MAYOR DE BLASIO, SPEAKER JOHNSON ANNOUNCE INCREASED SUPPORT FOR NONPROFITS AND HUMAN SERVICE PROVIDERS

 

$120 million in added funding over two years brings indirect rate investment to $94 million annually

 Mayor Bill de Blasio and Speaker Johnson today announced increased funding for nonprofits and human service providers for indirect costs. ​This funding will provide financial stability for ​hundreds of nonprofit human service providers as they ​continue to partner with the City on a recovery for all of us.

 

The Indirect Cost Rate (ICR) Funding Initiative​ launched in 2019 and grew out of a partnership between the Mayor, City Council and sector leaders ​through the Nonprofit Resiliency Committee. Today's announcement of $120 million over two years will bring the total investment for indirect cost rates to $94 million annually. This investment fully funds current Accepted Indirect Cost Rates. The City is proud to have partnered with the sector to become a national leader in recognizing the significance of indirect costs in the delivery of human services. This additional funding builds on steps ​and reforms this Administration has taken​ in collaboration with the sector to support resiliency in the human services sector, ​including advance payments on contracts, more timely contract registration, and streamlining business practices.  ​This funding also comes at a time when human service organizations are being called upon to reach more deeply into communities to help New Yorkers in need in light of COVID-19.

 

“Nonprofits serving our most vulnerable residents are critical partners in our recovery,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Indirect cost funding will help keep doors open, support workers and help bring our city back. I thank Speaker Johnson and the City Council for their partnership.”

 

“Nonprofits fill the vacuum to provide critical services for New Yorkers, playing a crucial role in our social safety net that has become even more important as we battle COVID-19. Despite that, they haven't always received the funding they need. The Council has long advocated to pay these non-profits their fair share, including in 2019 when we created the Indirect Cost Rate Funding Initiative with this Administration. We also asked for increased funding in our budget response this year, which is exactly what we are getting. The fact that this is baselined makes this welcome news even better. I thank the de Blasio Administration for being our partner in this effort, and my Council colleagues for always fighting for our nonprofits," said Council Speaker Corey Johnson.

 

“Our City’s mission and commitment to support New Yorkers in need would not be possible without our absolutely vital human services providers and non-profit partners,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Melanie Hartzog. “For years, they’ve been on the frontlines, doing the hard work on the ground every day, as part of our shared push for a more progressive, inclusive, and supportive New York – and this past year, they went above and beyond, to do more for our vulnerable neighbors than any of us could have imagined. With this announcement, we’re focused on investing in these vital partners to increase sustainability for the sector, ensuring they can keep providing that helping hand that so many in our city rely on.”

 

The funding is applicable to health and human contracts across all City agencies, including the Department of Education, with limited exceptions, and accommodates providers and all levels of sophistication. It covers a portion of provider costs that are not directly attributed to service delivery, but are necessary for operations like accounting, human resources, rent, general operations, and other eligible costs.

 

The City’s investments to date in the nonprofit sector have totaled over $700 million annually and have supported wage increases for employees, including a minimum wage of $15 per hour and a 9 percent increase in wages, and parity for early childcare workers, funding for indirect rates, rate enhancements for several critical programs such as homeless shelters, Beacon youth centers, and case management for senior centers.

 

These actions build on the Administration’s launch of the Non-Profit Resiliency Committee (NRC) in September 2016, which represented a substantial change in the City’s approach to working with nonprofit service providers, resulting in a fuller and more collaborative partnership.

Governor Cuomo Announces More than 14 Million COVID-19 Vaccine Doses Have Been Administered in New York State

 

30% of New Yorkers Now Fully Vaccinated

184,119 Doses Administered in the Last 24 Hours     

More than 1.2 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 announced more than 14 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in New York State, and 30 percent of New Yorkers are now fully vaccinated. 184,119 doses have been administered across the state's vast distribution network in the last 24 hours, and more than 1.2 million doses have been administered over the past seven days.   

"We are hitting new milestones in our vaccination efforts every day thanks to the hard work of our health professionals and volunteers, but we won't win the war against COVID until we reach herd immunity," Governor Cuomo said. "We've expanded vaccine eligibility to every single New Yorker and increased our efforts to improve access for our most vulnerable, underserved populations, but some New Yorkers are still hesitant to get the vaccine. We will continue working with trusted community leaders across the state to spread the word that the vaccine is safe and effective because when we all work together as a community, we will be able to beat COVID once and for all."

