NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNAPOLI RELEASES INTERACTIVE MAP OF LOCAL CENSUS RESULTS

 

Report Profiles Demographic Changes

 New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today released a report tracking New York’s local demographic changes based on 2020 Census data and an interactive online map that breaks down population statistics by age, race and ethnicity, along with housing trends, in New York’s cities, counties, towns and villages. DiNapoli’s report provides a snapshot of New York state’s population, which totaled more than 20.2 million in 2020, up 4.1% since 2010.

“The 2020 Census results show that New York state is changing, and this report and online tool provides detailed information about population changes in local communities and what it may mean down the road,” said DiNapoli. “These changes can impact how revenues, such as local sales tax and federal aid, are distributed.”

The state’s overall population growth was largely driven by the New York City metropolitan area. The city experienced its fourth straight decade of population growth and had the sharpest increase at 7.7%. The population in the Mid-Hudson region grew 4.7% to nearly 2.4 million, the largest percentage increase of any region outside of New York City. Long Island, the state’s second-most populated region, increased by 3.1% from 2010 to over 2.9 million people. Conversely, the Southern Tier had the largest percentage decrease at 3%, closely followed by the North Country and Mohawk Valley, with declines of 2.9% and 2.2%, respectively.

Overall, cities outside New York City grew for the first time since 1960, up 2% to total 2.3 million people in 2020, though fewer than half experienced population growth. Towns grew by 1.7%, totaling 9.1 million residents, reflecting the slowest growth in towns in decades. The number of people living in villages also grew, but only by 1.1%, due in part to the dissolution of 22 villages between 2010 and 2020.

Other findings in the report:

• Nearly all the state’s largest cities outside New York City (11 out of 12) experienced growth between 2010 and 2020, increasing by a total of 4%. Mount Vernon’s population grew the fastest at 9.8%. Buffalo added the most people (17,039) – an increase of 6.5% – after losing more than half its population from 1950 to 2010. Yonkers grew by 8%, passing Rochester as the state’s third largest city. Almost all of the state’s smallest cities (10 out of 12) shrank, declining by 3.9%.
• The share of the population reported as white decreased in all classes of local governments. In cities outside of New York City, this group decreased by nearly 12% between 2010 and 2020 and now accounts for just under 51% of the aggregate population.
• Outside of New York City, the number of Black people increased in all classes of local government, with towns experiencing the largest increase, at 9.3 percent. People that identify as Hispanic or Latino increased by almost 28% in cities and villages and 38% in towns. The Asian American population also had significant double-digit growth in all classes of local government.
• The number of occupied housing units in cities outside of New York City grew 3.7% from 2010 to 2020, faster than in towns or villages, but this class also saw a 2% increase in vacant units, so overall city vacancy rates stayed fairly constant.

DiNapoli’s online interactive tool also includes data for New York City as a whole and each of its five counties (Bronx, Kings, New York, Richmond and Queens).

Online Dashboard

Local Government 2020 Census Interactive Dashboard

Report

2020 Census: Municipal Population Shifts in New York State

Former London And Miami Art Dealer Pleads Guilty To Defrauding Art Buyers And Financers Of More Than $86 Million

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that INIGO PHILBRICK, an art dealer specializing in post-war and contemporary fine art with galleries in London, United Kingdom, and Miami, Florida, pled guilty today before United States District Judge Sidney H. Stein to one count of wire fraud for perpetrating a multi-year scheme to defraud various individuals and entities in order to finance his art business.  In total, PHILBRICK fraudulently obtained more than $86 million as a result of the scheme.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Inigo Philbrick was a serial swindler who took advantage of the lack of transparency in the art market to defraud art collectors, investors, and lenders of more than $86 million to finance his art business and his lifestyle.  Philbrick has now admitted his guilt and awaits sentencing for perpetrating this extensive fraud.” 

