Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. announced that his office is providing more than $35 million to institutions all across the borough through his Fiscal Year 2022 capital funding allocations.
Bronx Politics and Community events
Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. announced that his office is providing more than $35 million to institutions all across the borough through his Fiscal Year 2022 capital funding allocations.
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New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos and State Department of Health (DOH) Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for the New York City Metro region for Thursday, July 15, 2021.
The pollutant of concern is: Ozone
The advisory will be in effect 11 a.m. through 11 p.m.
DEC and DOH issue Air Quality Health Advisories when DEC meteorologists predict levels of pollution, either ozone or fine particulate matter are expected to exceed an Air Quality Index (AQI) value of 100. The AQI was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale, with a higher AQI value indicating a greater health concern.
OZONE
Summer heat can lead to the formation of ground-level ozone, a major component of photochemical smog. Automobile exhaust and out-of-state emission sources are the primary sources of ground-level ozone and are the most serious air pollution problems in the northeast. This surface pollutant should not be confused with the protective layer of ozone in the upper atmosphere.
People, especially young children, those who exercise outdoors, those involved in vigorous outdoor work and those who have respiratory disease (such as asthma) should consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity when ozone levels are the highest (generally afternoon to early evening). When outdoor levels of ozone are elevated, going indoors will usually reduce your exposure. Individuals experiencing symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain or coughing should consider consulting their doctor.
Ozone levels generally decrease at night and can be minimized during daylight hours by curtailment of automobile travel and the use of public transportation where available.
New Yorkers also are urged to take the following energy-saving and pollution-reducing steps:
Additional information on ozone and PM 2.5 is available on DEC's website and http://www.health.ny.gov/
The Thursday, July 15, Air Quality Health Advisory regions consist of the following: Region 2 New York City Metro, which includes New York City, Rockland, and Westchester counties.
First time rating confirms the City’s sound fiscal recovery strategy and strong economic outlook
Mayor Bill de Blasio today announced the Kroll Bond Rating Agency (KBRA) has assigned an AA+ rating with a Stable Outlook to New York City’s General Obligation bonds. This is KBRA’s second highest rating, the same that it has assigned to New York State, and the first time the agency has reviewed and rated the City’s bond offerings. Like recent upward revisions in outlook from Moody’s Investor Services and Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings, this rating reflects confidence in the city’s economic outlook along with strong financial planning and management in the face of severe budgetary stress.
“This is even more proof that New York City is resilient and on the path to recovery,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “A recovery for all of us means investing in our people, staying fiscally responsible, and building the right foundation for a post-COVID economy.”
In assigning the new rating KBRA praised the New York City as a center of business and culture with a diverse and resilient economy, manageable debt obligations, strong budget controls, and plans for near-term financial challenges, all which have allowed the city to navigate through the pandemic-driven financial crisis towards recovery.
KBRA also expressed support for city’s long term financial and capital planning, and highlighted that pension funded ratios and unfunded liabilities have trended positively, while debt service is maintained below 15% of City tax revenues, a hallmark of responsible debt finance.
On May 19 S&P revised its outlook to stable on New York City’s general obligation (GO) bonds and affirmed the AA rating assigned to its outstanding GO debt. S&P based its revision on the city’s successful vaccination efforts, receipt of more than $15 billion in stimulus that is invested in the current financial plan, and budget actions including the restoration of $1.6 billion in budget reserves through the Retiree Health Benefits Trust
The S&P revision came shortly after Moody’s Investor Services May 14 action to raise the city’s GO bond credit outlook to stable and affirmed actions the City has taken to maintain fiscal stability in response to the crisis brought on by COVID-19, the greatest budgetary stress test the city has faced in generations. Moody’s highlighted the role of City’s vaccination program, stressed that high vaccination rates as compared with the US overall will drive confidence in the local economy, and noted the positive effect that the city’s accelerating reopening will have on employment and tax revenues.
In June, Mayor de Blasio and the City Council announced an agreement on the Recovery Budget, an on-time balanced City budget for Fiscal Year 2022 (FY22). The foundation for the $98.7 billion Recovery Budget is the strategic investment of stimulus funds that will drive New York City’s economic comeback and build a recovery for all of us. The Budget is fiscally responsible with $5.1 billion in budget reserves. The Adopted Budget also includes almost $4.0 billion in savings over Fiscal Years 2021 and 2022 since last June – the second largest two-year savings total at Budget Adoption of this administration.
