Bronx Gang Member Sentenced To Life In Prison For 2011 Murder Of Bolivia Beck

 

 Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that KAREEM DAVIS, a/k/a “Reem,” was sentenced today to life in prison for the April 18, 2011, murder of Bolivia Beck.  Ms. Beck, 20, was killed by a bullet while standing next to her boyfriend in the Mill Brook Houses in the Bronx, New York.  DAVIS was aiming for Beck’s boyfriend, a rival gang member, but struck Beck instead.  On December 17, 2019, DAVIS was convicted of conspiring to commit racketeering, murder in aid of racketeering, and murder through the use of a firearm after a one-week trial before U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield.

U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said:  “On April 18, 2011, Bolivia Beck was murdered while meeting her boyfriend’s grandparents on a sidewalk in the Mill Brook Houses.  What should have been a happy moment ended in tragedy, when she was shot by Kareem Davis.  For his role in this horrific and senseless act of violence, Davis will now spend the rest of his life in a federal prison.  We extend our deepest condolences to the members of Bolivia’s family.  We thank our partners at the NYPD, who worked to achieve this measure of justice for Bolivia and her family.  This Office remains committed to investigating and prosecuting gang violence and seeking justice for all victims of violent crime.”

According to the allegations in the Indictment and the evidence at trial:

On April 18, 2011, Bolivia Beck was struck and killed by a bullet while standing next to her boyfriend in the Mill Brook Houses, where she lived at the time.  KAREEM DAVIS was a member of Killbrook, a violent street gang based in the “Down the Block” section of the Mill Brook Houses.  Since at least 2007, Killbrook had been engaged in a violent rivalry with “MBG,” a gang based in the “Up the Block” section of Mill Brook.  

On the night of April 18, 2011, DAVIS and his brother planned to kill a rival MBG member as part of the broader gang rivalry.  DAVIS and his brother, each armed with a gun, walked “Up the Block” in Mill Brook looking for their target, who was standing next to Beck and introducing her to his grandparents.  At that point, DAVIS and his brother started shooting, firing at least 12 shots from their guns.  Tragically, Beck was struck by one of the bullets and killed.

DAVIS also committed other crimes in connection with his membership in Killbrook, including drug dealing and robbery.

In addition to his prison term, KAREEM DAVIS, 32, of the Bronx, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.

Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department.  

Governor Cuomo Announces School Districts Can Allow Students To Remove Masks Outdoors

 

Guidance on Mask Use Indoors Remains in Place

Change Aligns Summer Camp Guidance with School Guidance

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that school districts can choose to lift the requirement that their students must wear masks outdoors. Guidance on mask use indoors remains in place. This change aligns New York State's guidance on schools with CDC guidance on summer camps, where even unvaccinated students are not currently required to wear masks outdoors.

"The numbers show that the risk of transmission by children is extremely low, especially in this state, which has an extremely low positivity rate. We spoke with the CDC, and since they're not going to change their guidance for several weeks in New York State, we're going to modify the CDC guidance and allow schools to choose no mask outside for children," Governor Cuomo said. "We'll leave that up to the local school district and we spoke to the CDC, which has no objection. It's very important that people understand the logic between these decisions and that they're rational and based on the science and the data. We have a disconnect right now between the school guidance and the camp guidance, and it's important to rectify it because if people don't think the rules are logical, then they're not going to want to follow the rules."

On May 24, Governor Cuomo announced that based on the current COVID trajectory, all New York State schools will reopen for full in-person learning for the 2021-2022 school year beginning in September. 

Attorney General James Secures Appointment of Court Receiver to Protect Investors’ Money During Lawsuit

 

Coinseed Continued to Put Thousands of Investors’ Money at Risk Despite Ongoing Lawsuit

 New York Attorney General Letitia James has secured a court order that continues a mandated pause on the illegal and fraudulent operations of the cryptocurrency trading platform Coinseed, Inc. and puts in place a receiver to ensure the protection of investors’ money going forward. In February, Attorney General James filed a lawsuit against Coinseed, as well as founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Delgerdalai Davaasambuu, — but, in the months since the suit was filed, Coinseed and its CEO not only continued their fraud, but commenced additional fraudulent conduct by trading in investors’ accounts without permission and then blocking investors from accessing those accounts. On Friday, the New York County State Supreme Court issued an order that grants a motion — filed last month by Attorney General James — and appoints Michelle Gitlitz, the global head of Crowell & Moring LLP’s Blockchain and Digital Assets practice, as a court-appointed receiver with special powers to safeguard investments already made on the trading platform. A previously issued temporary restraining order continues to block Coinseed and its CEO from making any further unauthorized trades.

