“We are reviewing the preliminary maps of Council Districts released today by the NYC Districting Commission. It is critical for the public to provide input on these first drafts as part of the ongoing redistricting process. We strongly encourage all New Yorkers to participate, and we will continue working to ensure communities’ interests are prioritized and protected.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) Commissioner Vilda Vera Mayuga today announced a settlement with Brooklyn Mitsubishi and Brooklyn Volkswagen that will deliver $304,900 to New Yorkers wronged by the companies’ deceptive practices when selling used cars. The agreement resolves numerous violations of the city’s Consumer Protection Law, as well as licensing laws prohibiting deceptive and unlawful conduct in the industry. Mayor Adams and DCWP also secured $500,000 in civil penalties from the companies and a seven-day suspension of Brooklyn Mitsubishi’s two licenses, which has been completed.
“We’re not going to allow anyone to pick New Yorkers’ pockets on the street or in a used car lot,” said Mayor Adams. “This settlement is about protecting New Yorkers and sending a clear message: If you break the law and harm consumers, we will hold you accountable. We are helping deliver more than $300,000 back into the pockets of New York City consumers who were ripped off by Brooklyn Mitsubishi and Brooklyn Volkswagen and are stopping their unlawful behavior dead in their tracks. New Yorkers can trust that our administration will fight to protect every consumer, especially when their making big purchases like a car.”
“Any business that uses illegal practices to profit from vulnerable New Yorkers will be held accountable,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic and Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer. “I commend the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection for putting a stop to their exploitative practices and ensuring a safe marketplace for New Yorkers.”
“A car can be one of the most expensive purchases consumers make and we will always do everything we can to protect the city’s consumers from unscrupulous auto dealers,” said DCWP Commissioner Mayuga. “With this settlement, we are delivering hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution for victims of Brooklyn Mitsubishi and Brooklyn Volkswagen and sending a clear message to the used car industry that DCWP has zero tolerance for businesses that seek to prey on unsuspecting consumers with predatory financing and sales practices.”
“I wanted to buy a car to provide a better life for myself and my family,” said Karinie Olivero, consumer who is receiving restitution as part of today’s settlement. “But these dealerships preyed on consumers like me with false and misleading information, and they failed to notify me of my rights under the law. Thankfully, Mayor Adams and Commissioner Mayuga have helped me recoup some of my investment and sent a clear message to all dealerships engaged in fraudulent practices that this kind of activity will not be tolerated.”
Last November, DCWP charged Brooklyn Mitsubishi and Brooklyn Volkswagen with more than 7,000 violations. As part of today’s settlement, 36 consumers are getting restitution totaling $154,900, leaving $150,000 for new consumers who come forward with complaints, which can be submitted directly on DCWP’s website in English or Spanish. As part of the settlement, these dealerships agree to fully comply with the law going forward.
In the suit, DCWP charged the dealerships with using deceptive advertising to lure customers to their dealerships and then illegally selling cars at prices well above the advertised prices. The dealerships persistently advertised “expired” prices with false claims stating, “the price you see is the price you pay” and “no dealer fees” that weren’t honored when consumers got to the dealership. The dealerships also falsely advertised accessories, warranties, and add-on products that did not come with the vehicle.
Additionally, the dealerships had a practice of luring consumers with lower credit scores by promising “guaranteed approval” for financing and pre-approval for financing from a fake finance company. The dealerships misled consumers about warranties, executed illegal contracts, failed to maintain required records, failed to respond to DCWP’s subpoenas, and submitted false license applications to DCWP.
DCWP currently licenses 509 used car dealerships across New York City and has received more than 5,000 complaints about the industry over the past five years. In that same period, DCWP has conducted more than 3,346 inspections of used car dealerships and issued more than 2,070 violations, most of which were for failure to post required signs, parking or storing cars on sidewalks and public roadways, or missing price disclosures. As a result of mediating complaints, charging businesses with violations of the applicable law and rules, and executing settlements, DCWP has secured over $1.8 million in consumer restitution and more than $4.7 million in fines against used car dealerships over the past five years.
DCWP encourages New Yorkers who are looking to buy a used car to read the Used Car Consumer Bill of Rights, which dealerships are required to post and give to each consumer before they sign a sales contract. This Consumer Bill of Rights must be provided to the consumer in the language in which the contract was negotiated if the translation is available on DCWP’s website.
When shopping for a certified pre-owned automobile, consumers should make sure they know the specific criteria for certification, obtain proof that the car they are interested in purchasing met those criteria, and receive documentation of any promised warranties. Any consumer who has had a problem with a used car dealership should file a complaint with DCWP online or call 311. New Yorkers who are trying to get their finances in order before buying a car or who are struggling with debt can make an appointment for free with one-on-one financial counseling at one of the city’s Financial Empowerment Centers by calling 311 or going online.
