MAYOR ADAMS DELIVERS TESTIMONY TO U.S. HOUSE COMMITTEE ON OVERSIGHT AND REFORM ON NATIONAL GUN VIOLENCE EPIDEMIC

 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today delivered the following testimony, as prepared for delivery, to the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Reform to address the national gun violence epidemic:

 

“Thank you, Chairwoman Maloney, for the invitation to testify today. I also want to thank all the members of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, members from the New York City Congressional Delegation, and everyone who has testified today, especially those who have so bravely shared their stories of losing loved ones to gun violence.

 

“I am Eric Adams, and I am honored to appear before you today as the 110th mayor of the great City of New York to discuss the ways we can protect public safety and prevent gun violence.

 

“Ladies and gentlemen, it is high noon in America.

 

“Time for every one of us to decide where we stand on the issue of gun violence.

 

“Time to decide if it is more important to protect the profits of gun manufacturers or the lives of our children.

 

“Time to decide if we are going to be a nation of laws, or a confederation of chaos.

 

“And we must do it now.

 

“It is high noon in America. The clock is ticking, every day, every minute towards another hour of death.

 

“I am here today to ask every one of you, and everyone in this Congress, to stand with me to end gun violence and protect the lives of all Americans.

 

“We are facing a crisis that is killing more Americans than war. A crisis that is now the number one cause of death for our young people.

 

“A crisis that is flooding our cities with illegal guns faster than we can take them off the street.

 

“The New York Police Department has taken over 3000 illegal guns off our streets this year alone, but the guns just keep coming.

 

“This is a crisis that transcends party lines and affects both rural and urban communities.

 

“I know this firsthand as the co-chair of Everytown’s nonpartisan coalition on Mayors Against Illegal Guns.

 

“No matter what our party affiliation, we are united in our mission to stop crime, save lives, and bring an end to gun violence. 

 

“Because this isn’t about ‘Blue’ versus ‘Red;’ this about right versus wrong.

 

“Whether it is on the street wearing a badge, or in these chambers taking a vote, we must stand for what is right.

 

“First, we need Congress to take the handcuffs off the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and let them do their jobs. That means confirming President Biden’s nominee as soon as possible.

 

“And we must work together to dam all the rivers that lead to this sea of violence.

 

“Commonsense gun reform must become the law of the land.

 

“I am pleased that today the House will vote on H.R.7910, the Protecting Our Kids Act, and I urge swift passage of the gun violence prevention package for consideration in the Senate.

 

“I also urge the Senate to pass H.R. 8, the Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021, and H.R. 1446, the Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021. These are bipartisan gun safety bills that will make our cities and our people safer.

 

“I stand with President Joe Biden in calling on Congress to act now to regulate or ban assault weapons in this country. Even if we only raise the age required to buy one of these weapons, lives will be saved.

 

“And we need Congress to direct federal aid to localities and states that supports not just law enforcement and violence prevention, but also access to high-quality health care, childcare, education, and housing.

 

“We must build a society where our youth are on a path to fulfillment, not a road to ruin.

 

“As mayor, my greatest responsibility is protecting the lives and the safety of the people of New York City.

 

“This is my calling, my duty, and my life’s work. I did it as a police officer, in a uniform and wearing the badge. And I do it now, as the elected leader of our largest American city.

 

“But I need your help to further protect our people and to save lives. The time to act is now.

 

“It is high noon in America.

 

“Time to live up to our ideals. 

 

“Time to work together to protect each other and our communities. 

 

“Time to take action on gun violence.

 

“Because if you truly love this country, then you love your neighbor and you fight for their freedoms, for their families, and for their lives.”

 

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Governor Hochul Updates New Yorkers on State's Progress Combating COVID-19 - JUNE 7, 2022

 

Statewide 7-Day Average Case Rate Down Nearly 15 Percent Over Past Week

Governor Encourages New Yorkers to Keep Using the Tools to Protect Against and Treat COVID-19: Vaccines, Boosters, Testing, and Treatment

20 Statewide Deaths Reported Yesterday 

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.

"It is critically important that we continue to maintain our vigilance and take advantage of the tools we have available to fight this virus," Governor Hochul said. "Ensuring you and your loved ones are up to date on vaccine and booster doses remains the most effective way to protect against serious illness. Get tested, especially if you are experiencing symptoms, and if you test positive talk to your doctor about available treatments."  