According to the allegations in the Complaint, Indictment, and statements made in court:

From approximately 2016 through 2019, to finance his art business, PHILBRICK engaged in a scheme to defraud multiple individuals and entities in the art market located in the New York metropolitan area and abroad. PHILBRICK made material misrepresentations and omissions to art collectors, investors, and lenders to access valuable art and obtain sales proceeds, funding, and loans (the “Fraud Scheme”).  PHILBRICK knowingly misrepresented the ownership of certain artworks, for example, by selling a total of more than 100 percent ownership in an artwork to multiple individuals and entities without their knowledge; and by selling artworks and/or using artworks as collateral on loans without the knowledge of co-owners, and without disclosing the ownership interests of third parties to buyers and lenders. PHILBRICK furnished fraudulent contracts and records to investors to artificially inflate the artworks’ value and conceal his scheme, including a contract that listed a stolen identity as the seller.

Over the years, PHILBRICK obtained over $86 million in loans and sale proceeds in connection with the Fraud Scheme.  Artworks about which PHILBRICK made these fraudulent misrepresentations in furtherance of the Fraud Scheme include, among others, a 1982 painting by the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat titled “Humidity,” a 2010 untitled painting by the artist Christopher Wool, and an untitled 2012 painting by the artist Rudolf Stingel depicting the artist Pablo Picasso.  

By in or about the fall of 2019, PHILBRICK’s Fraud Scheme began to come to light as various investors and lenders learned about the fraudulent records PHILBRICK had provided and the material misrepresentations and omissions he had made.  By in or about mid-October, a lender officially notified PHILBRICK that he was in default of approximately a $14 million loan, and by November 2019, various investors had filed civil lawsuits in multiple jurisdictions regarding PHILBRICK’s Fraud Scheme in connection with various artworks.  At around the same time, PHILBRICK’s art galleries in Miami and London closed, and PHILBRICK stopped responding to legal process.  PHILBRICK fled the United States shortly before public reporting began about the lawsuits.  A fugitive, PHILBRICK resided in Vanuatu from approximately October 2019 until he was arrested there on June 11, 2020, in connection with this case.   

PHILBRICK, 34, a U.S. citizen previously residing in London, United Kingdom, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum prison term of 20 years.  The statutory maximum sentence is prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.  PHILBRICK is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Stein on March 18, 2022 at 12:00 p.m.

Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Art Crime Team.

Join Senator Biaggi For A Food And Health Empowerment Fair on 11/20/21

 

Dear Community, 

Hope you are all doing well and staying safe. I would like to remind you all about our Food and Health Empowerment Fair this Saturday hosted by myself and Councilmember-Elect Marjorie Velázquez. The event will take place Saturday, November 20th from 12-5 PM at the Huntington Free Library located at 9 Westchester Square, Bronx, NY 10461.

The Fair will feature a panel discussion of elected officials and community leaders to discuss government and community-based solutions to combat food insecurity in the Bronx, followed by a food justice resource fair and turkey and produce distribution. We hope to bring the community together as we approach the holiday season, host an educational conversation regarding the issue of food insecurity, promote local food resources, and provide turkeys and grocery items to meet the needs during the November holiday season.

I’m excited to announce our panelists for our food insecurity panel discussion. These panelists offer a range of perspectives on combating food insecurity, and have expertise in developing government and community-based solutions. 

Our panelists are as follows: 

