New York City Council Member Pleads Guilty To Tax Fraud

 

 Audrey Strauss, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jonathan D. Larsen, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), and Margaret Garnett, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced that CHAIM DEUTSCH, a New York City Council Member, was charged and pled guilty today in Manhattan federal court to filing a false tax return in connection with outside income he received from his real estate management corporation.  DEUTSCH pled guilty before United States Magistrate Judge James L. Cott.

U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said:  “New York City Council Member Chaim Deutsch admitted today that he defrauded the IRS in connection with his real estate business.  As an elected official and community leader, Deutsch had a particular responsibility to follow the law.  Instead, over a multi-year period, Deutsch concealed his true business income to avoid paying his fair share of taxes.  My Office will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to hold our elected officials accountable when they break the law for their own financial benefit.”   

IRS-CI Special Agent-in-Charge Jonathan D. Larsen said:  “The defendant’s admissions today are the result of the hard work of a talented and dedicated cadre of IRS CI special agents and federal prosecutors.  This investigation should also make it clear that no one is above paying their fair share of taxes, even those who occupy elected office.”

DOI Commissioner Margaret Garnett said:  “It is dispiriting when a sitting City Councilmember is convicted of a crime.  Rather than set an example of integrity and fidelity to the rule of law, this City Councilman’s actions placed personal advantage over the public interest, and undermined public trust in elected officials.  DOI was pleased to work side-by-side with our partners at the IRS and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York on this investigation.”

According to the allegations contained in the Information, other court filings, statements made during court proceedings, and publicly available information:

Since in or about 2014, DEUTSCH has served as the New York City Council Member for the 48th District, which includes portions of Brooklyn.  During at least a portion of that time, DEUTSCH was the sole owner of Chasa Management, Inc., a real estate management business.  In or about March 2016, DEUTSCH filed a personal tax return for calendar year 2015 that included false and fraudulent information concerning his income and business expenses in connection with operating Chasa Management.  In total, during the tax years 2013 through 2015, DEUTSCH’s failure to properly pay taxes on his income from Chasa Management evaded approximately $82,076 in taxes due to the IRS.  Effective on or about January 1, 2017, New York City Council Members were prohibited from earning most outside income.

DEUTSCH, 52, of Brooklyn, New York, pled guilty to a single count of filing a false tax return for the tax year 2015, and agreed to restitution in the amount of at least $82,076 plus interest.  DEUTSCH is scheduled to be sentenced before Judge Cott on July 29, 2021, at 10:00 a.m.

The charge against DEUTSCH carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison, a maximum term of one year of supervised release, a maximum fine of $100,000, and an order of restitution.  The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the Court.           

Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding work of IRS-CI and the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.  Ms. Strauss also thanked the New York City Department of Investigation for its assistance in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Eli J. Mark is in charge of the prosecution.

BRONX WOMAN INDICTED FOR MURDER FOR FATALLY STABBING BOYFRIEND IN BUILDING HALLWAY

 

Victim Was Hospitalized in Critical Condition; Died Weeks After Incident

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx woman has been indicted on Murder and additional charges in the death of her boyfriend. 

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant allegedly instigated a fight with the victim, who was her boyfriend at the time, inside the Soundview Houses. When the victim walked away, she allegedly stabbed him. We will seek justice for the victim and his family, who lost their loved one due to domestic violence.” 

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Yarelis Olmeda, 41, of 1710 Randall Avenue, was arraigned today on second-degree Murder, first-degree Manslaughter and fourth-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Albert Lorenzo. The defendant was remanded and is due back in court on May 19, 2021.

 According to the investigation, at approximately 9:55 p.m. on February 20, 2021, in a hallway inside the NYCHA building where Olmeda resided, she allegedly tried to start a fight with Edward Campos, 38, her boyfriend, and when he refused to engage and walked away, the defendant allegedly stabbed him in his shoulder area. Campos, bleeding profusely, fell to the ground and the defendant fled the scene. The victim was taken to Jacobi Medical Center. He suffered seizures, a heart attack, failing kidneys and liver, and was intubated. He was pronounced dead on March 12, 2021.

