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Friday, August 20, 2021
THE NEW BXCC - Bronx Business News You Can Use
Nos Quedamos - STAGE GARDEN RUMBA
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Statement from Attorney General’s Office in Response to Rita Glavin’s Comments
Today, the Office of New York Attorney General Letitia James released the following statement from Delaney Kempner, Director of Communications, in response to Rita Glavin’s comments:
“After multiple women made accusations that Governor Cuomo sexually harassed them, the governor, himself, requested that Attorney General James oversee an independent investigation. That investigation was exhaustive, thorough, and without outside influence, period.
“Given the multiple, ongoing criminal investigations into the governor’s conduct, it would not be appropriate to respond further to these baseless attacks. The 168-page report and additional 486 pages of exhibits clearly corroborate the experiences of the complainants, yet the governor and his aides continue to undermine those who seek to expose this dangerous conduct.
“We cannot allow survivors of sexual harassment to be further traumatized by these continued attacks, lies, and conspiracy theories.”
TROPICAL STORM HENRI: NYC BEACHES WILL CLOSE TO SWIMMING DUE TO EXPECTED DANGEROUS CONDITIONS—SUNDAY, AUGUST 22 AND MONDAY, AUGUST 23
National Weather Service predicts ocean swells between 2 - 4 ft., and potential wind gusts of up to 60 mph
NYC Parks offers proactive tips for how to best report fallen or damaged trees
NYC Parks today announced that all City beaches will be closed to swimming on Sunday, August 22 and Monday, August 23, due to the dangerous conditions predicted as an effect of Tropical Storm Henri. Red flags and closure notices will be posted along all beaches, and Parks staff will be surveying the beach to keep patrons out of the water. Surfing will be allowed in designated areas only.
The National Weather Service predicts a dangerous rip current threat with possible ocean swells of between 2 - 4 ft., which will affect all Atlantic Ocean beaches.
“We are serious about protecting all parkgoers. Out of caution for the dangerous conditions that are predicted, we have decided to close all City beaches to swimming,” said NYC Parks Acting Commissioner Margaret Nelson. “While surfing will still be allowed, lifeguards will not be on duty, and we strongly urge all New Yorkers not to risk their lives by ignoring this directive.”
Parks lifeguards and enforcement staff will be posted along the coastline to enforce the swimming ban. Closure signage will be posted at entryways of all beaches. New Yorkers are advised to adhere to all signage and instructions for their own safety, and to call 311 for updates on beach closures.
In addition to the beach closure, NYC Parks recommends New Yorkers exercise caution as the expected high winds can impact street and park trees.
As the steward of the City’s trees, Parks reminds all that it is important to report tree failures through official channels:
- Call 911 immediately if there is a life-threatening emergency
- To report non-emergency tree failures (down trees or branches):
- Call 311, use the 311 app or website (https://portal.311.nyc.gov)
- Use NYC Parks’ street tree map: nyc.gov/parks/treemap
- Use NYC Parks’ web form: nyc.gov/parks/trees
When reporting tree damage, please make sure to include the location and a description of the size of the tree or branch. In addition, please include the following details:
- Is there a street address or cross street available?
- Is the fallen tree blocking a road? Fully or partially?
- Has it fallen on or is it touching utility wires?
- Has it fallen onto a house or other building? Is the building damaged?
- Has it fallen onto a car or other vehicle?
- Is the tree split, either vertically or horizontally, but still standing? Is the tree uprooted or leaning noticeably?
- Is tree debris blocking a sidewalk? Fully or partially?
Omar Amanat Sentenced To Prison For Multiple Fraud Schemes After Conviction At Trial During Which He Fabricated Evidence
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that OMAR AMANAT, an associate of codefendant Kaleil Isaza Tuzman, the former chairman and chief executive officer of the technology start-up company KIT digital, Inc. (“KITD”), was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe to five years in prison for participating in various securities fraud-related offenses. AMANAT and Tuzman were found guilty in 2017 after a two-month trial presided over by Judge Gardephe. AMANAT was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aiding and abetting investment advisor fraud, and conspiracy to commit securities fraud.
U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Omar Amanat defrauded investors of millions of dollars through years of lies and deceit. Among his many fraudulent tactics, Amanat teamed up with Kaleil Tuzman and others to manipulate stock prices and hide investment losses through years of false account statements. When finally caught, Amanat doubled down on his lies by introducing fake emails into the trial record as ‘exculpatory’ evidence. Neither the Government nor the jury was fooled. Amanat was convicted on all counts and remanded by the Court into federal custody, where he will remain until his sentence is served.”