• Moderator: Jonathan Cetnarski from the Sylvia Center: Jonathan is the Executive Director for The Sylvia Center, a NYC based food justice non-profit. He has more than 20 years of experience transforming businesses, building resiliency and driving growth. Before The Sylvia Center, Jonathan was CEO and President of Natural Gourmet Institute, a nationally accredited, plant-based culinary school which educated chefs on the connection between food and health. 
• State Senator Alessandra Biaggi: Alessandra Biaggi is a two-term New York State Senator in her home district, NY-34. Senator Biaggi seeks to change the way business is done in Albany, and tirelessly fights to make New York’s government work for the people, not the powerful. She has led the charge in New York to pass legislation that strengthens protections for survivors and holds employers accountable for addressing sexual misconduct. 
• Councilmember-Elect Marjorie Velázquez: Marjorie is the Councilmember-Elect for District 13. She previously served as treasurer and currently serves on the executive board as Municipal Services Committee chair for the Bronx Community Board 10 to provide a much needed voice to the community on issues ranging from transportation to parks services and other quality of life issues. Since 2014, Marjorie has also been elected as the Democratic District Leader and an executive board member of the Chippewa Democratic Club, both in the 82nd Assembly District. 
• Elizabeth Peralta-Foxwell from Feed Forward: Elizabeth has deep roots within the food and community development scene. She is one of the founders of Feed Forward, a company focused on creating a better food future. Peralta-Foxwell grew up food insecure which is why this is more than a mission but a lifelong battle for good. She previously served as the Executive Director of the National Supermarket Association (NSA), where she served to protect the interest of over 500 supermarket owners in the tri-state area. 
• Phillip Grant from Hunts Point Produce Market: Phillip is the Chief Executive Officer of the Hunts Point Produce Market. Phillip leads a team of approximately 110 staff that support the day-to-day operations of the largest wholesale produce market in the nation. The Hunts Point Produce Market is committed to serving the NYC region—and that includes giving back. In 2019, more than 6 million pounds of food made its way to neighbors in NYC and Westchester. 
• Deepti Sharma from FoodtoEat: A lifelong entrepreneur, Deepti is the CEO and Founder of FoodtoEat, a community-minded catering concierge service. She started FoodtoEat in 2011 to connect immigrant, women and minority-owned food vendors to opportunities for growth— ultimately helping them strengthen their own business skills. FoodtoEat helps businesses feed employees great food and build stronger & more diverse work cultures. 
• Jessica Altagracia Woolford from Kingsbridge Unidos: Jessica is a local organizer, who was born and raised in Kingsbridge, and now lives in Riverdale. At the height of the pandemic, Jess started Kingsbridge Unidos: a volunteer-run, mutual aid effort to deliver over 30,000 pounds of fresh produce, in addition to thousands of masks, and valuable bilingual information about COVID-19 and more, to families in Kingsbridge.

Click here to RSVP and reserve a turkey! 

Click here to RSVP and reserve a turkey! 

Masks are required for the entirety of the event and will also be provided. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me and my team at biaggi@nysenate.gov or by calling our office at 718-822-2049.

I look forward to seeing everyone there this weekend!

With Gratitude, 

State Senator Alessandra Biaggi

Attorney General James Investigating Instagram’s Impact on Young People

 

Coalition of AGs Concerned for Safety and Well-Being of Children,

Examining Potential Violations of Consumer Protection Laws

 New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced that she and a coalition of attorneys general from around the nation are investigating Meta Platforms, Inc. — formerly known as Facebook — for providing and promoting the social media platform Instagram to children and young adults despite knowing that such use is associated with physical and mental health harms. The coalition of attorneys general are examining whether the company violated state consumer protection laws and put the public at risk.

“Doesn’t make a difference if you call it Instagram, Facebook, or Meta, the fact still remains the same: These social media platforms are extremely dangerous and have been proven to cause both physical and mental harm in young people,” said Attorney General James. “Time and again, Mark Zuckerberg and the companies he run have put profits over safety, but our investigation seeks to end that behavior. Our coalition will not hesitate to take whatever action is necessary to protect children and young adults from the harms Instagram and other social media platforms risk to so many.”

The investigation targets, among other things, the techniques utilized by Meta to increase the frequency and duration of engagement by young users and the resulting harms caused by such extended engagement. Today’s announcement follows recent reports revealing that Meta’s own internal research shows that using Instagram is associated with increased risks of physical and mental health harms on young people, including depression, eating disorders, and even suicide.

Attorney General James has long been concerned about the negative impacts of social media platforms on New York’s youngest residents. In May, as part of a bipartisan coalition of 44 attorneys general, Attorney General James urged Facebook to abandon its plans to launch a version of Instagram for children under the age of 13.