Today's data is summarized briefly below:    

• Cases Per 100k - 23.70
• 7-Day Average Cases Per 100k - 29.89
• Test Results Reported - 61,676
• Total Positive - 4,631
• Percent Positive - 6.90%**
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 5.95%**
• Patient Hospitalization -  2,162 (+35)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 257
• Patients in ICU - 210 (-6)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 84 (+0)   
• Total Discharges - 309,663 (+188)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 20
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 56,231   

** Due to the test reporting policy change by the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and several other factors, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.       

The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only.     

Important Note: Effective Monday, April 4, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is no longer requiring testing facilities that use COVID-19 rapid antigen tests to report negative results. As a result, New York State's percent positive metric will be computed using only lab-reported PCR results. Positive antigen tests will still be reported to New York State and reporting of new daily cases and cases per 100k will continue to include both PCR and antigen tests. Due to this change and other factors, including changes in testing practices, the most reliable metric to measure virus impact on a community is the case per 100,000 data -- not percent positivity.     

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 71,670        

This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.       

• Total vaccine doses administered - 39,011,599
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 7,994
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 79,186
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 92.6%   
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 84.1%   
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 95.0%   
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 87.5%   
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 83.8%   
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 12-17 with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 73.6%   
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 82.2%   
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 74.5%   
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 90.7%   
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 77.5%   

Each New York City borough's 7-day average percentage of positive test results reported over the last three days is as follows **:       

Borough	Saturday, June 4, 2022	Sunday, June 5, 2022	Monday, June 6, 2022
Bronx	3.81%	3.68%	3.70%
Kings	4.93%	4.88%	4.63%
New York	6.11%	6.03%	5.91%
Queens	5.89%	5.58%	5.57%
Richmond	5.65%	5.65%	5.71%

South Florida Electronics Exporter Pleads Guilty To Laundering Narcotics Proceeds Through The Black Market Peso Exchange

 

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that earlier today, MARCELO IRIGOIN pled guilty to money laundering in connection with transactions involving his electronics export company.  As part of the scheme, IRIGOIN moved over $1.4 million in narcotics proceeds through the Black Market Peso Exchange, a sophisticated market in which narcotics proceeds are bought and sold by money-launderers and then transferred overseas through shell companies and mirrored transactions.  After IRIGION learned that he was the subject of a Government investigation, he provided falsified records to law enforcement in order to conceal his laundering activities from Government.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:  “Marcelo Irigoin not only helped launder over one million dollars in drug proceeds through the Black Market Peso Exchange, he also tried to cover his tracks after he learned about the Government’s investigation.  The Black Market Peso Exchange relies on so-called clean money from businesses like Irigoin’s to launder drug proceeds back to cartels overseas.  Today’s guilty plea reflects this Office’s commitment to investigate and prosecute businesses and individuals who make their seemingly legitimate businesses available to facilitate these illegal transactions.”

According to the allegations in the Information and statements made during the plea and other proceedings in the case:

Beginning in June 2020, MARCELO IRIGOIN received narcotics proceeds into accounts held by his company (“Company-1”), an electronics exporter based in Doral, Florida, as payments for electronics on behalf of a particular Company-1 customer (“Customer-1”).  These payments were all made by third parties with no connection Customer-1.  Additionally, these payments contained significant red flags consistent with money-laundering activity, including payment amounts that did not correspond to the actual electronics Customer-1 had purchased, as well as payments broken up into multiple smaller wire transfers over the course of a single day or several days.  IRIGOIN regularly communicated with the owner of Customer-1 (“CC-1”) and they discussed, among other things, the fact that CC-1 did not know in advance which third party would be sending money to Company-1 on behalf of Customer-1 for any given transaction.

These third parties were in fact shell companies that collected narcotics proceeds in the United States and sent them to Company-1 on behalf of Customer-1.  Once the money was sent to Company-1, Customer-1 would release an equivalent amount of proceeds to the drug trafficking organizations, minus a commission for the money-laundering brokers.  This system, known as the Black Market Peso Exchange (“BMPE”), allowed the drug traffickers to collect their narcotics proceeds in their home country without ever actually sending money in cross-border transactions from the United States. 

