U.S. Attorney Announces Arrests Of A Yakuza Leader And Affiliates For International Trafficking Of Narcotics And Weapons, Including Surface-To-Air Missiles

 

Takeshi Ebisawa of Japan, a Leader Within the Japanese Transnational Organized Crime Syndicate Also Known as Yakuza, and Three Thai Affiliates, Allegedly Conspired to Arrange Large-Scale International Narcotics and Weapons Deals, Including the Acquisition

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Anne Milgram, the Administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), announced today the arrests of TAKESHI EBISAWA, SOMPHOP SINGHASIRI, SUKSAN JULLANAN, a/k/a “Bobby,” and SOMPAK RUKRASARANEE, for international narcotics and weapons trafficking offenses. EBISAWA, a Japanese national, JULLANAN, a United States and Thai national, and RUKRASARANEE, a Thai national, were arrested in Manhattan on April 4, 2022. SINGHASIRI, a Thai national, was arrested in Manhattan on April 5, 2022. EBISAWA, JULLANAN, and RUKRASARANEE were presented before Magistrate Judge Jennifer Willis on April 5, 2022, and were ordered detained, and SINGHASIRI was presented before Judge Willis on April 6, 2022, and was ordered detained.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “We allege Mr. Ebisawa and his co-conspirators brokered deals with an undercover DEA agent to buy heavy-duty weaponry and sell large quantities of illegal drugs. The drugs were destined for New York streets, and the weapons shipments were meant for factions in unstable nations. Members of this international crime syndicate can no longer put lives in danger and will face justice for their illicit actions.”

DEA Administrator Anne Milgram said: “The expansive reach of transnational criminal networks, like the Yakuza, presents a serious threat to the safety and health of all communities. Ebisawa and his associates intended to distribute hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine and heroin to the United States, using deadly weapons to enable their criminal activities, at a time when nearly 300 Americans lose their lives to drug overdose every day. These arrests represent the unwavering determination of the DEA, together with our U.S. and international partners, to target and bring to justice violent criminals who lead transnational drug trafficking organizations that continue to flood our country with dangerous drugs.”

According to the allegations contained in the Complaint charging the defendants, which was unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:[1]

Since at least in or about 2019, the DEA has been investigating EBISAWA, a leader within the Japanese transnational organized crime syndicate also known as Yakuza, in connection with large-scale narcotics and weapons trafficking. The Yakuza is a network of highly organized, transnational crime families with affiliates in Asia, Europe, and the Americas, and is involved in various criminal activities, including weapons trafficking, drug trafficking, human trafficking, fraud, and money laundering. Over the course of the investigation, EBISAWA introduced an undercover DEA agent (“UC-1”), posing as a narcotics and weapons trafficker, to associates in EBISAWA’s international criminal network, which spans Japan, Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka, and the United States, among other places, for the purpose of arranging large-scale narcotics and weapons transactions. EBISAWA and his associates—including SINGHASIRI, JULLANAN, and RUKRASARANEE—have negotiated multiple narcotics and weapons transactions with UC-1.

EBISAWA, JULLANAN, and RUKRASARANEE conspired to broker the purchase from UC-1 of United States-made surface-to-air missiles (“SAMs”), as well as other heavy-duty weaponry, for multiple ethnic armed groups in Burma, and to accept large quantities of heroin and methamphetamine for distribution as partial payment for the weapons. EBISAWA, JULLANAN, and RUKRASARANEE understood the weapons to have been manufactured in the United States and taken from United States military bases in Afghanistan and planned for the narcotics to be distributed in the New York market.

In addition, EBISAWA and SINGHASIRI conspired to sell 500 kilograms of methamphetamine and 500 kilograms of heroin to UC-1 for distribution in New York. In furtherance of that transaction, on or about June 16, 2021, and on or about September 27, 2021, SINGHASIRI provided samples of approximately one kilogram of methamphetamine and approximately 1.4 kilograms of heroin. SINGHASIRI conspired to possess and use firearms, including machine guns, to protect narcotics shipments. EBISAWA also worked to launder $100,000 in purported narcotics proceeds from the United States to Japan.