2,000 Summer Jobs Will Be Created for Youth in Gun Violence Hot Spots in New York City; 2,388 Long-Term Jobs Will Be Created in Partnership Consortium for Worker Education in New York City
At First in Series of Community Meetings, State and Community Leaders Agree on Initiatives to Respond to Ongoing Gun Violence in East Brooklyn
Key Initiatives Include Creating Jobs and Summer Programs for At-Risk Youth; Increasing Presence of Violence Interveners in Community; and Expanding Community Services and Assistance for Mental Health, Substance Abuse and Family Crisis
At the first gun violence prevention community meeting in Brooklyn, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced more than 4,000 jobs will be available for at-risk youth in emerging gun violence hot spots in New York City. The state will provide funding to create 2,000 summer jobs for youth aged 15 to 24 in emerging gun violence hot spot areas in New York City to keep them employed until the start of school this year. The State is also partnering with Consortium for Worker Education to provide long-term jobs for 2,388 young people who are out of school and live in the neighborhoods in New York City most impacted by gun violence.
"Gun violence is a complex issue that needs a different response if we want to end it once and for all," Governor Cuomo said. "A key piece of this response is getting to young people before they enter the pipeline of the system and stopping the cycle of violence before it even starts. This can't just be one initiative - that's not going to work here - we need to empower community groups and give them the tools and resources they need to reach young people and intervene, and that's exactly what we're doing here in East Brooklyn. This is the first community in the state that we are reaching out to, and I believe the product of this meeting and the ones that come after will be saving young lives."
During this first gun violence prevention community meeting, the state and community leaders agreed on several initiatives to respond to the ongoing gun violence in the East Brooklyn community. The initiatives focus on engaging the most at-risk youth in cluster zones in employment and community activities, hiring new community-based gun violence interrupters, as well as assistance for mental health and substance use disorders. This was the first in a series of community meetings that will be held in emerging gun violence hot spots across the state. Last week, Governor Cuomo issued Executive Order No. 211 declaring gun violence a disaster emergency and requiring New York State's Division of Criminal Justice Services to compile incident-level data provided by major police departments on a weekly basis so that it may be used by the newly established Office of Gun Violence Prevention to track emerging gun violence hot spots and deploy resources to areas most in need.
In today's meeting, specific steps to combat gun violence in East Brooklyn included:
Iranian Intelligence Services Allegedly Plotted to Kidnap a U.S. Journalist and Human Rights Activist from New York City for Rendition to Iran
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Mark J. Lesko, the Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security, and William F. Sweeney Jr., Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing of kidnapping conspiracy, sanctions violations conspiracy, bank and wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy charges against ALIREZA SHAVAROGHI FARAHANI, a/k/a “Vezarat Salimi,” a/k/a “Haj Ali,” MAHMOUD KHAZEIN, KIYA SADEGHI, and OMID NOORI, and sanctions violations conspiracy, bank and wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, and structuring charges against NILOUFAR BAHADORIFAR, a/k/a “Nellie Bahadorifar.” The charges are contained in a Superseding Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court. The case is pending before U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams. BAHADORIFAR was arrested on July 1, 2021 in California on charges contained in an underlying indictment. BAHADORIFAR will be arraigned on the charges in the Superseding Indictment by Judge Abrams at a date and time to be set by the Court. FARAHANI, KHAZEIN, SADEGHI, and NOORI, all of whom are based in Iran, remain at large.
U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As alleged, four of the defendants monitored and planned to kidnap a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin who has been critical of the regime’s autocracy, and to forcibly take their intended victim to Iran, where the victim’s fate would have been uncertain at best. Among this country’s most cherished freedoms is the right to speak one’s mind without fear of government reprisal. A U.S. citizen living in the United States must be able to advocate for human rights without being targeted by foreign intelligence operatives. Thanks to the FBI’s exposure of their alleged scheme, these defendants have failed to silence criticism by forcible abduction.”
Acting Assistant Attorney General Mark J. Lesko said: “Every person in the United States must be free from harassment, threats and physical harm by foreign powers. Through this indictment, we bring to light one such pernicious plot to harm an American citizen who was exercising their First Amendment rights, and we commit ourselves to bring the defendants to justice.”
FBI Assistant Director William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “This is not some far-fetched movie plot. We allege a group, backed by the Iranian government, conspired to kidnap a U.S. based journalist here on our soil and forcibly return her to Iran. Not on our watch. FBI special agents and analysts will continue to aggressively hunt for foreign operatives who attempt illegal action inside our borders or against our citizens. Working side-by-side with our international partners, the FBI’s reach is global. When we find you, you will be brought here and held accountable under U.S. law.”