New Yorkers can schedule an appointment at a state-run mass vaccination site on the Am I Eligible App or by calling 1-833-NYS-4-VAX. People may also contact their local health department, pharmacy, doctor or hospital to schedule appointments where vaccines are available, or visit vaccinefinder.org to find information on vaccine appointments near you. 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.  

STATEWIDE BREAKDOWN

Total doses administered - 14,124,641

Total doses administered over past 24 hours - 184,119

Total doses administered over past 7 days - 1,248,961

Percent of New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 43.4%

Percent of New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 30.2% 

Two Texas Men And One Oregon Man Charged With Fraud Scheme To Obtain Over $14 Million In Covid-Relief Loans

 

 Audrey Strauss, the 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”), Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite, Eastern Region Special Agent-in-Charge of the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Small Business Administration (“SBA”), Jonathan D. Larsen, Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), and Stephen Donnelly, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Office of the Inspector General of the Board of Governors for the Federal Reserve announced that APOCALYPSE BELLA, a/k/a “Dias Yumba,” MACKENZY TOUSSAINT, a/k/a “Mack,” and AMOS MUNDENDI, a/k/a “Mos,” a/k/a “El Ashile Mundi,” were charged with participating in a fraudulent scheme to obtain over $14 million in Government-guaranteed loans designed to provide relief to small businesses during the novel coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. TOUSSAINT and MUNDENDI are expected to be presented tomorrow before a U.S. magistrate judge in the Northern District of Texas.  BELLA was arrested on March 18, 2021 in the Eastern District of Virginia.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein.

U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said:  “Apocalypse Bella and his co-defendants are charged with engaging in a scheme to obtain over $14 million in fraudulent loans from the government. The Coronavirus pandemic has profoundly affected the global economy, and Government-funded Coronavirus loan programs provide much-needed economic relief to individuals, families, and businesses suffering economic hardships.  This Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to ensure the watchful protection of these critical funds from fraud.”

FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said:  “As alleged in the indictment, the defendants in this case are charged with fraudulently securing loans intended to help honest small businesses and their employees deal with the pandemic’s economic effects.  Our actions should serve as a reminder of our steadfast commitment to bringing justice to those who would seek to illegally leverage government programs for selfishly personal gains.  These defendants now face a personal reckoning - the result of which may be an extended stay in federal prison for each of them.”

IRS-CI Special Agent-in-Charge Jonathan Larsen said:  “The CARES Act and the Payroll Protection Program have been a life line to help sustain the many small and large businesses who were impacted by the pandemic.  The defendants are accused of fraud against these programs solely to enrich themselves, a flagrant and reprehensible abuse of these programs, which has kept so many American businesses afloat. Today’s charges make it clear that IRS-CI and our partners will continue to aggressively root alleged abusers of these programs.”

Acting Special Agent in Charge, Eastern Region, OIG for the Federal Reserve Board and CFPB Stephen Donnelly said: “We are fully committed to bringing to justice wrongdoers who exploit and defraud financial institutions and the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite said: “Law enforcement will identify all conspirators to pull fraud schemes out by the roots. SBA OIG will aggressively pursue evidence of fraud against SBA’s programs aimed at assisting the nation’s small businesses struggling with the pandemic challenges.  I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their dedication and pursuit of justice.”     

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

APOCALYPSE BELLA, a/k/a “Dias Yumba,” MACKENZY TOUSSAINT, a/k/a “Mack,” and AMOS MUNDENDI, a/k/a “Mos,” a/k/a “El Ashile Mundi,” were involved in an extensive scheme to prepare and submit fraudulent applications to the Small Business Administration (“SBA”) and to at least one company which processes loan applications under the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), in order to obtain at least approximately $14 million in government-guaranteed loans for various companies through the PPP, designed to provide financial relief to qualifying companies during the novel coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic. 

This scheme resulted in the approval of fraudulently procured loans for two companies (“Company-1” and “Company-2”), both located in the Southern District of New York, totaling approximately $4 million, and the distribution of the proceeds of these fraudulently obtained funds to a series of bank accounts located in the United States and elsewhere, including bank accounts controlled by TOUSSAINT and BELLA. 

The PPP loan applications for Company-1 and Company-2 were false, containing lies designed to maximize proceeds to the fraud scheme.  Specifically, applications for both Company-1 and Company-2 contained material differences from loan applications submitted for both companies for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program just months earlier.  For instance, the PPP loan application for Company-1 represented that Company-1 had over 100 employees.  However, an earlier EIDL loan application for Company-1 dated on or about March 30, 2020, represented that Company-1 had only four employees.

