Daniel G. Cort, Acting Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced
today the agency’s statistics for Calendar Year-end (“CY”) 2021, which covers January 1, 2021 through December 31,
2021. The 2021 numbers continue to reflect the pandemic’s effect on the City and its economy, as well as on the courts
and criminal justice system. As a result, some of the numbers reflect a downturn from the previous calendar year.
However, statistics are only one measure of DOI’s broad impact. As the investigations detailed below demonstrate,
DOI’s anti-corruption work has wide-ranging impact throughout the City, rooting out corruption and holding accountable
those who seek to undermine the City. DOI’s work advanced the agency’s mission through educational efforts, public
reports, and public corruption investigations that got results despite pandemic hurdles.
Acting DOI Commissioner Daniel G. Cort said, “Calendar Year 2021 reflects DOI’s determination in the face
of continuing challenges presented by the pandemic, many beyond DOI’s control. Statistics are only one facet of DOI’s
story last year. The real depth of DOI’s work can be found in the details of the cases we did in 2021 and the impact they
made, including stopping bribery from taking hold in City contracting processes, issuing public reports that provided the
facts of investigations and presented recommendations to fix flawed and damaging City policies, and holding
accountable individuals who use wrongdoing to steal from the City and manipulate City operations. The array of
investigations described below demonstrate how DOI’s anti-corruption work touches on all aspects of City government
and furthers public confidence in how the City is run.”
Specifically, in CY 2021, DOI:
• Made 288 arrests resulting from investigations, a drop of 14% from CY 2020, when DOI made 333
arrests.
• Carried a docket of 1,524 investigations, about 9% fewer than the 1,677 caseload the agency
carried in CY 2020.
• Closed 838 investigations; an 18% decrease from the 1,024 investigations closed in CY 2020.
• Issued 201 policy and procedure recommendations compared to 366 recommendations issued in
CY 2020.
• Received 12,144 complaints, a 12% increase from the 10,883 complaints received in CY 2020.
• Reached more than 25,000 City employees with its online corruption-prevention module, an increase
of 55% from CY 2020; conducted 83 corruption-prevention lectures, a 4% increase from CY 2020.
• Continued to reduce the agency’s background investigation backlog, which in the summer of 2019
had reached approximately 6,500 investigations. During CY 2021, DOI closed more than 1,800
investigations in the backlog, decreasing it to just under 1,850 cases. In CY 2022, DOI has continued
that effort, further decreasing the backlog to under 1,800 investigations.
Below are highlights from Calendar Year 2021, reflecting the broad impact of DOI’s corruption investigations
– from providing detailed reforms to improving oversight of City funding to nonprofits that serve the most vulnerable in
the City, to arrests of individuals charged with corruption-related crimes and reports that expose the facts of wrongdoing
involving fraud, mismanagement, and other abuses. To view more on each matter mentioned below, click on the
headline or the designated link in the text:
DOI REPORTS AND INITIATIVES
Issuing public reports that shine a light on wrongdoing and how government operations can be improved is
part of DOI’s anti-corruption mission. In CY 2021, DOI issued seven public reports, including:
• Corruption Vulnerabilities in the City’s Oversight and Administration of
Nonprofit Human Services Contracts
DOI examined how the City can strengthen the budgeting, invoicing, and auditing of the nonprofit
human service contracts it awards, and which in Fiscal Year 2020 expended more than $4 billion in
City funds. The Report also drew on DOI’s observations from the dozens of investigations it has
conducted into corruption, waste, fraud, and other abuse involving these outsourced human service
contracts that deliver a variety of vital services. DOI issued a series of detailed recommendations to
implement standard procedures across the City intended to close those corruption vulnerabilities
found during this examination.
• Probe into Misuse of the former Mayor’s Security Detail
DOI probed four allegations involving the misuse of former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s security detail, two
involving the former Mayor’s children, one involving his mayoral staff and a fourth about whether New
York City bore ancillary travel costs for the former Mayor’s security detail during his presidential
campaign. The Report detailed DOI’s findings, context on best practices for the provision of executive
protection and issued 13 recommendations, three to the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”),
seven to the Office of the Mayor, two to the Conflicts of Interest Board and one to the City Department
of Records and Information Services.
• Mismanagement and Leadership Failures in the Lifeguard Division
DOI’s investigation found that the structure, history, and culture of the Lifeguard Division within the
City Department of Parks and Recreation revealed systemic dysfunction in its management and
accountability. The Report detailed the causes for these failures and provided 13 recommendations
for reform, urging the City to act on its recommendations and address the longstanding issues
within the Lifeguard Division that have undermined the professional management of lifeguards in
the City.