A table containing the charges and maximum penalties for EBISAWA, 57, of Japan; SINGHASIRI, 58, of Thailand; JULLANAN, 53, of the United States and Thailand; and RUKRASARANEE, 55, of Thailand, is set forth below. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.

COUNT	DEFENDANT(S)	MAX. TERM OF IMPRISONMENT
Count One: narcotics importation conspiracy (21 U.S.C. § 963)	EBISAWA and SINGHASIRI	Life imprisonment; Mandatory minimum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment
Count Two: conspiracy to possess firearms, including machine guns and destructive devices (18 U.S.C. § 924(o))	SINGHASIRI	Life imprisonment
Count Three: conspiracy to acquire, transfer, and possess SAMs (18 U.S.C. § 2332g)	EBISAWA, JULLANAN, and RUKRASARANEE	Life imprisonment; Mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years’ imprisonment
Count Four: narcotics importation conspiracy (21 U.S.C. § 963)	EBISAWA, JULLANAN, and RUKRASARANEE	Life imprisonment; Mandatory minimum sentence of ten years’ imprisonment
Count Five: conspiracy to possess firearms, including machine guns and destructive devices (18 U.S.C. § 924(o))	EBISAWA, JULLANAN, and RUKRASARANEE	Life imprisonment
Count Six: money laundering (18 U.S.C. § 1956)	EBISAWA	20 years’ imprisonment

This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit. Mr. Williams also thanked the DEA Tokyo Country Office, DEA Bangkok Country Office, DEA Chiang Mai Resident Office, DEA Jakarta Country Office, DEA Copenhagen Country Office, DEA New York Field Office, DEA New Delhi Country Office, the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, the Office of International Affairs of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, the Japanese Narcotics Control Department, the Royal Thai Police Narcotics Suppression Bureau, Japan National Police Agency, and the Indonesian National Police Satuan Tugas Khusus Merah Putih/Merah Putih Special Task Force for their assistance.

The case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and International Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Kaylan E. Lasky and Alexander Li are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Lauren B. Goddard of the Counterterrorism Section.

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Complaint, and the description of the Complaint set forth herein, constitute only allegations and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

Attorney General James Files Motion to Hold Donald J. Trump in Contempt for Failure to Comply with Judge’s Order

 

AG James Seeks $10,000 Fine Per Day Until Trump Complies With Order to Turn Over Documents

 New York Attorney General Letitia James today took legal action to hold Donald J. Trump in contempt for his refusal to comply with a court order to produce documents in response to a subpoena served on him by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) as part of its ongoing investigation into his financial dealings. The motion for contempt, filed in New York County State Supreme Court, seeks to impose a $10,000 fine on Mr. Trump for every day that he continues to violate the court’s order to produce these documents.

“The judge’s order was crystal clear: Donald J. Trump must comply with our subpoena and turn over relevant documents to my office,” said Attorney General James. “Instead of obeying a court order, Mr. Trump is trying to evade it. We are seeking the court’s immediate intervention because no one is above the law.”

In February 2022, the Honorable Arthur Engoron rejected Mr. Trump’s challenge to OAG’s subpoena and ruled that he was required to “comply in full” by producing a range of documents to OAG as part of its investigation into his and the Trump Organization’s financial dealings. Mr. Trump was initially ordered to produce those documents by March 3, 2022, but OAG agreed to accommodate his request for additional time and extended the date to March 31, 2022. Mr. Trump agreed to this timeline and never sought to challenge this aspect of the order on appeal. However, on March 31, 2022, Mr. Trump raised a new round of objections to the document requests in the subpoena and stated that he would not produce any documents responsive to OAG’s subpoena, in direct violation of the judge’s order. Under settled law, a party is not permitted to delay proceedings at this advanced juncture in the legal process to challenge an investigative subpoena, so Mr. Trump does not have the ability to raise these baseless objections at this time.