“When platforms operating illegally in New York seek to trade on investors’ money, we will use every tool at our disposal to stop their unlawful actions,” said Attorney General James. “This order appoints a court-appointed receiver before any other investments are squandered by Coinseed and its CEO. We will not allow rogue operators to hold innocent investors’ funds hostage, while they deplete accounts and transfer virtual currency to an offshore, unregulated trading platform. We will continue fighting for the thousands of investors defrauded by Coinseed.”

In the first three months after Attorney General James filed her lawsuit, the Office of the Attorney General received more than 170 complaints from investors who were concerned about protecting their assets due to Coinseed’s fraudulent conduct. 

Friday’s motion appoints a receiver to oversee all assets traded through Coinseed in an effort to safeguard investments as Attorney General James’ lawsuit proceeds.

Comptroller Stringer Audit: DSNY Failed to Follow Procurement Guidance and Awarded $14 Million COVID-19 Emergency Food Contract to Inexperienced, Ineffective Vendor with Recent Criminal Conviction

 

Department of Sanitation awarded Cariati Developers Inc. a $14 million emergency food delivery contract without any evidence that the vendor had prior food sourcing, packaging, and/or delivery experience; CDI’s owner was previously convicted of obstructing the Internal Revenue Service

Though contract was terminated for poor performance, CDI was paid nearly $1.5 million for its three weeks of work under the contract

Mayor’s suspension of City procurement rules continues to expose taxpayers to risk of fraud, waste, and abuse; Comptroller recommends emergency procurement procedures to enable the City to quickly purchase what it needs while reducing risks of waste and fraud

 Today, New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer released an audit revealing that the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) failed to follow City procurement guidance when it awarded a $14 million emergency food contract to Cariati Developers Inc. (CDI), a vendor with a recent criminal conviction and lack of experience. The audit showed that DSNY awarded the contract to CDI in April 2020 to provide food delivery services as part of the Emergency Adult Food Access Program – without any evidence that the vendor had prior food sourcing, packaging, or delivery experience. DSNY terminated the contract three weeks after the vendor’s first day of deliveries due to poor performance and after becoming aware that more than a month prior to CDI having been awarded the contract, the owner had been convicted of obstructing the Internal Revenue Service. CDI was paid nearly $1.5 million for its three weeks of work under the contract.

“New York City is still grappling with the economic fallout of COVID-19, and we can’t afford to waste precious City dollars,” said Comptroller Stringer. “The bottom line is that DSNY’s hasty award of a contract to a vendor with a recent criminal conviction and with no relevant experience undermined the effectiveness of the City’s food program at the expense of the most vulnerable – and that’s unacceptable. DSNY should start implementing our recommendations immediately, and I am again calling on the City to immediately restore City procurement rules to protect taxpayers from abuse by unscrupulous vendors and from costly mistakes.”

Comptroller Stringer’s audit also found that DSNY did not maintain sufficient controls over its vendor payments. To improve contract procurement and monitoring, Comptroller Stringer recommended that DSNY bolster its vendor responsibility reviews, document potential vendors’ direct experience in its bid evaluation, establish a tracking system to record vendor food delivery, billing and payment information, and consistently review information in this system prior to paying invoices.

Comptroller Stringer’s investigation uncovered the following findings:

• DSNY did not discover that the owner had been convicted of a federal felony; more than a month before it awarded the contract to the vendor, the owner had pleaded guilty to obstructing the Internal Revenue Service.
• DSNY awarded the contract to CDI without any evidence that the vendor had prior food sourcing, packaging, and/or delivery experience, even though the bid booklet called for the vendor to have had at least three years of such experience in the preceding five years.
• DSNY did not maintain sufficient controls over its vendor payments. Before DSNY made most of its payments to CDI, the agency did not obtain independent confirmation that the number of food boxes the vendor billed for had actually been received.

To address these issues, Comptroller Stringer recommended the following actions:

1. DSNY should routinely include a Google search of a vendor when conducting a vendor responsibility review.
2. DSNY should enforce its bid booklet requirement for potential vendors to file PASSPort disclosure statements or, at a minimum, require the submission of disclosure statements outside of PASSPort that cover certain basic topics, such as the criminal history of the potential vendors’ principals.
3. DSNY should consistently document the search results of its vendor responsibility reviews at the time those reviews are conducted, even when they do not show any adverse information.
4. DSNY should consider a potential vendor’s directly relevant experience when determining whether the vendor has the capabilities to provide a particular type of service and should document that consideration in its bid evaluation.
5. DSNY should consistently obtain independent confirmations of the amounts of food received from the vendors before making payments.
6. DSNY should establish a tracking system to record vendor food delivery, billing and payment information, and consistently review the information in this system prior to paying invoices in an effort to prevent double payments.
7. DSNY should recoup from CDI the double payment of $15,644.