This case was handled by DCWP Staff Counsel Matthew Mansfield and former Staff Counsel Mark Butler, under the supervision of former Associate General Counsel Adam Blumenkrantz of the General Counsel Division, which is led by General Counsel Michael Tiger.
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that JEREMY ORTIZ-MOLINA was sentenced to 204 months in prison today for leading a conspiracy to traffic eight kilograms of methamphetamine to New York City. U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “The sentence today reaffirms our judicial system’s unflinching commitment to hold narcotics traffickers accountable. Methamphetamine promotes violence, ruins lives, and destroys families. The defendant sought to profit from trafficking significant quantities of this horrific drug and will be justly punished.”
According to court filings and statements made in court proceedings:
In or about February 2021, ORTIZ-MOLINA led a conspiracy to traffic wholesale quantities of methamphetamine from Florida to New York City. ORTIZ-MOLINA supervised his codefendants DEREK ORTIZ SOCIAS (who is ORTIZ-MOLINA’s son) and PEDRO ROSARIO CARRASQUILLO.
ORTIZ-MOLINA personally negotiated the sale of eight kilograms of methamphetamine for $8,500 per kilogram to a confidential source and then directed ORTIZ SOCIAS and ROSARIO CARRASQUILLO to deliver those drugs to Manhattan inside a trailer. To conceal their crime, the defendants also loaded motorcycles into the trailer, as part of a cover story that they were making the trip to sell motorcycles. The bricks of methamphetamine, which laboratory tests determined to be approximately 99 percent pure, were hidden inside a trap in the trailer.
After his codefendants were arrested, ORTIZ-MOLINA continued trying to sell kilogram quantities of methamphetamine to the confidential source and also offered to sell heroin. A search of ORTIZ-MOLINA’s phones revealed additional evidence of narcotics trafficking.
Codefendant ROSARIO CARRASQUILLO was previously sentenced to 96 months in prison and codefendant ORTIZ SOCIAS’s case is pending.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA, New York State Police, and NYPD. The prosecution of this case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Jun Xiang is in charge of the prosecution.
Legislation (S.3178A/A.5817A) Requires Offices of Social Services to PostNotice of Recipients' Basic Rights
Legislation (S.8972A/A.9749B) Ensures that Certain Recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Benefits Receive Two Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Credit or Debit Cards
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced she signed a legislative package of two bills that will protect the rights of New Yorkers who receive public benefits and strengthen access to social services. These two bills will increase transparency on the rights of those applying to receive assistance and improve access to food assistance.
"As New Yorkers continue to recover from the economic pains of the pandemic, it is critical that we ensure that public assistance programs are properly serving our most vulnerable communities," Governor Hochul said. "These bills will educate people across the state on their rights when receiving social services and ensure that families don't struggle to put food on the table. I am proud to take important steps to protect and empower New Yorkers who receive public assistance because nobody deserves to experience food or childcare insecurity, homelessness, or any other life-threatening stresses."
Legislation (S.3178A/A.5817A) will require the posting of the rights of individuals who are applying to receive assistance. This will notify the recipients of their basic rights which are established by law, such as a right to a fair hearing, the right to ask about emergency assistance, the right to apply for all benefits and services, the right to ask about child care, the right to free language services, the right to screening and special services if experiencing domestic violence, and the right to a written adequate notice.
Legislation (S.8972A/A.9749B) requires supplemental nutrition assistance programs to provide two electronic benefit transfer credit or debit cards for each household that has more than one parent or guardian residing in the household. This will provide recipients more convenience in utilizing their benefits to feed their families.
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In the first quarter of 2022, the number of customers behind on their bills fell by about 50,000 to 1.2 million while the total amount owed grew to $1.8 billion, an increase of close to $1 billion from March 2020. The average amount customers owed over this period doubled from $768 in March 2020 to $1,467 in March 2022.
“The pandemic’s effects continue to be felt in multiple aspects of life, including the elevated number of New Yorkers who continue to have trouble paying their utility bills,” DiNapoli said. “Failure to pay these bills may result in service shutoffs, which increases economic stress on families and can damage local economies by reducing household spending, leading to job losses. State lawmakers and the Public Service Commission have acted to provide meaningful relief to low-income customers through the Utility Arrears Relief Program and the Phase 1 Arrears Reduction Program, and should continue to consider mechanisms to help utility customers that cannot pay their bills.”
DiNapoli’s report, includes:
Analysis
Economic and Policy Insights: Distribution of Utility Arrears in New York State
As the city faces increased need to promote, protect, and reimagine public safety, the Office of Public Advocate continues to push for systems that promote transparency and accountability in law enforcement. In testimony at a hearing of the Civilian Complaint Review Board, First Deputy Public Advocate Nick E. Smith supported a rule change that would allow the CCRB to self-initiate investigations and pushed for new rules to make the investigation process more transparent and easier for the public to understand. After the passage of Local Law 47 last year, the CCRB can now investigate complaints of racial profiling and bias-based policing by the New York Police Department. To fully and substantially fulfill these new duties, CCRB’s rules must be updated.
