ten years in Albany, and there should be no secret deals made on which district is eliminated, changed, or if another district is to be added. 

Ten years ago there was talk of making the 15th Congressional District go from Harlem through Concourse Village and the 83rd Assembly District in the Bronx winding up in Mount Vernon. Thus creating a perfect district for Assemblyman Carl Heastie to run in. Since there were many other congressional district that were being made up like that by the state legislature a federal judge threw them out, and made up his own set of district lines keeping changes to a minimum. This time however New York State is expected to loose two congressional seats with its population loss to other states. 

Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress During COVID-19 Pandemic March 17, 2021

 

Five Remaining Yellow Zone Clusters Will Be Lifted March 22

Indoor Fitness Classes Can Begin Reopening Statewide on March 22 

11 PM Curfew Lifted for Casinos, Movie Theaters, Bowling Alleys, Billiard Halls, Gyms and Fitness Centers Beginning April 5 

4,624 Patient Hospitalizations Statewide

954 Patients in the ICU; 601 Intubated

Statewide Positivity Rate is 3.41%

54 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Effective March 22, the final 5 remaining yellow zone clusters in New York State will be lifted. Those clusters are in the East Bronx, West Bronx, Manhattan, Newburgh, New Windsor and Kew Gardens/Forest Hills in Queens. Any specific restrictions in those locations will be lifted and aligned with statewide guidance.  

On March 22, indoor fitness classes can begin reopening statewide at 33 percent capacity with health screening and contact information required at sign-in. Classes should be scheduled to allow additional time for cleaning and disinfection between sessions. Local health departments shall inspect before or within 2 weeks of the fitness center opening to ensure compliance. 

Beginning April 5, the 11 p.m. curfew currently in place for casinos, movie theaters, bowling alleys, billiards halls, gyms and fitness centers will be lifted. The 11 p.m. curfew for food and beverage establishments and the 12 a.m. curfew for catered events will remain in effect. Both curfews will be evaluated in late-April.  

"New York is moving forward with reopening our economy and looking forward to a post-COVID world," Governor Cuomo said. "We know the vaccine is the weapon that defeats this invisible enemy and we are getting more shots in arms than ever before. As we re-open and an increasing number of New Yorkers receive their vaccines, it is more important than ever to continue the practices we know stop the spread of COVID-19. I encourage New Yorkers to continue to wear their masks, practice social distancing and wash their hands. We are reaching the light at the end of the tunnel and if we stay New York Tough, we will get there together." 

Today's data is summarized briefly below: 

• Test Results Reported - 263,401
• Total Positive - 8,976
• Percent Positive - 3.41%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 3.28% 
• Patient Hospitalization - 4,624 (-33) 
• Net Change Patient Hospitalization Past Week - -174 
• Patients Newly Admitted - 588
• Hospital Counties - 50 
• Number ICU - 954 (+11) 
• Number ICU with Intubation - 601 (-8) 
• Total Discharges - 154,780 (+499) 
• Deaths - 54
• Total Deaths - 39,690