Leader Of International Cellphone Fraud Scheme Arrested

 

 Damian Williams, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Ricky J. Patel, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), announced today the arrest of JUAN S. CORDERO, who is charged with leading a fraud ring operating in the United States and the Dominican Republic in which co-conspirators fraudulently purchased iPhones that were billed to compromised accounts of AT&T Wireless (“AT&T”) customers.  CORDERO was apprehended by authorities in the Dominican Republic and transported to the Southern District of New York, where he will be presented later today.  He is the eighth and final defendant arrested on an Indictment that charges CORDERO, DANIEL A. TORRES, ALEKSEY SERYY, RARNIERY MOLINA, a/k/a “Eddy,” ADAEL ARIEL FIGARO, SALAH SAL ALTAWEEL, JOSE F. CORDERO, and JEANCARLOS URENA with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft.  The case is assigned to United States District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged, Juan S. Cordero and his co-conspirators obtained millions of dollars’ worth of iPhones after customers were deceived into providing PIN codes needed to complete the fraudulent transactions.  Now, each defendant has been arrested and charged with serious crimes, and the international scheme has been disconnected.”

HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Ricky J. Patel said: “This arrest closes the final chapter of an alleged fraud network operating in New York and the Dominican Republic that used modern technology to steal and monetize personal information.  The co-conspirators’ alleged activities left a trail of unsuspecting victims across the United States and caused significant business losses.  HSI prides itself on its ability to couple traditional investigative techniques with cutting edge technical skills to combat cybercrime.”

As alleged in the Indictment[1]:

From at least in or around February 2016 up to and including in or around June 2020, the defendants participated in a criminal fraud ring (the “Fraud Ring”) based in the United States and the Dominican Republic.  Participants in the Fraud Ring sought to obtain iPhones and other electronic devices by billing the devices to the wireless service accounts of victim account holders without the account holders’ knowledge or consent.

To effectuate the scheme, the Fraud Ring obtained personally identifying information (“PII”) belonging to AT&T customers in one of two ways:

First, the Fraud Ring purchased from the dark web account information, such as usernames and passwords, belonging to AT&T customers.  Having purchased the username and password belonging to a particular AT&T customer, a member of the Fraud Ring was able to log into the account of that customer and add a co-conspirator as an authorized user.  In order to complete the addition of an authorized user, a member of the Fraud Ring also had to obtain the resulting confirmatory PIN code sent by AT&T to the true customer.  To do so, a member of the Fraud Ring purporting to be an AT&T representative called the customer.  When placing these calls, the Fraud Ring used Voice Over Internet Protocol (“VOIP”) Technology, which enables a caller to insert a chosen telephone number into the originating caller field.  Often the Fraud Ring input numbers affiliated with, or closely related to, AT&T customer service telephone numbers, leading unsuspecting customers to provide their PIN codes based on their belief that they were communicating with representatives of AT&T.

Alternatively, the Fraud Ring obtained PII of customer accounts through password reset requests.  Using this method, a member of the Fraud Ring, purporting to be an AT&T representative, typically placed a VOIP call to a particular wireless customer and alerted the customer to a forthcoming PIN code.  At that point, while still on the line with the AT&T customer, a member of the Fraud Ring reset the password on that customer’s account and asked the customer to recite the PIN code just sent via text message.  Having obtained the PIN code, the Fraud Ring then changed the password of the customer’s account and added a co-conspirator as an authorized user.

Next, the member of the Fraud Ring whose name had been added to a particular customer account entered either an AT&T retail location or a retailer of iPhones and electronic devices registered to the AT&T network.  Once at the retail location, that member of the Fraud Ring purchased one or more electronic devices, typically iPhones cost at least $1000 each.  The cost of the devices would be charged to the customer account, while the member of the Fraud Ring making the purchase paid only the taxes and processing fees.

Members of the Fraud Ring made in-store purchases of iPhones and other electronic devices from retailers in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere in New York, and in 45 other states.  Once purchased, the iPhones were sold to buyers nationwide.