BELLA, TOUSSAINT, and MUNDENDI devised and executed this fraudulent scheme by conspiring with individuals who own, operate or otherwise are affiliated with businesses, such as Company-1 and Company-2.  BELLA, TOUSSAINT, MUNDENDI, and other co-conspirators supervised and coordinated the submission of fraudulent PPP loan applications for those businesses, and in some cases, completed and/or submitted the fraudulent applications themselves.        

BELLA, 36, of Clackamas, Oregon, TOUSSAINT, 39, of Irving, Texas, and MUNDENDI, 32, of Dallas, Texas, are charged with one count of conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, one count of major fraud against the United States, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison, and one count of wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy, each of which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding work of the FBI, SBA-OIG, IRS-CI, and the OIG for the Federal Reserve.

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

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

MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES PROGRESS ON RETURN TO OFFICE PLANS FOR CITY WORKERS

Agencies invest over $206 million in rigorous health and safety measures

 As an additional 80,000 City workers prepare to begin to return to the office on Monday, May 3^rd, Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced that the Mayoral Restart Taskforce has approved bespoke return to office plans for 65 mayoral offices and agencies in New York City. The Taskforce, which met with each agency or office individually, worked across government to ensure City workers return to a workplace that has been thoroughly and exhaustively prepared to welcome them back safely.

 

From June 2020 to March 2021, New York City spent over $206 million to prepare office buildings for workers’ return. Further resources will be allocated as needed to make necessary adjustments and keep workplaces safe.

 

“New York City will spare no effort to ensure our public servants return to workplaces that are fully equipped to keep them safe. With nearly 6 million vaccine doses already distributed, and individualized safety plans for every office, now is the perfect time to take the next step in building a recovery for all of us,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “City workers have served their fellow New Yorkers tirelessly throughout this pandemic, and I look forward to welcoming them back with open arms.”

 

Approved plans are in alignment with extensive guidance developed by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the Office of Labor Relations. The Taskforce required careful calculation of occupancy based on physical distancing and HVAC-related factors, as well as adherence to rigorous policies mandating face coverings, cleaning, and health screenings.

 

"Dedicated public servants have helped New York City throughout this pandemic, and they will be essential to our city's recovery," said Quintin Haynes, Executive Deputy Commissioner of the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services. "In preparation for city agencies returning teleworking employees to the office, DCAS and the Mayoral Restart Taskforce offered comprehensive guidance to all city agencies to help safeguard employees and ensure a smooth transition."

 

“As we’ve learned, the precautions we take can make a tremendous difference,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Dave A. Chokshi. “Creating a workspace that enables staff to distance and remain masked is critical. I also urge every New Yorker – including municipal employees – to get vaccinated. It is the single greatest precaution we can take to protect ourselves and those we love.”

 

Mayor de Blasio also confirmed today that nearly 180,000 City workers have already received their first vaccination dose, and over 146,000 have been fully vaccinated. The City has set up vaccination sites in every borough specifically for City workers. Last week, the Mayor announced 99% of New Yorkers live within one mile of a vaccine site.

 

Ten different agencies have begun their own vaccination programs, and vaccine appointment booking services have been made available for City staff to book appointments for themselves and their families. The Vaccine Command Center is coordinating inter-agency efforts to book appointments for city employees at sites citywide, including 100 Church Street – a new site dedicated to City employees.

 

The City has also partnered with labor unions and the Office of Court Administration to provide dedicated vaccine programs.

 

Approximately 220,000 employees, the majority of the City's workforce, have been in the office or field throughout the pandemic. Those beginning to return on May 3^rd have been teleworking. Approximately 43 percent of the City workforce will be in the office every day; the Mayor’s Office will operate at 50 percent of capacity.

 

Watch Out For Companies Trying to Get Information From You. Where is the New York State Attorney General's Office on this Attempted Fraud?

 

What is going on here, or is this fraud New York State Attorney General James

This company already has my information to ship this order so why are they having me take additional surveys that have nothing to do with this which keeps saying two more steps?

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195 million American adults take at least 

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• -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At this point I stopped and wrote this article.

If it looks to good to be true, It probably isn't, 

someone is trying to sell you something.

We are now going to turn this over to the 

New York State Attorney' General Office.

254 Days and Counting

 

It's January 1, 2021, this is my new job.

So that's what I have to look forward to when I am term limited out of office.

MANHATTAN MAN INDICTED FOR POSSESSING 15 LBS. OF COCAINE IN HIS CAR AND FOR ATTEMPTING TO FLEE FROM POLICE IN BRONX

 

Officers Found $2 Million in Drugs During Traffic Stop in Mount Eden 

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Manhattan man has been indicted on multiple Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance charges after police found 15 pounds of cocaine, with a street value of over $2 million dollars, in his car during a traffic stop in the Bronx. 