• Absentee Ballot Report
DOI investigated defective absentee ballots produced by Rochester, New York-based Phoenix
Graphics, Inc. for the 2020 General Election in New York City. DOI found no evidence that there was
intentional interference regarding the defective absentee ballot packages and that while there was
no competitive bid process to procure the contract, the award was consistent with emergency
procurement authority granted to the Board of Elections.
• Sharing Police Body-Worn Camera (“BWC”) Footage in New York City
This Report examined how the NYPD’s BWC footage is used by five agencies in New York City that
oversee and monitor police accountability. The examination determined that each agency has
different procedures for requesting, accessing, and retaining NYPD BWC footage for their mandated
activities and the current procedures do not provide the Civilian Complaint Review Board (“CCRB”)
with the appropriate level of access needed to perform its respective duties. While CCRB and NYPD
have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding that has the potential to improve the exchange
of BWC footage between the two agencies, the MOU does not grant direct access. In fact, this
examination found that if CCRB had direct access to NYPD’s BWC footage system, as many police
review agencies do in other cities, CCRB would be able to conduct its investigations in a timelier
manner that would also reduce the compliance burdens on NYPD.
• Anti-Corruption Report The 2020 Anti-Corruption Report was a progress report on City agencies’ anti-corruption programs,
which includes the vulnerabilities agencies have self-identified as problems and the strategies they
are using to remedy them; and was the first to be publicly issued. The annual report is different than
most other DOI reports in that it is not the product of DOI’s investigative work, but instead provides a
broad overview of the approach City agencies are taking to fight corruption.
• Public Information Campaign
In October 2021, DOI launched a poster and radio campaign that urged City employees and the
public to call DOI if they have information about corruption involving City government. The 2021
campaign built upon DOI’s successful poster campaign from the 1990s – “Get the Worms Out of the
Big Apple” – and updated it by asking New Yorkers for their help to root out corruption: “Know
something rotten in City government? Help DOI Get the Worms Out of the Big Apple.” Radio spots
focused on different corruption scenarios that DOI investigates and appeared on the radio during the
month of October.
DOI INVESTIGATIONS
Investigations by DOI may involve any agency, officer, elected official or employee of the City, as well as
those who do business with or receive benefits from the City. Highlighted below are an array of investigations
publicly announced in 2021 that reflects this broad mandate:
Investigations involving the City’s Jails
DOI partnered with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office on an investigation that culminated
in the indictment of a Department of Correction (“DOC”) Captain on charges of criminally
negligent homicide and offering a false instrument for filing in connection with issuing orders that
prevented officers from saving an inmate’s life at the Manhattan Detention Complex and making
false statements in her written account of the incident. The indictment is among the first of its
kind in the City, where a uniformed correction supervisor was indicted in the death of an inmate.
Stopping the flow of contraband into the City’s jails led to a number of arrests in 2021. DOI worked
together with the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the
Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) on an investigation that led to charges against nine current
and former DOC employees and correction officers for taking cash bribes in return for smuggling
contraband such as scalpels, razor blades, drugs, alcohol and cellphones to inmates in City jails.
Separately, DOI worked with DOC on an operation that led to the arrest of a City Correction
Officer and inmate on promoting prison contraband charges. The investigation was prompted by
an alert DOC Assistant Deputy Warden who saw an exchange between a correction officer and
inmate and ordered a search that led to a recovery of a single-edge razor blade. DOC alerted
DOI and the two agencies worked the investigation in partnership.
Construction-Related Misconduct and Shoring Up Safety
A Staten Island landlord was charged with submitting a falsified lead paint abatement certification
to the City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (“HPD”), the agency tasked
with issuing housing violations for lead-based paint conditions. DOI worked the matter with the
Richmond County District Attorney’s Office. The defendant pleaded guilty to Offering a False
Instrument for Filing in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor, and was ordered to pay a
$500 fine. In a separate investigation, DOI worked with the state Attorney General’s Office on a
matter that led to the indictment of four asbestos investigators, who were independent
contractors, on charges of filing fraudulent inspection reports on days when they were out of the
state or country.
A DOI investigation, in partnership with the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office, led to the
indictment on manslaughter and other charges of a Flatbush landlord who rented out rooms in
an illegally subdivided apartment where there was a fatal fire. In a separate matter, DOI worked
with multiple agencies, including the City Department of Buildings and the Brooklyn District
Attorney’s Office on an investigation that led to the indictment of an unlicensed contractor and
grocery store owner in connection with an incident in which a vendor died while attempting to use
an illegally installed makeshift elevator.
Working with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office as part of the Construction Fraud Task
Force, DOI helped recover more than $100,000 in stolen wages for 18 electrical workers who
performed work on a construction site in Midtown Manhattan.
Two unlicensed Brooklyn contractors and their company were charged with grand larceny and
scheme to defraud for fraudulently representing they were licensed plumbers and allegedly taking
$93,000 from five customers to perform work they never completed.