 District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detective Sasha Brugal of the Bronx Homicide Squad and Detective Felix Delcarpio of the 43rd Precinct for their assistance in the investigation.

 An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

Governor Cuomo Updates New Yorkers on State Vaccination Program

 

177,255 Doses Administered in the Last 24 Hours     

Nearly 1.3 Million Doses Administered Over Past Seven Days     

Vaccine Dashboard Updated Daily on the State's Vaccine Program; Go to ny.gov/vaccinetracker  

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's vaccination program. 177,255 doses have been administered across the state's vast distribution network in the last 24 hours, and nearly 1.3 million doses have been administered over the past seven days.

"We continue to vaccinate more New Yorkers each and every day, and we're bolstering statewide efforts to get shots in arms by opening mass vaccination sites to walk-ins over 60, expanding eligibility and establishing more new sites," Governor Cuomo said. "We have a lot of work ahead to get New Yorkers to a sufficient level of immunity to defeat this virus once and for all, but millions have now taken both doses and we're undoubtedly making progress. In the meantime, New Yorkers should follow the public health guidance and keep each other safe to get us through the pandemic together."

STATEWIDE BREAKDOWN

Total doses administered - 13,929,970

Total doses administered over past 24 hours - 177,255

Total doses administered over past 7 days - 1,291,178

Percent of New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 43.0%

Percent of New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 29.7%

MAYOR DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES STATE OF CLIMATE KNOWLEDGE 2021 REPORT

First annual report outlines City’s climate research agenda; will guide future partnerships with academic researchers

 

 Mayor de Blasio released the State of Climate Knowledge 2021, a new report that outlines New York City’s climate research priorities and identifies knowledge gaps for future study.

 

This report, which will be issued on an annual basis by the Mayor’s Office of Climate Resiliency, communicates New York City’s research needs to external partners, including academic scientists, federal researchers, philanthropic foundations, and community organizations. This in turn will catalyze new and creative partnerships to develop credible and actionable research products that address the city’s most pressing climate challenges.

 

“Sound science has always been at the foundation of New York City's actions to address the climate crisis. However, we still have much more to learn about how global warming is impacting New Yorkers and their communities,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “This research agenda will catalyze exciting new partnerships with the research community and will help us create a safer, more equitable future for all.”  

 

With a cross-cutting focus on equity and climate justice, the report identifies four key areas where additional research is most needed:  

• How climate hazards will impact the daily lives of New Yorkers and which neighborhoods and demographics are most vulnerable;
• How to build using green and resilient design practices to lower carbon, reduce vulnerability, and improve the health of New Yorkers;
• How decision-making frameworks and cost-benefit analyses can better include equity, social factors, and non-monetary considerations; and
• How different climate communications increase perception and awareness of climate risk leading to individual and collective action.

 

“Community engagement and collaboration are at the heart of this report, which outlines New York City's first-ever climate research agenda,” said Jainey Bavishi, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Climate Resiliency. “We worked extensively with communities, agencies, and scientists to identify knowledge gaps and translate them into opportunities for collaborative research and innovation. This isn’t just the climate research that New York City needs; it is the climate research that New York City deserves.”   

 

The 2021 State of Climate Knowledge was developed through a collaborative engagement process that included dozens of community-based organizations and nonprofits, representing communities in each of the five boroughs. City agencies and authorities were also consulted throughout the process. Participants came from a wide range of backgrounds including conservation of nature, parks and recreation, environmental management, environmental justice, construction and housing, urban planning, health, disaster management, transportation, and law.

 

In addition to identifying areas of greatest need for scientific inquiry, the 2021 State of Climate Knowledge also makes recommendations for expanding and deepening future engagement related to climate science and risk communications.