According to the Indictment and other filings in Manhattan federal court and the evidence presented at trial:
The Scheme to Defraud Maiden Capital Investors
Stephen Maiden[1] was the managing member of Maiden Capital, a hedge fund that managed portfolios of securities. Between in or about February 2009 and in or about June 2012, AMANAT, along with Maiden and others, devised and carried out a scheme to hide from Maiden Capital investors the fact that Maiden Capital’s investments in Enable – an investment fund run by AMANAT’s brother and codefendant, Irfan Amanat, for which AMANAT raised money (based, in part, on false and misleading representations) – had been lost. To facilitate the scheme, Maiden, with the knowledge and approval of AMANAT, generated false client account statements that failed to disclose the Enable losses. In addition, AMANAT wired hundreds of thousands of dollars to a Maiden Capital bank account to support Maiden Capital, including to allow Maiden to repay investors whose redemption requests could not be forestalled and thus to continue to keep secret from Maiden Capital investors the Enable losses for over three years.
The Market Manipulation Scheme
Between in or about December 2008 and in or about September 2011, AMANAT, Tuzman, and Maiden engaged in efforts to artificially inflate the share price and trading volume of KITD shares. During this time period, KITD shares traded on the OTC Bulletin Board and on the NASDAQ. Maiden, at Tuzman and AMANAT’s direction, purchased and sold shares of KITD through Maiden Capital, for the purpose of manipulating KITD’s stock price and creating the illusion of greater volume in the trading for KITD shares.
For instance, Maiden, with Tuzman’s knowledge and approval, frequently engaged in match trading in which Maiden caused an account under Maiden’s control to buy or sell KITD stock, and on the same day caused an account under Maiden’s control to take the opposite position. Tuzman also directed Maiden to make timely purchases of KITD stock in an effort to manipulate the price of KITD shares at certain critical times, including, for example, when KITD was seeking to raise additional capital and in the weeks before KITD’s stock was uplisted to the NASDAQ. At times, Maiden was responsible for nearly all of the day’s trading activity in KITD stock.
Amanat’s Fabrication of Evidence
Evidence at trial also revealed that AMANAT produced to the Government and entered into evidence at trial emails that had been fabricated. After two evidentiary hearings, the Court allowed the Government to present to the jury evidence of AMANAT’s use of false and fabricated email evidence during the trial. After the verdict, Judge Gardephe revoked AMANAT’s bail and ordered him remanded into custody, citing numerous factors, including that “substantial evidence was introduced at trial that Mr. Amanat fabricated emails” showing “disdain for the court” and its procedures.
AMANAT, 48, was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered of pay a fine of $175,000.
Tuzman, 49, is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Gardephe on September 10, 2021, at 12:00 p.m.
Irfan Amanat, 50, was convicted at a separate trial before Judge Gardephe in October 2018. He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Gardephe on September 8, 2021, at 1:00 p.m.
Ms. Strauss praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. She also thanked the Securities and Exchange Commission for its assistance.
Attorney General James Announces Indictment of Bronx Clinic Owner for Stealing More Than $4 Million from New York Taxpayers
Leslie Montgomery Indicted for Offering Fake Affordable Housing Assistance to Scam
Low-Income New Yorkers Into Revealing Personal Information to Illegally Profit Off of Medicaid
New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the indictment of Leslie Montgomery, 50, of the Bronx for defrauding New York state out of millions of dollars in false Medicaid claims. Montgomery — who did business as Healthy Living Community Center (Healthy Living) and owned LCM Livery P/U, Inc. (LCM Livery) — allegedly scammed individuals and taxpayers through an elaborate scheme, whereby Montgomery advertised a fake housing assistance program to lure low-income New Yorkers into providing their personal information, including their Medicaid numbers. Montgomery then used that personal information to submit false claims for custom-molded back braces to MetroPlus Health Plan, Inc. (MetroPlus), a Medicaid-funded managed care organization, for braces that were not needed and never ordered by patients. Montgomery is accused of stealing more than $4 million from the illegal scheme.
“Cheating taxpayers by preying on vulnerable New Yorkers is disgraceful and unacceptable,” said Attorney General James. “This alleged scheme took advantage of those most in need, baiting individuals with fake promises of affordable housing, only to use their personal information to steal more than $4 million from taxpayers. This fraud will not go unchecked. We will go after anyone who steals from New Yorkers.”
In the indictment, the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) alleges that Montgomery regularly used social media to advertise a sham housing assistance program as a ruse to lure low-income New Yorkers to Healthy Living. Healthy Living then required New Yorkers to divulge personally identifiable information — including their Medicaid numbers — in order to qualify for the purported program. But instead of helping New Yorkers find housing, Montgomery used their personal information to submit false claims to MetroPlus for highly customized back braces that she never provided to the Medicaid recipients. From time to time, Montgomery provided a $20 “off-the-shelf” back brace that was mailed directly from Amazon to the recipient. However, most of the time, she provided no brace at all, yet still billed MetroPlus between approximately $750 and $1,550 per back brace. Altogether, Montgomery is accused of pocketing more than $4 million from the scheme.
The indictment — filed in Bronx County State Supreme Court — charges Montgomery with one count of Grand Larceny in the First Degree, a class B felony; one count of Health Care Fraud in the First Degree, a class B felony; one count of Money Laundering in the First Degree, a class B felony; and five counts of Identity Theft in the First Degree, a class D felony. In addition to the charges against Montgomery, LCM Livery is also charged with one count of Money Laundering in the First Degree. If convicted on the top charge, Montgomery could face up to 25 years in state prison.