Following the re-sale of the fraudulently obtained iPhones, co-conspirators wired money to other co-conspirators across the country and in the Dominican Republic.

Over the course of the conspiracy, the Fraud Ring billed over 4,800 iPhones and other electronic devices to AT&T customer accounts, resulting in over $4 million in customer losses, which were ultimately absorbed by AT&T.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI.

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 DE BLASIO ANNOUNCES FIRST COMMUNITY SCHOLARSHIP DONATION FOR NYC’S UNIVERSAL BABY BONDS PROGRAM

 

Mayor presents first community-funded donation to kindergarteners at Brooklyn Gardens Elementary in East New York and kicks off an end-of year giving drive for NYC Baby Bonds’ Community Scholarships

 

Community Scholarships advance City’s work to reduce the racial wealth gap, expanding educational and economic opportunity for all students

 Mayor de Blasio today celebrated the first Community Scholarship donation since the citywide roll-out of New York City’s universal “Baby Bonds” program and kicked off the end-of-year giving drive for the Community Scholarships, presenting “baby bonds” and the first Community Scholarships to kindergartners at Brooklyn Gardens Elementary School in East New York.  Community Scholarships  — a core component of the program — can help confront the racial generational wealth gap and enable local organizations, businesses, neighbors, and other institutions to contribute to students’ college savings accounts and directly invest in every child’s success.

 

“This administration began with a vision – improving and expanding the education of our youngest learners,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “With Pre-K for All, 3-K for All and Universal Literacy we guaranteed access for all our kids to quality early education and the skills needed to succeed. The expansion of universal Baby Bonds is a historic bookend to this investment, and ensures our children have the resources to thrive. Now, with Community Scholarships, every community can get involved, invest in their children and help build a more equitable future for generations to come.”

 

“A contribution to the “baby bonds” program is an excellent way to say to our children:  You are valued and worthy of investment. With these bonds, a child has the beginning infrastructure to shape a dream,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray. “These investments help guarantee that struggling families get a measurably significant head start in saving for college or training programs for post high-school careers. The Community Scholarship fund says clearly to our children and their families: we believe in you and we believe in your future.” 

 

"The City's "baby bonds" program demonstrates that it is possible to address racial disparities in college access through collective investment and innovative policymaking, said Deputy Mayor for Strategic Policy Initiatives J. Phillip Thompson. "The Taskforce on Racial Inclusion & Equity was proud to announce this program expansion via the Juneteenth Economic Justice plan, and I congratulate the kindergarteners and their families at Brooklyn Gardens who are receiving their funds today."

 

“This is an historic investment in the future of New York City’s students and will provide every child with the opportunities, resources, and support they need to achieve their dreams. I’m grateful to our partners at NYC Kids Rise and the community’s support for helping us make this a reality for every kindergarten student citywide,” said Schools Chancellor Meisha Porter.

 

“Community Scholarships provide a vehicle for all communities to invest in young people and reinforce expectations for college and career,” said Sideya Sherman, Executive Director, Taskforce on Racial Inclusion and Equity, and EVP for Community Engagement & Partnerships, NYCHA. “We are grateful to our partners at NYC Kids Rise and the Gray Foundation for helping us to build a foundation that will shift generational outcomes for families across our city.

 

Earlier this year, the Mayor announced a citywide expansion of the NYC Kids RISE Save for College Program, as part of the Taskforce on Racial Inclusion & Equity’s Juneteenth Economic Justice plan. As the Program rolls out this school year, individual donors and community groups are stepping up to drive additional dollars to students. This contribution will double the City’s seed investment of $100 for every kindergarten student at Brooklyn Gardens Elementary School with an NYC Scholarship Account, and kicks off an end-of year giving drive.

 

In partnership with the Mayor’s Fund, the City is calling on businesses, organizations, institutions, and individuals to contribute to the end-of-year giving drive for Community Scholarships and help make college and career success attainable for all students. 100% of proceeds will go directly into student’s accounts through NYC Kids RISE. Research suggests that children with a college savings account of just $1-$500 are three times more likely to go to college and more than four times more likely to graduate.