WILLIAMS' STATEMENT ON THE CONFIRMATION OF JUSTICE KETANJI BROWN JACKSON

 

"Congratulations to Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson on her confirmation and historic ascension to the Supreme Court. The history she makes today will be followed and compounded by the decisions she will craft, as her voice helps to define the direction of our country for decades to come.

 

"This moment will reverberate across our country as young women, and especially young Black women like my two daughters, see the first Black woman on the Supreme Court and feel the importance of her place in history as well as the impact of her place on the bench. Her record of achievement and her resolve in the face of attacks each speak to the powerful, critical role she will play as an eminently qualified and deeply thoughtful addition to the Court.

"While today we celebrate her confirmation, Justice Jackson’s hearings served as another reminder that Black women are held to different and ever-changing standards in our country. The country watched - Black women watched - as Republican senators unleashed their anger, resentment, and bitterness over Justice Kavanaugh’s hearings on Justice Jackson, attempted to malign her unblemished record with outright lies, and ultimately voted against her.

"In spite of this, Justice Jackson was confirmed on the Senate floor on a bipartisan basis, with 53 senators voting to confirm the first Black woman to the Supreme Court – and in the wake of her trailblazing leadership, I hope that what represents a historic first today becomes the norm in the future. With critical issues coming before the Court, and a mandate to move our nation forward, I am eager to see Justice Jackson’s work to, in her own words, make ‘equal justice under the law a reality, not just an ideal.’"

Rep. Jamaal Bowman Introduces The Ending Corporate Greed Act alongside Senator Bernie Sanders

 

Today, Congressman Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. (NY-16) introduced The Ending Corporate Greed Act,  led by Senator Bernie Sanders (I -VT) in the Senate, along with  Senator Ed Markey (D-Mass.).

 

“Since the start of this pandemic, corporations have remained incredibly selfish in their business practices, squeezing their consumers who rely on them for essential goods and services including but not limited to gas, food, prescription drugs, banking and more,” said Rep. Jamaal Bowman, Ed.D. (NY-16).  “Unemployment may be at an all time low, but wages aren’t keeping pace. As a result people in America, for a third year in a row, are struggling to keep up with the rising costs of living. Meanwhile, corporations are exploiting the pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to justify price gouging. Congress must do its part to check corporate greed before it completely robs people in America of their ability to live a life in pursuit of liberty, justice and happiness. As billionaires and corporations continue to get richer while the average person struggles to afford gas, food and utility costs - we must begin to hold those responsible to account.” 

 

“The American people are sick and tired of the unprecedented corporate greed that exists all over this country. They are sick and tired of being ripped-off by corporations making record-breaking profits while working families are forced to pay outrageously high prices for gas, rent, food, and prescription drugs,” said Sen. Sanders. “We cannot allow big oil companies and other large, profitable corporations to continue to use the war in Ukraine, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the specter of inflation to make obscene profits by price gouging Americans at the gas pump, the grocery store, or any other sector of our economy. During these troubling times, the working class cannot bear the brunt of this economic crisis, while corporate CEOs, wealthy shareholders, and the billionaire class make out like bandits. The time has come for Congress to work for working families and demand that large, profitable corporations make a little bit less money and pay their fair share of taxes.” 

 

“Big Oil continues to fill their pockets as Americans are left emptying theirs at the pump,” said Senator Markey (D-Mass.). “Just this week, Exxon reported nearly $110 billion in profits for this quarter, a seven-year high. We cannot let mega-corporations use war as an opportunity to take advantage of everyday Americans. This kind of profiteering is unacceptable, and that’s why I’m joining my colleagues in saying enough is enough—we need the Ending Corporate Greed Act.” 