This contract was awarded  pursuant to Emergency Executive Order (EEO) 101 that suspended laws and regulations related to procurement, including the Comptroller’s charter-mandated procurement authority. This executive order has been in effect since March 17, 2020 and has been extended over ninety times. Following two letters sent to the Administration in August and October of 2020 that yielded no response or action, Comptroller Stringer for the third time in March 2021 underscored the need to rescind the Mayor’s emergency suspension of procurement laws. The City Charter and the City’s Procurement Policy Board (PPB) Rules already provide for expedited emergency purchases but with safeguards and transparency mechanisms in place to protect the City’s interests. Under Mayor de Blasio’s emergency powers, the City has entered into 1,491 contracts totaling more than $6.7 billion since March 2020 without the crucial statutory oversight of the Comptroller’s Office.

Governor Cuomo Announces Most Remaining COVID-19 Restrictions to Be Lifted When 70% of Adult New Yorkers Have Received First Dose of COVID-19 Vaccine

 

New York Forward Industry Guidance on Capacity Restrictions, Social Distancing, Cleaning and Disinfection, Health Screening, and Contact Information for Tracing Purposes Will Become Optional In Most Commercial Settings

Required Guidance Lifted for Retail, Food Services, Offices, Gyms and Fitness Centers, Amusement and Family Entertainment, Hair Salons, Barber Shops, Personal Care Services and Other Commercial Settings

Unvaccinated Individuals Responsible for Maintaining Social Distancing of Six Feet and Wearing a Mask, Per Federal CDC Guidance

Large-Scale Events Venues, Pre-K to 12 Schools, Public Transit, Homeless Shelters, Correctional Facilities, Nursing Homes and Health Care Settings will be Exempt and Will Still Adhere to State's Existing COVID-19 Health Protocols

 Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that most of the remaining COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted once 70 percent of New Yorkers aged 18 or older have received the first dose of their COVID-19 vaccination series. State's New York Forward industry specific guidelines — including capacity restrictions, social distancing, cleaning and disinfection, health screening, and contact information for tracing — will become optional for retail, food services, offices, gyms and fitness centers, amusement and family entertainment, hair salons, barber shops and personal care services, among other commercial settings. Large-scale event venues, pre-K to 12 schools, public transit, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, nursing homes, and healthcare settings must continue to follow the State's guidelines until more New Yorkers are vaccinated.

Unvaccinated individuals will still be responsible for maintaining proper social distancing of six feet and wearing a mask as per federal CDC guidance. Consistent with the State's implementation of the recent CDC guidance, masks will still be required for unvaccinated individuals. Large-scale event venues, Pre-K to 12 schools, public transit, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, nursing homes and health care settings will be exempt from the restriction lift. In those settings, New York State's existing COVID-19 health protocols will remain in effect.

"The lifting of our COVID restrictions is a sign of how hard New Yorkers have worked to contain the spread of the virus and protect their communities," Governor Cuomo said. "With numbers trending at record lows, it is clear that the vaccine is effective and that it is an invaluable tool against the virus. While we have come so far it is still imperative that those who have not received the vaccine do so, so that they may enjoy the state's reimagined reopening to the fullest extent possible."

After 70 percent of adult New Yorkers are vaccinated, businesses may choose to continue to adhere to the State's guidance or implement other health precautions for their employees and patrons. Businesses are also authorized to require masks and six feet of social distancing for employees and patrons within their establishments. Any mask requirements that businesses choose to implement must adhere to applicable federal and state laws and regulations (e.g., Americans with Disabilities Act). The Department of Health continues to strongly recommend masks and six feet of social distancing in indoor settings where vaccination status of individuals is unknown.

As a reminder, until the New York Forward industry guidance is lifted at the 70 percent vaccination rate, the following are current summary health guidelines that apply across most commercial and social settings. Further details can be found here.

• Capacity - Capacity is only limited by the space available for individuals or parties of individuals to maintain the required social distancing based on vaccination status. For fully vaccinated individuals/parties, no social distancing is required. 
• Businesses may require proof of full vaccination status through paper form, digital application, or the State's Excelsior Pass. Alternatively, businesses may rely upon self-reporting of vaccination status.
• Distancing - Fully vaccinated individuals do not need to be socially distanced and unvaccinated/unknown individuals need to maintain six feet of social distance.  In lieu of six feet of social distance, appropriate physical barriers may be used so long as they do not present a health or safety hazard.
• Masks - Fully vaccinated individuals do not need to wear masks and unvaccinated/unknown individuals need to wear masks.  Unvaccinated/unknown individuals may only remove their mask indoors while socially distanced, seated, and eating/drinking and outdoors while maintaining social distancing of six feet and, if in an event or gathering setting, seated.
• Hand Hygiene - Hand hygiene stations or supplies must be provided for individuals to use; specifically, hand washing, such as soap, running water or disposable towels or hand sanitizing, such as alcohol-based sanitizer with 60 percent or more alcohol where hand washing may not be available or practical.
• Cleaning and Disinfection - Clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces at least once a day, such as common areas and shared workstations and regularly clean and disinfect other surfaces as necessary given the level of traffic and type of individuals who use the space and general risk of community transmission of COVID-19.
• Communication - Clearly communicate to individuals through signage, markers, and other applicable methods the health precautions that are in effect within the specific setting based upon these principles and any other restrictions that the business may choose to implement, such as capacity limits, social distancing, masks, or hand hygiene.
• Ventilation and Air Filtration - For indoor environments, increase outdoor airflow and ventilation rates to the extent compatible with individual comfort and safety, in accordance with building codes and standards; in indoor areas where air is recirculated, ensure HVAC system filtration meets the highest rated filtration compatible with the currently installed filter rack and air handling systems, ideally a minimum of MERV-13, industry equivalent, or greater, as applicable for the specific environment; and deploy other appropriate indoor air quality measures and engineering controls, such as portable fans, filters, and air cleaners as necessary.