According to the allegations contained in the Superseding Indictment, other court filings, and statements made during court proceedings:[1]
FARAHANI is an Iranian intelligence official who resides in Iran. KHAZEIN, SADEGHI, and NOORI are Iranian intelligence assets who also reside in Iran. Since at least June 2020, FARAHANI, and the intelligence network he manages – including KHAZEIN, SADEGHI, and NOORI – have plotted to kidnap a U.S. citizen of Iranian origin (“Victim-1”) from within the United States in furtherance of the Government of Iran’s efforts to silence Victim-1’s criticisms of the regime. Victim-1 is a journalist, author, and human rights activist, residing in Brooklyn, New York, who has publicized the Government of Iran’s human rights abuses.
Prior to the plot to kidnap Victim-1 on U.S. soil, the Government of Iran attempted to lure Victim-1 to a third country in order to capture Victim-1 for rendition to Iran. In approximately 2018, Iranian government officials attempted to induce relatives of Victim-1, who reside in Iran, to invite Victim-1 to travel to a third country for the apparent purpose of having Victim-1 arrested or detained and transported to Iran for imprisonment. Victim-1’s relatives did not accept the offer. Iranian intelligence services have previously lured other Iranian dissidents from France and from the United States for the purposes of capturing and imprisoning regime critics and have publicly claimed responsibility for these capture operations. An electronic device used by FARAHANI contains, among other things, a photo of Victim-1 alongside photos of two other individuals, both of whom were captured by Iranian intelligence, with one later executed and the other imprisoned in Iran, and a caption in Farsi stating, “Gradually the gathering gets bigger... Are you coming, or should we come for you?”
On multiple occasions in 2020 and 2021, as part of the plot to kidnap Victim-1, FARAHANI and his network procured the services of private investigators to surveil, photograph, and video record Victim-1 and Victim-1’s household members in Brooklyn. The extensive surveillance that FARAHANI’s network procured included requests for days’ worth of surveillance at Victim-1’s home and the surrounding area, videos and photographs of Victim-1’s family and associates, surveillance of Victim-1 outside Victim-1’s residence, and the installation of and access to a live high-definition video feed depicting Victim-1’s home. The network repeatedly insisted on high-quality photographs and video recordings of Victim-1 and Victim-1’s household members; a large volume of content; pictures of visitors and objects around the house; and depictions of Victim-1’s body language. The network procured the surveillance by misrepresenting their identities and the purpose of the surveillance to the investigators, and laundered money into the United States from Iran in order to pay for the surveillance, photos, and video recordings of Victim-1. SADEGHI acted as the network’s primary point of contact with the private investigators in the United States, and NOORI facilitated payment to the investigators in furtherance of the plot targeting Victim-1.
As part of the kidnapping plot, the FARAHANI-led intelligence network also researched methods of transporting Victim-1 out of the United States for rendition to Iran. SADEGHI, for example, researched a service offering military-style speedboats for self-operated maritime evacuation out of New York City, and maritime travel from New York to Venezuela, a country whose de facto government has friendly relations with Iran. KHAZEIN researched travel routes from Victim-1’s residence to a waterfront neighborhood in Brooklyn, the location of Victim-1’s residence relative to Venezuela, and the location of Victim-1’s residence relative to Tehran.
The network that FARAHANI directs has also targeted victims in other countries, including victims in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates, and has worked to procure similar surveillance of those victims.
BAHADORIFAR is originally from Iran and is currently a California resident. BAHADORIFAR has provided financial and other services from the United States to Iranian residents and entities, including to KHAZEIN, since at least in or about 2015, including access to the U.S. financial system and U.S. financial institutions through the use of card accounts, and has offered to manage business interests in the United States on KHAZEIN’s behalf. Among other things, BAHADORIFAR caused a payment to be made to a private investigator for surveillance of Victim-1 on KHAZEIN’s behalf. BAHADORIFAR is not charged with participating in the kidnapping conspiracy, but is alleged to have provided financial services that supported the plot and is charged with conspiring to violate sanctions against Iran, to commit bank and wire fraud, and to commit money laundering. BAHADORIFAR is also charged with structuring cash deposits totaling more than approximately $445,000.
ALIREZA SHAVAROGHI FARAHANI, 50, MAHMOUD KHAZEIN, 42, KIYA SADEGHI, 35, and OMID NOORI, 45, all of Iran, have each been charged with: (1) conspiring to kidnap, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison (Count One), (2) conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and sanctions against the Government of Iran, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison (Count Two), (3) conspiring to commit bank and wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison (Count Three), and (4) conspiring to launder money, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison (Count Four). NILOUFAR BAHADORIFAR, 46, of California, is charged in Counts Two, Three, and Four, and is further charged with structuring (Count Five), which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The potential maximum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by Judge Abrams.