 

Specifically, The Ending Corporate Greed Act would:

• Address corporate greed and pandemic profiteering by: 
• Imposing a 95% tax on the windfall profits of corporations with more than $500 million in revenue until 2024 

 

• Lower prices for people in America and fight inflation by: 
• Taxing profits above big corporations' average profits over the last 5 years leaving them with no incentive to increase prices more than economically necessary

 

The United States has issued broad-based windfall profits taxes before – specifically during WWI, WWII, during the Korean War and in the 1980s. These windfall profit taxes were implemented to prevent corporations from profiting from war, disruption, and upheaval. Given the conditions we face in America and around the world, we need to follow that precedent. If this tax had taken effect in 2021 more than $300 billion would have been raised from the 25 largest corporate profiteers. Some of those taxes would have included: 

• $27.5 billion from Amazon 
• $66.1 billion from Berkshire Hathaway 
• $12.9 billion from Chevron
• $18.8 billion from JP Morgan Chase

 

Original co-sponsors of the bill include: Reps. Tlaib, Newman, Schakowsky and Jayapal

NYGOP CHAIRMAN NICK LANGWORTHY CALLS OUT THE HOCHUL-BENJAMIN CORRUPTION MACHINE

"It's like knowingly putting Bernie Madoff in charge of your bank account."

Cuomo may be gone, but the stench of corruption is still wafting through the halls of the Capitol. 

In record speed, Kathy Hochul has proven she is just as corrupt as the last governor. 

It’s no surprise given that she quietly and dutifully served as Cuomo’s lieutenant while his brazen corruption was on display for all to see. 

But now that it's been revealed that her hand-picked Lieutenant Governor is under investigation and has been issued subpoenas, she is once again feigning ignorance.

What's next--is she going to say she didn't know Russia invaded Ukraine or that Will Smith slapped Chris Rock?

She thinks New Yorkers will buy her act, but we are going to make sure she is held accountable and we finally rid Albany of the corrupt Cuomo-Hochul Administration once and for all.

We've had 15 years of Democrat governors who have all been forced to leave office in disgrace. It's TIME FOR CHANGE!

We must SAVE OUR STATE!

New York Republican State Committee |  315 State Street, Albany, NY 12210

Governor Hochul Announces $189 Million to Fund Water Infrastructure Projects - $100,000,000 to design and construct the Croton Water Filtration Plant and associated facilities (Phase 15).

 

EDITOR'S NOTE:

This includes $100,000,000 in short-term, market-rate financing to design and construct the Croton Water Filtration Plant and associated facilities (Phase 15). 

The Croton Water Filtration Plant became operational on May 8, 2015, by then NYCDEP Commissioner Emily Lloyd, who announced that the $3.2 billion Croton Filtration Plant was recently activated and water from the Croton water supply system has been reintroduced into the city’s distribution network for the first time since 2008. 

The original estimated cost of the Croton Water Filtration Plant under Mayor Rudy Giuliani was at $600 Million dollars. 

Projects located in Capital Region, Central NY, Mid-Hudson, Long Island, Mohawk Valley, New York City, North Country and Southern Tier

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the State Environmental Facilities Corporation Board of Directors has approved more than $189 million in funding for nine municipalities and public authorities for critical wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects. The funding approved by the Board includes short-term financings and previously announced grants that will allow communities to access the capital needed to get their projects underway, as well as a long-term loan conversion that refinances an existing project for up to thirty years to reduce the debt burden on the municipality and help save taxpayer dollars.

"Modernizing our water systems is critical to strengthen the resiliency of our infrastructure and help ensure New Yorkers have access to clean drinking water," Governor Hochul said. "My administration is proud to prioritize critical water infrastructure projects across the state, and this funding will help localities overhaul outdated water and waste management systems, expanding access to clean water and improving public health."

Environmental Facilities Corporation President & CEO Maureen A. Coleman said, "These funds enable construction of drinking water and wastewater projects in communities across our state. EFC thanks Governor Hochul for prioritizing water quality and helping our local government partners undertake vital projects that protect the environment and provide tremendous benefits for communities, enhancing both public health and the health of our economy."

Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner and Environmental Facilities Corporation Board Chair Basil Seggos said, "Governor Hochul continues to support and prioritize this critical state funding to safeguard clean water for our communities now and build a resilient infrastructure system that can withstand future environmental threats. DEC is proud to partner with the Environmental Facilities Corporation and communities across the state to help replace and strengthen New York's aging drinking and wastewater infrastructure systems."

Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett said, "These significant fiscal commitments for treating newly-regulated emerging contaminants that threaten drinking water quality and ensuring proper wastewater removal are building healthier communities and improving the well-being of all New Yorkers. We are pleased to be able to provide this support as communities work to upgrade and modernize outdated water delivery and septic systems."

The Board's approvals include financings through the Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) and grants already announced pursuant to the Water Infrastructure Improvement Act (WIIA). Visit EFC's website to learn more about water infrastructure funding opportunities.

Clean Water Project Funding Approved:

• Town of Constantia in Oswego County - $5,000,000 WIIA grant, $15,400,000 in short-term, interest-free financing and $15,600,000 in short-term, market-rate financing to plan, design and construct the Constantia-Bernhards Bay Sewer District and expansion of the Village of Cleveland Wastewater Treatment Plant.
• Village of Fishkill in Dutchess County - $4,125,000 WIIA grant and $17,375,000 in short-term, interest-free financing for wastewater treatment plant upgrades, pump station upgrades, and installation of a new force main.
• Village of Lowville in Lewis County - $1,017,000 WIIA grant, $2,709,750 WIIA grant, $2,806,628 in short-term, interest-free financing and $5,041,250 in short-term, market-rate financing for wastewater treatment improvements.
• City of Rome in Oneida County - $2,160,300 in long-term, interest-free financing for anaerobic digestor improvements.

Drinking Water Project Funding Approved:

• Village of Florida in Orange County - $3,000,000 WIIA grant and $2,290,000 in short-term, market-rate financing for filtration system upgrades.
• Village of Fort Edward in Washington County - $2,766,698 WIIA grant and $1,844,466 in short-term, market-rate financing to replace approximately 7,650 linear feet of aged and corroded watermain, replace a 200,000-gallon water storage tank and upgrade the existing booster pump station.
• Village of Hobart in Delaware County - $473,400 DWSRF grant and $315,600 in short-term, interest-free financing to construct two new water supply wells, replace existing filter pumps, replace iron/manganese filter media, and upgrade water treatment plant process piping.
• Manhasset-Lakeville Water District in Nassau County - $7,476,600 WIIA grant to install a new advanced oxidation process treatment system and granular activated carbon contactors to remove emerging contaminants from two wells at Searingtown Road Plant No. 1.
• New York City Municipal Water Finance Authority - $100,000,000 in short-term, market-rate financing to design and construct the Croton Water Filtration Plant and associated facilities (Phase 15).

Local Governments Encouraged to Participate in Clean Watersheds Needs Survey

EFC is urging municipalities to participate in the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Watersheds Needs Survey (CWNS), which EFC kicked off in New York on March 1. Participation is critical as it may impact how much federal Clean Water State Revolving Fund dollars will be allocated to New York State to fund future clean water infrastructure projects. Municipalities are asked to document their community's wastewater infrastructure needs for submittal to EPA. Go to www.efc.ny.gov/needs to submit documentation and for resources to assist with submissions.

Permits Filed For 1763 West Farms Road In Crotona Park East, The Bronx

 

Permits have been filed for a six-story mixed-use building at 1763 West Farms Road in Crotona Park East, The Bronx. Located between East 174th Street and Cross Bronx Expressway Service Road, the lot is six blocks east of the 174th Street subway station, serviced by the 2 and 5 trains. Manny Felberbaum under the 1759-63 West Farms Road LLC is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 78-foot-tall development will yield 38,645 square feet, with 38,124 square feet designated for residential space and 521 square feet for commercial space. The building will have 66 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 577 square feet. The concrete-based structure will also have 40 enclosed parking spaces.

Leandro Nils Dickson Architect is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits were filed in September 2021 for the two-story warehouse on the site. An estimated completion date has not been announced.