In May 2020, the DEA served a subpoena on Company-1 for records relating to its transactions with these BMPE entities.  In responding to this subpoena, IRIGOIN provided false information meant to give the impression that these BMPE entities were actually Company-1 customers, when they were in fact only making payments to Company-1 on behalf of Customer-1.  Additionally, IRIGOIN secretly told CC-1 to stop sending payments to Company-1, which was under Government investigation, and instead set up a separate bank account that he used to receive payments from BMPE entities on behalf of Customer-1.

As part of his guilty plea, IRIGOIN, 41, of Hialeah, Florida, agreed to forfeit $1,436,171.60 to the United States, including over $600,000 the Government had previously seized from various company bank accounts.  IRIGOIN pled guilty today to one count of money laundering.  This offense carries a maximum sentence of twenty years in prison. 

The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as IRIGOIN’s sentence will be determined by the judge. 

IRIGOIN is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul A. Crotty on September 13, 2022.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of Special Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration.  

Attorney General James Sues Predatory Towing Company for Cheating and Harassing New Yorkers

 

Bobby’s Towing Unlawfully Towed Vehicles While Owners Were Present, Overcharged for Towing Fees, and Falsified Tow Tickets

AG James Encourages New Yorkers Harmed by Bobby’s Towing to File Complaint With Her Office

  New York Attorney General Letitia James today filed a lawsuit against a predatory towing company, known as Bobby’s Towing, and its owner and operator, Robert Scores, for repeatedly cheating and harassing hundreds of New Yorkers in Poughkeepsie. The lawsuit alleges that for years Mr. Scores engaged in rude behavior, illegally towed cars, overcharged for towing fees, falsified tow tickets, and made racist and derogatory comments to vehicle owners. He actively patrolled streets looking for cars to tow even if private property owners did not call for a car to be towed. Bobby’s Towing persistently violated New York’s business laws and the City of Poughkeepsie’s Towing Ordinance. Attorney General James is taking action to correct this unlawful behavior and protect New Yorkers. Through her lawsuit, Attorney General James is seeking restitution and reimbursements for those who were cheated.

“We are slamming the brakes on this unlawful and predatory behavior that hurt too many vulnerable New Yorkers,” said Attorney General James. “For too long, Bobby’s Towing bullied New Yorkers who depended on their cars to go to work, take their children to school, get groceries, and run errands. No one should have to pay hundreds of dollars to get their car back when they didn’t do anything wrong. Today, we are taking action to stop Bobby’s Towing from harassing any more New Yorkers in Poughkeepsie’s streets. There is no place for predatory businesses like this in New York.”

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) opened an investigation into Bobby’s Towing after receiving multiple complaints about the company and Mr. Scores for aggressive and even racist behavior. The OAG’s investigation found that Mr. Scores persistently engaged in deceptive and predatory business practices, including: 

• Towing vehicles even when owners were on the scene and willing to move their cars;
• Towing cars that were temporarily idling; and,
• Falsifying tow tickets with untrue justifications for the tow and the cost.

In addition, Mr. Scores repeatedly told consumers to report tows to their insurance as roadside assistance for insurance reimbursement, which is illegal. Mr. Scores also often failed to properly hook up cars onto his towing truck, causing significant and expensive damages to vehicles. 

Mr. Scores repeatedly violated the City of Poughkeepsie’s Towing Ordinance by charging more than $85 for towing fees, failing to wait the required 20-minute grace period before towing, overcharging for storage fees, and charging administrative and other service fees that are prohibited. In multiple affidavits obtained by OAG, car owners shared that Mr. Scores towed their car in less than 10 minutes after they left it.

Through her lawsuit — filed in Dutchess County State Supreme Court — Attorney General James is seeking: 

• Conditional injunctive relief preventing Mr. Scores from operating a tow truck business unless he obtains a $100,000 bond;
• Reimbursement for vehicle owners/operators for illegal or unjustified tows, with reimbursements to include any and all damages, such as lost wages, in the circumstance of an illegal tow;
• Restitution for all known and unknown consumers;
• An end to all deceptive and predatory business practices;
• Disgorgement of illegal profits obtained; and,
• Penalties.

Attorney General James encourages New Yorkers harmed by Bobby’s Towing to file an online complaint with her Poughkeepsie Regional Office or call 845-485-3900.