 

Through an initial $15M investment from the Gray Foundation, New York City is the first major city in the nation to implement this groundbreaking model for community wealth building that provides ways for stakeholders within each neighborhood and across the city—including schools, CBOs, local businesses, the private sector, and philanthropic organizations— to contribute to asset-building and promote community-wide expectations for students’ success from their first days of school.

 

Many communities of color and low-income communities have been excluded from opportunities to build wealth. Through the Save for College program, every public-school kindergartner (including at participating charter schools) now has an opportunity to build assets for college and career training after high school, and all New Yorkers have a vehicle to tangibly support the educational future of children in their community.

 

“As a parent, I know thinking about the future of our children can be stressful—especially if you might not be able to afford the cost of higher education,” said Department of Consumer and Worker Protection Commissioner Peter A. Hatch. “The expansion of this program from an idea here at DCWP years ago to what is now a citywide program to help all public school students is truly an invaluable investment in the future of our city. By making higher education more equitable and attainable, we empower the next generation to be free from the burden of student loan debt."

 

“The Baby Bonds program will be a historic investment in higher education for New York’s children and will ensure a brighter future for all, no matter your zip code,” said Daniele Baierlein and Jorge Luis Paniagua Valle, Co-Executive Directors of the Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City. “We look forward to the continued partnership with the City, NYC Kids RISE, local organizations, businesses, and our neighbors to make higher education a reality for all New York students.” 

 

“Community Scholarships are a key pillar of the Save For College Program and send an important message to our city’s children: they have a broad-base of supporters invested in their future,” said Dana Zucker, NYC Kids RISE Board Chair and Executive Director of the Gray Foundation. “This initiative from the Mayor’s Fund serves as an example of how New Yorkers from every corner of the city can get involved to expand opportunities for all of our children. We are pleased to partner with the Mayor and the City of New York, Chancellor Porter and the NYC Department of Education, and the Task Force on Racial Inclusion and Equity to continue building meaningful financial assets for the future of children across the city

 

“The Save for College Program has been designed to allow every part of a child’s community – from schools, to local businesses, to civic organizations and places of worship – to come together to show support for their children and invest in their futures together,” said Debra-Ellen Glickstein, Executive Director of NYC Kids RISE. “Community Scholarships, such as the one announced today from the Mayor’s Fund, are vital to that process. By visibly and tangibly demonstrating citywide support for every child’s future, we send a clear message to our children that we are behind them every step of the way on their college and career journey. We look forward to continuing this public-private-community partnership to help ensure students and families have access to the tools to build wealth, reinforce expectations of success for all our children, and prepare them for their educational and economic futures.”

 

"The Community Scholarship Fund is an ideal vehicle for people in all walks of life to come together in support of NYC's children, providing not just financial support, but also the strong message that the city has their back, and believes in possibilities for all of our city's children," said Matthew Klein, executive director of the Mayor's Office for Economic Opportunity. "The universal expansion of Kids Rise has created a true platform for community building and investment in one another."

Governor Hochul Announces Advancement of Program to Deploy More Than 50,000 New EV Charging Ports Across the State

 

 PSC Votes to Advance 'EV Make-Ready' Program to Incentivize Utilities and Charging Port Makers to Place Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Where it Benefits the Public

Accelerated Deployment of More than 50,000 Public and Commercial Charging Ports — Including 1,500 DC Fast Charging Ports — by 2025 Will Increase NY's Non-Residential Charging Ports by Tenfold

Program Stimulates $1.5 Billion in New Investment, Provides More Than $2.6 Billion in Consumer Benefits

 

Provides Economic Opportunities with $206 Million Dedicated to Benefit Disadvantaged Communities

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced utility companies can fully implement New York's groundbreaking electric vehicle infrastructure program known as "EV Make-Ready," which will deploy more than 50,000 new public and commercial Level 2 charging ports across the state by 2025 — increasing the number of non-residential charging ports in New York State by more than tenfold within four years.