• Gatherings and Events - For gatherings or events that exceed the State's social gathering limit of 250 indoors or 500 outdoors, these additional provisions apply, consistent with the State's implementation of the CDC guidance: 
• Contact Information - At least one individual from each party of attendees should sign-in during ticketing, or before or immediately upon entering the event space, providing their name, address, and phone number or e-mail address for use in potential contact tracing efforts.  Sign-in process may be conducted through any means, including but not limited to a digital application and/or paper form. Sign-in data should be maintained for a minimum period of 28 days and made available to state and local health departments upon request.To attend indoor events above the gathering limit, attendees over the age of four who are not presenting proof of full vaccination status must instead present proof of recent negative COVID-19 test result, such as a PCR/NAAT test within 72 hours or antigen within 6 hours prior to admission. Outdoor events do not require proof of recent negative COVID-19 test result for unvaccinated/unknown individuals.
• Health Screening - All individuals must be health screened for COVID-19 symptoms, recent close contacts, and recent positive COVID-19 test result, prior to, or immediately upon, arrival to the event. Screening may be performed via signage, at ticket purchase, by e-mail/website, by telephone, or by electronic survey before individuals enter the event space. Temperature checks are no longer required.
• Proof of Vaccination - For any setting where there is a concentrated gathering of persons above the social gathering limits without social distancing, proof of vaccination status must be required; self-reporting of vaccination status cannot be used. Event venues can operate up to 100 percent capacity so long as all attendees are fully vaccinated, consistent with applicable federal and state laws and regulations. 

Michael Beltzer - Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says we've got Courage to Change! - or is it a Favor to Samelys Lopez for Beltzer

It should be noted that this candidate is not the only choice in the 18th City Council district of the PAC 

Our campaign has courage!

I am proud to be only 1 of 6 campaigns in The Bronx to recieve AOC's Courage to Change ranking!

Dear Friends, I am very thrilled to have received a perfect score on this pledge! I have known Alex since 2016 and the amount of courage she had to run in 2018 and since then has inspired millions to have it for themselves. That is what our campaign is about, going directly to our community and having people believe they can get what they have earned. It's been working and now we just need to activate our supporters to win convincingly on June 22nd. Yours in Service,

A Disclaimer on Any Political ad you May See on the Top or Side of This Blog.

 

Political ads are often placed on this blog as are many other ads. Right now there is political ad is running at the top of this blog. It is not an endorsement of this candidate, but I will disclose that I spoke to the candidate about a winning strategy that candidate Abigail Martin decided that she did not need. 

I have been told that candidate Jessica Haller who has suspended her campaign is advising candidate Abigail Martin. Good Luck Eric Dinowitz since candidate Martin should have been your main competition, but did not want a winning strategy to defeat you. Instead she appears to have gone with a candidate who could not see that she was being used by Senator Biaggi to push a progressive candidate with an agenda much different than hers, and a candidate when I asked what are the problems with Tracy Towers? Former candidate Jessica Haller's response was "Where is Tracy Towers"? 

Good luck candidate Abigail Martin, and let me congratulate incumbent Councilman Eric Dinowitz on his upcoming victory in the June 22nd primary. One question Councilman Dinowitz, where is your victory party going to be?    

A4 MEDIA DATA SOLUTIONS LLC puts ads up on my blog for Google. They put the Abigail Martin ad up in case any other candidate wants to know. 

209 Days and Counting

 

I was out and about the city over the weekend, and I made sure to duck when I heard anything that sounded like gunfire. Lucky for me they were illegal fireworks, and the police did nothing. 

We are now over one year since the rise in shootings in the city, and we have found out that the problem is with people being paroled who were convicted of gun violence before. We will have the police step up their efforts to get guns off the street, and I used Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark as a prop to push this so people feel safe.