In conjunction with the criminal case, the OAG has also filed a civil complaint against Montgomery, LCM Livery, and other companies owned and controlled by Montgomery. The complaint — which asserts violations of New York’s False Claims Act, Section 145-b of New York’s Social Services Law, and other causes of action — seeks to recover millions of dollars in Medicaid money obtained by these defendants as a result of their fraudulent conduct.
The charges against the defendants are accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty in a court of law.
The OAG wishes to thank the New York state Department of Health, the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General, and MetroPlus for their assistance and cooperation in this investigation.
Reporting Medicaid Provider Fraud: MFCU defends the public by addressing Medicaid provider fraud and protecting nursing home residents from abuse and neglect. If an individual believes they have information about Medicaid provider fraud or about an incident of abuse or neglect of a nursing home resident, they can file a confidential complaint online on the OAG website or by calling the MFCU hotline at (800) 771-7755. If the situation is an emergency, please call 911.
MFCU’s total funding for federal fiscal year (FY) 2021 is $53,413,761. Of that total, 75 percent — or $40,060,324 — is awarded under a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The remaining 25 percent of the approved grant — totaling $13,353,437 for FY 2021 — is funded by New York state. Through its recoveries in law enforcement actions, MFCU regularly returns more to the state than it receives in state funding.
City Agencies Secure Financing To Complete ‘Casa Celina’ Affordable Housing Project In Soundview, The Bronx
New York City Public Housing Authority (NYCHA), the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), and the NYC Housing Development Corporation (HDC) have finalized a major construction financing package to complete a 205-unit affordable housing development in The Bronx. Located in the borough’s Soundview neighborhood, the building will debut as Casa Celina, named after Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s mother Celina Baez.
The building will take shape on a NYCHA-owned site at the corner of Watson and Thieriot Avenues and is the latest addition to a housing complex named after Justice Sotomayor. The combined financing deal is valued at $245 million, a portion of which will also fund construction of Atrium at Sumner, a forthcoming affordable housing property in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn.
“Casa Celina and Atrium promise to be thriving communities with seniors receiving the support they need to prosper,” said HPD commissioner Louise Carroll. “These nearly 400 new affordable senior homes, to be built across two communities in the Bronx and Brooklyn, are the result of an incredible team effort with the New York City Housing Authority and our development and supportive housing partners.”
The property will house 158 studio apartments and 46 one-bedroom apartments, plus one two-bedroom unit for a live-in superintendent. A total of 62 apartments will be set aside for homeless seniors. The remaining 142 apartments available to households earning at or below 50 percent area median income. NYCHA residents will be given preference for 36 of the apartments at Casa Celina.
Designed by Magnusson Architecture + Planning, the 16-story building also contains a 1,725-square-foot ground-floor community space offering social support, health services, and cultural programming. The facility will be operated by Jewish Association Serving the Aging (JASA), which will also manage the building.
Residential amenities will include a fitness center, a landscaped roof terrace, communal lounge areas, and a laundry room. Additionally, bright resident lounges on each floor create a vertical network of social spaces, helping to prevent isolation for residents living alone.
Permanent financing for the $113 million project at Casa Celina includes $43 million in HDC bonds, $7.7 million in HDC extremely low and low-income affordability subsidies, $52.7 million in low income housing tax credit equity, and $9.9 million from other unspecified sources.
Additional members of the development team include Xenolith Partners, The Kretchmer Companies, and ELH Management. Mountco will serve as the project’s general contractor.
“The Casa Celina development team often hears of the desperate demand for quality, affordable senior housing,” said Andrea Kretchmer, principal at Xenolith Partners LLC. “We are now one step closer to helping to meet that need in a beautiful, sustainably designed building with high-quality services to be offered by the JASA, the city’s premier senior service agency.”
138 Days and Counting- Heil De Blasio
Heil De Blasio: 'You will get vaccinated, and carry your papers that show your vaccination or else'.
As a reporter I thought I would never see this day, which reminds me of the films of Nazi Germany. American citizens are being forced to get vaccinated or lose their privileges to go almost anywhere. If you thought King Cuomo was bad with his lockdown, this is worse because Hitler de Blasio is forcing people to take a vaccine, that does not have full FDA approval, it was given experimental use only.
In my case I caught the COVID virus coming home on the subway coming home from a Mayoral press conference the first week of March 2020. Now 18 month later I have been told by two of de Blasio's top doctors, Dr. Chokshi Commissioner of the NYCDOH, and Dr. Katz the head of HHC that I am now immune to the COVID virus. Dr. Chokshi said that he would like me to get the vaccine, and Dr. said I don't need to be vaccinated.
Mayor de Blasio are your doctors correct in saying that I am immune to the virus, and don't need to be vaccinated, or are your two top doctors who have been advising you during this health crisis wrong?