The announcement follows the State Public Service Commission approving the accounting rules by which all of the major investor-owned utilities in New York State — Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation, Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc., New York State Electric & Gas Corporation, National Grid, Orange and Rockland Utilities, Inc. and Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation — can continue to implement the program. 

"New York leads the nation in clean energy innovation to combat climate change and bring environmental justice to impacted communities, and today's decision brings us one step closer to a greener, emission-free future," Governor Hochul said. "The EV Make-Ready program is designed to help electrify our transportation sector and support our mandate that all new passenger cars and trucks sold in the state by 2035 be zero-emission, while making sure all New Yorkers benefit from cleaner air and the creation of new, well-paying jobs."

The EV Make-Ready program provides funding for the infrastructure required to support more than 50,000 new public and commercial Level 2 charging ports, capable of charging a vehicle at least two times faster than a standard wall outlet, and 1,500 public DC (direct current) fast charger ports in New York in recognition of the essential role that public fast charging ports will play in the near term to allay range anxiety. Before the program began, there were 4,571 publicly accessible chargers statewide. This program will increase the number of publicly accessible chargers in New York State more than tenfold.

The EV Make-Ready program is funded by investor-owned utilities in New York State and creates a cost-sharing program that incentivizes utilities and charging port developers to site electric vehicle charging infrastructure in places that will provide a maximal benefit to consumers. The Commission capped the total budget at $701 million and it will run through 2025, with a minimum of $206 million allocated toward equitable access and benefits for lower-socio-economic and disadvantaged communities.  EV charging ports in disadvantaged communities are eligible for a higher incentive, supporting up to 100 percent of the costs to make a site ready for EV charging. Rules governing the EV Make-Ready program have been in effect on a temporary basis since Jan. 1, 2021. Today's decision makes those rules permanent.

Encouraging private investment in publicly accessible fast-charging ports will stimulate the EV market in New York over the coming years. While the initial focus was on funding projects located in communities served by investor-owned utilities, the Commission said that the objectives to advance the state's transportation electrification goals, expand access to clean transportation, and reduce emissions in disadvantaged communities are relevant across the entire state.

Public Service Commission Chair Rory M. Christian said, "We must rapidly electrify our transportation system in order to achieve a carbon-neutral economy. New York's clean energy initiatives and the investments planned for the years ahead will ensure that the infrastructure needed to meet our greenhouse reduction targets is in place."

The transportation sector is responsible for the largest contribution to greenhouse gas pollution in the country, with these emissions increasing more than any other sector over the last 30 years. Encouraging accelerated, forward-thinking development of charging infrastructure will provide New Yorkers with more than $2.6 billion in net benefits and supports the achievement of the State's transportation electrification and clean energy goals. Electrifying transportation will allow New Yorkers to power vehicles with cleaner energy sources, with renewables representing a growing portion of the state's electricity supply. Thoughtful siting of charging infrastructure will support reduced installation costs, improve site host-acceptance and maximize use from drivers.

The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), with its service provider, PSEG Long Island, has announced a goal to support 180,000 new EVs on Long Island with 4,745 new EV charging ports by 2025, with a proposed investment of $89 million in make-ready infrastructure over the next four years.

Customers in Long Island and other regions of New York State that fall outside of the investor-owned utility service territories can leverage the innovative prize competition design and administrative capabilities developed by NYSERDA for the "New York Clean Transportation Prizes".

The Commission's objectives to advance the state's transportation electrification goals, expand access to clean transportation, and reduce emissions in disadvantaged communities should be pursued by all communities throughout the state, without regard to the particular electric service provider or regulatory framework that governs that service, and a coordinated, statewide approach is needed to meet the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) requirements, and that all New Yorkers should share in the benefits of the CLCPA.