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant was allegedly speeding and tried to flee from police when they attempted to conduct a traffic stop. When police arrested the defendant, they allegedly found six bricks of cocaine weighing a total of 15 pounds in his car. The police stopped a large amount of illegal drugs--whose profits fuel violence and other crimes--from being sold on our streets.” 

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Melvin Read-Svazo, 33, of 1980 Park Avenue, Manhattan, was arraigned today on first and second-degree Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, two counts of third-degree Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, fourth, fifth and seventh-degree Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance, third-degree Unlawful Fleeing of a Police Officer in a Motor Vehicle, second-degree Reckless Endangerment and Reckless Driving before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Efrain Alvarado. Bail was set at $75, 000 cash/$75,000 bond/$75,000 partially secured bond at 10 percent. The defendant is due back in court on July 9, 2021.

 According to the investigation, at approximately 12:27 a.m. on February 7, 2021 on the corner of Mount Eden Parkway and Selwyn Avenue, police officers in a marked car saw the defendant in a white BMW X6 with temporary New Jersey license plates speeding. Police Officers activated their lights and the defendant ignored them and continued to speed, driving through a red light. Read-Svazo, who had an open warrant, allegedly got out of the car and fled on foot. Police caught up to him and he was arrested on the corner of Walton Avenue and East 175th Street. When officers checked the defendant’s vehicle, they allegedly found two bags in the rear passenger floor which contained 6.8 kilos (15 pounds) of cocaine.

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

Attorney General James’ Office of Special Investigation Releases Report on the Death of Michael Wallace

 

 New York Attorney General Letitia James’ Office of Special Investigation (OSI), formerly known as the Special Investigations and Prosecutions Unit (SIPU), released its report on the death of Michael Wallace. After a thorough and exhaustive investigation, including evidence from body-worn cameras, 911 recordings, medical records, and many hours of police and civilian witness interviews, OSI determined that the justification for the use of force in this situation exercised by the Schenectady Police Department (SPD) could not be disproven beyond a reasonable doubt.

In the early hours of March 24, 2020, two separate incidents occurred involving Mr. Wallace and members of SPD. The first incident was initiated by a 911 call placed by Mr. Wallace at approximately 5:20 A.M. In his call to 911, Mr. Wallace was somewhat incoherent but the fact that he was experiencing a mental health issue was abundantly clear. Officers were sent to meet Mr. Wallace, and when they arrived at his apartment, he continued to exhibit signs of a mental health issue. His fiancé was with him at the time, and after assurances from Mr. Wallace and his fiancé that he was okay, officers left.

Three hours later, a security guard at Mr. Wallace’s apartment complex placed an emergency call and reported that Mr. Wallace had pulled a gun on an employee of the apartment complex. When SPD officers arrived at the scene, they kicked the door to Mr. Wallace’s apartment and announced their presence. The door abruptly swung open, and Mr. Wallace appeared to be holding a pistol that was aimed at them. SPD officers then opened fire. Mr. Wallace was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead. The weapon that was pointed at the officers was later confirmed as a CO2 pellet pistol.

In this case, the critical factor was whether or not the officers reasonably believed that deadly physical force was necessary to defend themselves or another individual from what they reasonably believed to be the use or imminent use of unlawful deadly physical force by another person. Because it was reasonable for the shooting officers to believe that deadly physical force was necessary to defend themselves or other officers from what they believed to be the use or imminent use of deadly physical force by Mr. Wallace, OSI determined that criminal charges could not be pursued against any officer in this case.

However, the totality of the circumstances involved in this tragic incident underscores the need for communities to develop programs that direct mental health professionals, not police officers, to mental health-related calls for assistance, where there is no indication that a police response is needed — such as Mr. Wallace’s initial 911 call. The OSI strongly recommends that SPD and its community partners work toward developing this type of response program for Schenectady.

“This incident highlights the tragic reality that too many of our communities are ill-equipped to handle emergency mental health crises that demand a response from mental health professionals, not police,” said Attorney General James. “Mr. Wallace was clearly experiencing mental health concerns, and it’s a great tragedy that it resulted in a dangerous and ultimately fatal situation. It’s critical that the city of Schenectady and municipalities across the state develop systems that divert mental health calls away from a law enforcement response, and instead, are directed to mental health professionals who are trained to support individuals in these crises. I express my condolences to Michael Wallace’s family, friends, and loved ones, and I will continue to advocate for the change that is desperately needed.”