 

This report will build on the City’s strong existing partnerships with the research community, including its close collaboration with the New York City Panel on Climate Change (NPCC), an independent panel of climate experts appointed by the Mayor. Since the NPCC’s formation in 2008, they have developed highly accurate and detailed climate projections specific to the New York City region and have issued three Assessment Reports. NPCC3, their most recent assessment, was released in Mach 2019. 

 

“The co-chairs of the NPCC are pleased to see this new initiative emerge from the Mayor's Office of Climate Resiliency. It represents a commitment to community engagement and co-production of knowledge that is a very important contribution to our shared work around resilience and equitable adaptation,” said Christian Braneon, NPCC4 Co-Chair and NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies. 

 

“New York’s environmental justice advocates have contributed to identifying the key areas of study that will make it easier for the city to track, understand, and develop policies that create more sustainable communities for all New Yorkers, especially the most vulnerable,” said Peggy Shepard, Chair of the New York City Environmental Justice Advisory Board. 

 

“The Waterfront Alliance applauds the City's development of a climate research agenda. We need indicators and research that better connect the science to impacts on our daily lives and the solutions needed to address them. This a great step toward an understanding of what is needed to improve resilience in every neighborhood,” said Cortney Worrall, President and CEO of Waterfront Alliance. 

 

“We commend the City’s efforts to identify the most-pressing knowledge gaps to ensure continued progress in addressing climate mitigation and resilience. With a clear focus on the people of the City, this research agenda will help to build equity, understand individual and community impacts and build an educated and engaged constituency for collective action,” said Natalie Snider, Senior Director of Coastal Resilience at Environmental Defense Fund. 

 

“New York City is on the front lines of the climate crisis and it is critical that we understand the local impacts of climate change—and the actions we can take to build a resilient future. A coordinated climate research agenda can help us improve residents’ lives today and for generations to come. We know parks, protected open space, and trails are key natural climate solutions; we look forward to working with the City and partners to prove that a greener New York can deliver cooler neighborhoods and flood protection while advancing climate justice to ensure all New Yorkers regardless of race or income are protected from climate hazards,” said Carter Strickland, New York Director for the Trust for Public Land.

 

NEW YORK CITY SUES EXXONMOBIL, SHELL, BP, AND THE AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE FOR SYSTEMATICALLY AND INTENTIONALLY DECEIVING NEW YORKERS

 

City argues deceptive trade practices and greenwashing violate City’s Consumer Protection Law 

 Today, on Earth Day, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Corporation Counsel James E. Johnson announced the filing of a lawsuit against Exxon, Shell, BP, and the American Petroleum Institute for violating New York City’s Consumer Protection Law through false advertising and deceptive trade practices.

“Our children deserve to live in a world free from climate change, and we must do everything in our power to give them hope and stop climate change in its tracks,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “That means taking on some of the biggest polluting corporations for false advertising and greenwashing, in direct violation of our Consumer Protection Laws. My Earth Day message to Big Oil: See you in court.”

 

“Climate change is very much on the mind of New Yorkers. Overwhelmed with the idea that there is nothing they can do, consumers are looking for ways to help, including by spending money on fossil fuel alternatives and rewarding companies that seem green," said Corporation Counsel James E. Johnson. "The defendants in our lawsuit have spent millions to persuade consumers that they present a clean, green choice. But they don’t. They say they are making meaningful investments to protect the environment. But they aren’t. They would like us to believe they are good faith partners in the drive to reduce fossil fuel consumption. And we don’t. Consumers are entitled to clear, accurate information about products they may choose. We are bringing this litigation to protect that right. The defendants’ deceptive practices are squarely prohibited by New York City law and cannot be allowed to continue.”