The CLCPA includes the requirements that all state agencies prioritize greenhouse gas emissions reductions in disadvantaged communities and that no less than 35 percent of the overall benefits of spending on clean energy programs benefit disadvantaged communities. EV Make-Ready costs include utility-owned make-ready work, customer-owned make-ready work, make-ready implementation and other programs costs.

New York State's Nation-Leading Climate Plan

New York State's nation-leading climate agenda is the most aggressive climate and clean energy initiative in the nation, calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues fostering a green economy as New York State recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. Enshrined into law through the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, New York is on a path to achieve its mandated goal of a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70 percent renewable energy generation by 2030, and to reach carbon neutrality. It builds on New York's unprecedented investments to ramp-up clean energy including over $21 billion in 91 large-scale renewable projects across the state, $6.8 billion to reduce buildings emissions, $1.8 billion to scale up solar, more than $1 billion for clean transportation initiatives, and over $1.2 billion in NY Green Bank commitments. Combined, these investments are supporting more than 150,000 jobs in New York's clean energy sector in 2019, a 2,100 percent growth in the distributed solar sector since 2011 and a commitment to develop 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035. With the Climate Act as its guide, New York will build on this progress and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent from 1990 levels by 2050, while ensuring that at least 35 percent with a goal of 40 percent of the benefits of clean energy investments are directed to disadvantaged communities, and advance progress towards the state's 2025 energy efficiency target of reducing on-site energy consumption by 185 trillion BTUs of end-use energy savings.

Member Of International Movie Piracy Ring Pleads Guilty

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today the guilty plea of GEORGE BRIDI, a citizen of the United Kingdom, for his role in the Sparks Group, an international piracy group that illegally distributed movies and television shows on the Internet.  BRIDI pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge Richard M. Berman.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As he admitted in court today, George Bridi participated in an international video piracy ring that illegally distributed worldwide on the Internet nearly every movie released by major production studios, as well as television shows.  Bridi circumvented copyright protections on DVDs and Blu-Ray discs to illegally share movies online, but he and his crew could not evade law enforcement scrutiny, and Bridi now awaits sentencing for his crime.”

As alleged in the Indictment and statements made in open court:

Between 2011 and the present, GEORGE BRIDI and others known and unknown were members of the Sparks Group, a criminal organization that disseminated on the Internet movies and television shows prior to their retail release date, including nearly every movie released by major production studios, after compromising the content’s copyright protections.

In furtherance of its scheme, the Sparks Group fraudulently obtained copyrighted DVDs and Blu-Ray discs from wholesale distributors in advance of their retail release date by, among other things, making various misrepresentations to the wholesale distributors concerning the reasons that they were obtaining the discs prior to the retail release date.  

Sparks Group members then used computers with specialized software to compromise the copyright protections on the discs, a process referred to as “cracking” or “ripping,” and to reproduce and encode the content in a format that could be easily copied and disseminated over the Internet.  Sparks Group members then uploaded copies of the copyrighted content onto servers controlled by the Sparks Group, where other members further reproduced and disseminated the content on streaming websites, peer-to-peer networks, torrent networks, and other servers accessible to public.  The Sparks Group identified its reproductions by encoding the filenames of reproduced copyrighted content with distinctive tags, and also uploaded photographs of the discs in their original packaging to demonstrate that the reproduced content originated from authentic DVDs and Blu-Ray discs.

BRIDI arranged for discs to be picked up, mailed, or delivered from distributors located in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and New Jersey to other members of the Sparks Group prior to their official release date.  BRIDI then reproduced, and aided and abetted the reproduction of, these discs by using computer software that circumvented copyright protections on the discs and reproducing the copyrighted content for further distribution on the Internet. 

The Sparks Group has caused tens of millions of dollars in losses to film production studios.                

BRIDI, 52, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit copyright infringement, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.  The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

BRIDI is scheduled to be sentenced on January 20, 2022, at 12:00 p.m.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  Mr. Williams also thanked Europol and Eurojust as well as law enforcement authorities in the following countries for their assistance in the investigation: Canada, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.