“While the CCRB receives many complaints—over 750 during the summer 2020 Black Lives Matter protests—there are undoubtedly far more incidences of police misconduct than is reported,” said First Deputy Public Advocate Nick E. Smith. “When people experience abusive or inappropriate behavior from the police, they are vulnerable, and may be hesitant or scared to share what has happened to them. Many New Yorkers do not know how to file an official complaint with the CCRB, or how long they have before the statute of limitations expires.” The city’s ability to hold police officers accountable should not be unnecessarily constrained, and the CCRB must be able to self-initiate investigations to catch these instances of police misconduct that might go unreported.
Additionally, the language used by the CCRB should be easy to understand so that all New Yorkers can follow the investigative process and correctly interpret its outcomes. As Nick E. Smith noted, “for civilians, and especially for people who primarily speak a language other than English, the legal terms typically used in reports are often confusing or difficult to understand. Replacing the term ‘unsubstantiated’ with ‘unable to determine,’ for example, makes it clearer there was not sufficient evidence to establish whether or not there was an act of misconduct.” Using terms with clearer definitions is essential for accurately describing the CCRB’s investigations, and these changes will make the organization’s work more accessible.
Read the full testimony below.
TESTIMONY OF PUBLIC ADVOCATE JUMAANE D. WILLIAMS
TO THE CIVILIAN COMPLAINT REVIEW BOARD
JULY 13, 2022
Good evening,
My name is Nick E. Smith, and I am testifying on behalf of Jumaane D. Williams, the Public Advocate for the City of New York. I would like to thank the Civilian Complaint Review Board for holding this hearing today.
The Civilian Complaint Review Board, or CCRB, is a vital part of the city’s infrastructure to hold the New York Police Department accountable for acts of misconduct and abuse of authority against civilians. The work they do is important, and they are frequently met with resistance by the NYPD. Public Advocate Williams, then a member of the City Council, was a champion sponsor of the Community Safety Act, which was passed in 2013. The CSA took aim at discriminatory policing practices and instituted a new and more robust accountability structure in the city surrounding policing. Still, there is so far to go, and continuing to strengthen the CCRB’s authority and independence must be a priority for the city.
One of the proposed rule changes would allow the CCRB to self-initiate investigations into bias-based policing or racial profiling. Currently, city law requires the board to receive a complaint from a member of the public in order to begin an investigation into alleged NYPD misconduct. While the CCRB receives many complaints—over 750 during the summer 2020 Black Lives Matter protests—there are undoubtedly far more incidences of police misconduct than is reported. When people experience abusive or inappropriate behavior from the police, they are vulnerable, and may be hesitant or scared to share what has happened to them. Many New Yorkers do not know how to file an official complaint with the CCRB, or how long they have before the statute of limitations expires. In the age of smartphones and social media, many acts of police misconduct are quickly publicized; this rule change would allow the CCRB to react to and investigate what they are seeing in real time.
The CCRB has also proposed new rules to make the investigation process more transparent and easier for the public to understand. For civilians, and especially for people who primarily speak a language other than English, the legal terms typically used in reports are often confusing or difficult to understand. Replacing the term “unsubstantiated” with “unable to determine,” for example, makes it clearer there was not sufficient evidence to establish whether or not there was an act of misconduct. Importantly, the updated language also adds bias-based policing and racial profiling as well as improper use of body worn cameras to the definition of “abuse of authority.” The CCRB operates for civilians, and all communications must be in language that everyday New Yorkers can understand.
It is clear that we must prioritize empowering and increasing resources for the CCRB so they are able to fully hold the NYPD accountable. The proposed rule changes, particularly giving the CCRB the power to initiate its own investigations, are a step in the right direction, one that we must continue.
The affordable housing lottery has launched for 2434 Bronx Park East, an eight-story residential building in Allerton, The Bronx. Designed by Fred Geremia Architects and developed by Franc Gjini, the structure yields 38 residences. Available on NYC Housing Connect are 18 units for residents at 130 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $50,743 to $187,330.
Amenities include a garage with assigned parking spaces, bike storage lockers, a shared laundry room, package lockers, a recycling center, elevator, and an on-site resident manager. Units include name-brand countertops and finishes, air conditioning, energy-efficient appliances, charging outlets with USB ports, and high-speed internet.
At 130 percent of the AMI, there are four studios with a monthly rent of $1,480 for incomes ranging from $50,743 to $138,840; 11 one-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $1,600 for incomes ranging from $54,858 to $156,130; and three two-bedrooms with a monthly rent of $1,900 for incomes ranging from $65,143 to $187,330.
Prospective renters must meet income and household size requirements to apply for these apartments. Applications must be postmarked or submitted online no later than August 1, 2022.