 

The lawsuit was filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York in the County of New York. It calls out defendants for “systematically and intentionally deceiving New Yorkers” in violation of New York City’s Consumer Protection Law (New York City Administrative Code §§ 20-700 et seq.)  Specifically, the complaint lays out a case showing that:

 

• Defendants’ product promotions, which are positioned to convince consumers that the purchase and use of their products is beneficial in addressing climate change, are false and misleading because they fail to disclose the disastrous impacts associated with the use of those same fossil fuel products; and

 

• Through their aggressive and multi-pronged greenwashing campaigns directed at NYC consumers, Defendants falsely present themselves and the oil and gas industry as corporate leaders in the fight against global warming, recognizing that they can sell more products if they are viewed as environmentally responsible corporate citizens.

 

The lawsuit seeks relief to stop Defendants from engaging the deceptive practices alleged in the complaint and to recover civil penalties for every violation of New York City’s Consumer Protection Law.  The City is represented in this matter by the Law Department and Sher Edling, one of the nation’s premier law firms on the cutting-edge of environmental and consumer protection litigation.

 

“When oil companies advertise their core products with words like ‘greener’ and ‘cleaner’ while failing to disclose the actual impacts of those products, it impairs consumers’ ability to make informed purchasing decisions,” said Lorelei Salas, Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. “Many New Yorkers want to make smart, green choices and these companies have deceived them into believing they were. We cannot allow them to continue to profit from these deceptions.”

 

“Shell, Exxon, and BP recognize that their corporate image matters to their bottom line, and so they are spending millions of dollars to “green” their brand, but not their business. As public officials responsible for the well-being of our residents, we must take a stand against their efforts in order to safeguard the health of current and future New Yorkers,” said Dave A. Chokshi, Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.

 

“Big Oil lied to New York City, so we’ll see them in court. The corporate deception of Exxon, Shell, BP, and API makes it harder for consumers to discern what is true. It is imperative that, as the largest municipality in the country, New York City works to hold these oil companies to account for their misleading statements to our residents,” said Ben Furnas, Mayor’s Office of Climate and Sustainability.

 

“Fossil fuel companies are continuing to spin a tangled web of lies about the deadly products they produce and sell after decades of misleading consumers,” said Jainey Bavishi, Director of the Mayor's Office of Climate Resiliency. “There's undeniable scientific evidence that oil, gas, and coal are warming our planet and making climate disasters more frequent and more severe. We won't be able to protect New York City from climate change unless we stop these companies from lying to New Yorkers – and that's what we intend to do."

By 2030 NYC Department of Education to Have All Electric Buses

 

New York City Department of Education Chancellor Meisha Porter stands in front of the first of many new all electric public school buses. Mayor Bill de Blasio said by 2030 New York City will have an all electric School Bus Fleet.

Bronx Week 2021 Preliminary Schedule of Events

 

We WILL have a Bronx Week this year. It will take place between May 8 to May 16 with a few virtual, live stream events and some in-person socially-distanced activities. Please see the preliminary schedule below:

May 8 BRONX FATHER’S TAKING ACTION

BFTA will come together with their children to engage in some Soccer “skills and drills” with South Bronx United Soccer Club. This event requires pre-registration and will limit capacity.

May 8 Bronx Week Health Fair

Health-related companies and city agencies exhibiting, conducting screenings and distribution information on COVID and other health issues. Mobile units will be available to provide testing, tracing and possibly vaccine information.

May 10 Veteran’s Appreciation Event

The office of the Bronx Borough President’s Veteran’s Affairs will honor veterans in gratitude for their service to our country.

May 11 Business Luncheon

The Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation will be honoring ten Bronx Businesses in recognition of their impact on the Bronx economy.

May 13 COVID Day of Remembrance

We will dedicate this day those we have lost during this pandemic. There will be opportunities for COVID-related information dissemination throughout the borough.

May 14 Bankers Breakfast

The Business Initiatives Corporation of New York brings together Bronx financial institutions to discuss the state of the economy.