BAHADORIFAR was arrested on charges contained in an underlying indictment on July 1, 2021, and was arraigned by Judge Abrams on that indictment on July 8, 2021. FARAHANI, KHAZEIN, SADEGHI, and NOORI remain at large.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s New York Field Office Counterintelligence-Cyber Division and the New York FBI Iran Threat Task Force. Ms. Strauss also thanked the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) and the NYPD Intelligence Bureau, the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office Orange County Resident Agency, and the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, for their assistance.
The charges in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
“The pandemic caused a wave of disruption throughout New York state as we saw weddings, religious ceremonies, professional conferences, and many other large gatherings cancelled or delayed,” said Attorney General James. “Most of those events required deposits, totaling thousands of dollars paid upfront. After working with the owners of the Greentree County Club, I am happy to announce that all 76 consumers who paid deposits to the club will receive full restitution as we put $427,000 back into New Yorkers’ pockets. Since the start of the pandemic, we now have returned almost $800,000 to New Yorkers and will continue to fight for more, especially as the pandemic continues to take a financial toll on our state’s residents.”
In the spring of 2020, when COVID-19 began to quickly spread across the state, New York, like the rest of the nation, initiated lockdowns that prohibited large scale events from taking place. As events began to be cancelled, consumers who had placed deposits for events began to request refunds from the Greentree Country Club but were denied. Those consumers, instead, were offered other resolutions, such as rescheduling the event to a future date, accepting a credit of the deposit for future use, or transferring the credit to another person or event. Between April and September of 2020, the OAG received complaints from numerous consumers who paid deposits for cancelled events at the Greentree Country Club. The OAG was able to quickly resolve these matters earlier this year and negotiated thousands of dollars in refunds for those complainants. Based on the volume of complaints, the OAG initiated a full investigation, resulting in today’s restitution.
The OAG worked with the Greentree Country Club to make consumers whole and return those deposits that were not forfeited by unforeseeable events, like the COVID-19 pandemic. The OAG successfully negotiated with the Greentree Country Club to secure full restitution for 76 consumers who previously paid deposits to the venue. All 76 consumers have now been fully reimbursed the $427,000 they paid.
From March of 2020 through the present, the OAG received similar complaints about events booked and later cancelled due to pandemic restrictions. During this time, Attorney General James has helped recover a total of almost $800,000 for New Yorkers whose events were cancelled. In a number of other instances, consumers were able to successfully reschedule their events for a later date.
If consumers are having issues receiving a refund on a deposit for an event cancelled due to COVID-19 statewide regulations, they are encouraged to fill out an OAG complaint form or call the office’s hotline at (800) 771-7755.
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that PEDRO VICIOSO DE LIMA, a/k/a “Pep,” a/k/a “Pepo,” was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to 180 months in prison for leading a drug trafficking organization (the “DTO”) that was responsible for dealing fentanyl-laced heroin that has been tied to multiple suspected fatal and nonfatal overdoses. VICIOSO DE LIMA previously pled guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin, and was sentenced today before U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon.
U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As he previously admitted, Pedro Vicioso De Lima led a Washington Heights drug distribution network that sold fentanyl-laced heroin even after he was aware that customers were overdosing on it. Vicioso De Lima’s drug peddling and his callous disregard for its consequences have resulted in today’s prison sentence.”
According to the allegations in the Indictment and other filings and statements made in Court:
VICIOSO DE LIMA was the leader of a drug trafficking organization (the “DTO”) that operated in New York, New York, and controlled heroin sales from a building at 501 West 167th Street (the “DTO’s Building”) and the immediately surrounding vicinity (the “DTO’s Drug Territory”). From July 2016 to October 2018, the DTO is estimated to have distributed more than 85 kilograms of heroin, much of it laced with fentanyl. VICIOSO DE LIMA controlled and oversaw the operations of the DTO, and together with his trusted second-in-command, Victor Hidalgo, managed stash houses in the DTO’s Drug Territory where the DTO stored its wares. The defendant directed other members of the DTO on matters ranging from how to handle drugs being sold by the DTO, to managing lookouts who worked for the DTO and surveilled for law enforcement, to handling complaints by customers about the quality of drugs being sold by the DTO.
No later than May 2018, VICIOSO DE LIMA was told by Hidalgo that the mixture of heroin being sold by the DTO was causing people to “drop[]” – or overdose – outside the DTO’s Building. Nevertheless, VICIOSO DE LIMA persisted in leading the DTO and selling its potentially fatal narcotics through his arrest in this case in November 2018.
VICIOSO DE LIMA, 52, of Bergenfield, New Jersey, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute one kilogram and more of heroin from July 2016 to October 2018. In addition to the prison term, VICIOSO DE LIMA was sentenced to 10 years of supervised release.
Hidalgo was previously sentenced to 120 months in prison.
Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New York City Police Department.