Bribery and Fraud
New York City Housing Authority (“NYCHA”) workers embraced the obligation by all City
employees to notify DOI about corruption matters and reported allegations of bribe offers by
contractors. These employees’ willingness to step forward prompted an undercover investigation
by DOI that ultimately led to the indictment of nine contractors who allegedly bribed NYCHA
superintendents to obtain micro-purchase contracts. This investigation exemplifies the valuable
tool that New York City has in mandating that its City employees report corruption to DOI.
Three Brooklyn shopkeepers were charged with bribery for allegedly offering winnings from a
valuable Super Bowl box to a City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (“DOHMH”) official
in exchange for warning them about impending inspections. The investigation began when a
DOHMH employee notified DOI about a bribery attempt. DOI then sent in an undercover
investigator who posed as the DOHMH employee to discuss the scheme, according to the
charges.
A landscaping company that was contracted by the City to conduct sidewalk and road repair was
indicted for $1 million insurance fraud and charged with misclassifying workers on its applications
to the New York State Insurance Fund in order to evade insurance premiums.
DOI worked with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, and the Office
of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Labor on an investigation that resulted in four
defendants being charged with abusing the City’s COVID-19 hotel room isolation program by
falsely claiming to be healthcare workers and selling hotel rooms to ineligible individuals,
defrauding the government of $400,000.
Seven Taxi and Limousine-licensed taxicab drivers pleaded guilty to defrauding passengers by
overcharging on toll rates that did not account for the E-ZPass discount required by City Taxi &
Limousine Commission regulations and/or charging passengers for tolls when none should have
been charged. DOI partnered with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office on this matter.
A DOI investigation led to the arrest of a supervisor with the City Human Resources
Administration (“HRA”) and a Brooklyn resident in connection with stealing funds from the
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in which the defendants were charged with
defrauding the program of approximately $22,000 in public funds.
Public Corruption and Theft
A DOI investigation led to the arrest of the Director of Contracts at the City Health + Hospitals
(“H+H”) on charges of stealing $64,000 from Health + Hospitals and filing several false bank
statements to DOI during its investigation.
A DOI investigation into an illegal eviction by a City employee led to the arrest of a Construction
Project Manager with HPD on charges of owning a Brooklyn property in which the cellar was
illegally converted into an apartment; and endangering the welfare of a tenant who resided there.
The Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The defendant pleaded guilty to
Reckless Endangerment in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor, and related
administrative code violations. She was ordered to pay a $250 fine and associated costs.
DOI worked with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the Internal
Revenue Service on an investigation that resulted in the conviction and sentencing of a former
City Councilmember on a tax fraud charge.
An investigation into the CEO of a City-funded nonprofit that provided homeless shelters,
affordable housing and other services led to the arrest of the CEO in a bribery and kickbacks
scheme on charges that he enriched himself and his relatives by soliciting and accepting bribes
and kickbacks from contractors doing work for the nonprofit, according to the Information.
Two Queens residents were charged with grand larceny, defrauding the government and other
crimes for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars intended for participants in a City-funded
summer youth employment program. DOI investigated in partnership with the Queens County
District Attorney’s Office.
Nine therapists were arrested in connection with stealing more than $3 million from the New York
State Early Intervention Program, including more than $993,000 from Medicaid and nearly $2
million from DOHMH. DOI investigated with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of
New York and the FBI.
In partnership with the state Attorney General’s Office, DOI announced the arrest and indictment
involving a $15 million bid-rigging scheme that defrauded public benefits programs, in which
defendants submitted thousands of false and inflated bids to government agencies for services
intended to help domestic violence survivors and other victims of crime.
Two former mortuary technicians with the City Office of Chief Medical Examiner were charged
with stealing credit and debit cards that belonged to decedents whose bodies were in their care
and custody, and making thousands of dollars of unauthorized purchases. DOI investigated with
the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and the FBI.
DOI worked with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the
FBI on an investigation that led to the indictment of an individual for his role in a scheme to
misrepresent and conceal the sources of political campaign contributions to the campaign
of a candidate for City Comptroller during the 2021 election cycle.
Rent Schemes that Preyed on New Yorkers in Need of Housing
Two defendants, including an employee with HRA, were charged in a scam that stole $1,500
from a New Yorker on the verge of homelessness.
A Queens man was charged with defrauding government rental assistance programs by renting
out dilapidated apartments he did not own to families in need. The investigation was conducted
in partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
Working with the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, DOI investigated a matter that led to the
indictment of a Bronx woman on charges of stealing nearly $20,000 from eight people in a
scheme promising affordable apartments. And, in a separate investigation, DOI worked with the
Bronx District Attorney’s Office on an investigation that led to the indictment of a Bronx woman
on charges of stealing approximately $99,000 from 16 people in a scheme promising rentstabilized apartments to low-income individuals.
Indictments and criminal complaints are accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