May 15 Walk of Fame Induction

The Office of Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and The Bronx Tourism Council will induct the 2021 Bronx Walk of Fame honorees who will unveil their street signs on the Grand Concourse. For more information on The Bronx Walk of Fame click here. If you’d like to hear our podcast episode on the history of The Bronx Walk of Fame click here.

May 15 Grand Finale Concert

This “drive-in” concert will welcome cars to a concert and awards presentation. Sound will be streamed through FM-radio. Pre-registration is required. More details to follow.

May 16 The Spirit of The Bronx Parade

In partnership with BronxNet, footage from past parades will be aired on various channels. More information to follow.

For more on Bronx Wek go to the Bronx Week 2021 website

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez Dismisses All Outstanding Prostitution-Related Warrants Dating Back to 1970s

 

Asks Court to Vacate 857 Warrants for Prostitution and Loitering, and to Dismiss Underlying Cases; 262 Warrants Already Vacated in January

 Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez today announced that he asked the Court to vacate 857 open bench warrants related to prostitution and loitering for the purposes of prostitution – charges his Office no longer prosecutes. The 857 warrants that were dismissed today were issued between 1970 and 2011. On January 29, 2021, the District Attorney vacated 262 warrants from 2012 to the present and moved to dismiss the underlying cases. In all, 1,119 cases have now been dismissed, representing the entire outstanding inventory in Brooklyn. The District Attorney also called on legislators to expunge old prostitution-related convictions.

District Attorney Gonzalez said, “With today’s action, we have cleared all open prostitution and loitering for the purposes of prostitution cases in Brooklyn. My Office no longer prosecutes these offenses because we believe that that those who engage in these activities should be offered assistance, not criminally prosecuted. Open warrants have powerful negative consequences for the individual, and they undermine public safety. Someone with an open warrant is subject to arrest at any time, making them more likely to be driven underground and less likely to report abuse or other crimes, which makes both them and others less safe.

“In addition, an outstanding warrant could show up years after it was issued in a background check for an apartment rental or a job application, hamstringing someone’s ability to move on from their past to a more stable way of life. I thank the Legislature for repealing the vaguely written and unevenly enforced statute of loitering for the purposes of prostitution and renew my call on lawmakers to expunge past prostitution-related convictions so they will not hold people back from opportunities for a better future.”

Today, DA Gonzalez appeared before Brooklyn Criminal Court Supervising Judge Keisha Espinal and requested that the 857 outstanding warrants be vacated, and their underlying cases dismissed. 296 of those warrants pertained to cases with a top count of prostitution (PL 230.00) and 561 were for a top count of loitering for the purposes of prostitution (PL 240.37). In January, 183 were for prostitution and 79 for loitering for the purposes of prostitution.

Following the January dismissals in Brooklyn, the New York State Legislature repealed the loitering for purposes of prostitution law and two other counties, the Bronx and Queens, dismissed outstanding warrants pertaining to that statute.

The District Attorney said that the Brooklyn DA’s Office does not prosecute those arrested for engaging in prostitution, but rather refers them to services and dismisses their cases. Starting in 2020, when the law mandated that those arrested receive Desk Appearance Tickets with a future court appearance, the Office has endeavored to connect them with service providers and dismiss the charges before they even have to appear in court.

Common services involve therapeutic counseling, medical assistance and checkups, educational services, housing assistance, mental health or substance abuse screening and therapy, and legal assistance with immigration, children’s services or family court issues. Cases get dismissed whether individuals avail themselves of services or not. The Office processed fewer than 30 prostitution cases last year.

There are 25,575 convictions in Brooklyn for the two aforementioned offenses, dating back to 1975. Expunging them en masse is a legislative prerogative and the District Attorney called on legislators to pass a bill that would do just that.

The District Attorney thanked the Office of Court Administration, especially Justin Barry, Chief Clerk of New York City Criminal Court, Charles Blaha, Acting Borough Chief Clerk of Brooklyn Criminal Court, and Keshia Espinal, Supervising Judge of Brooklyn Criminal Court, for facilitating the dismissals.