NYPD Commissioner Sewell Announces New Chief of Staff

 

Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell announced the appointment of Oleg Chernyavsky to Chief of Staff to the Police Commissioner, from his previous position as Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Legal Matters. This appointment further strengthens the police commissioner’s administration as the NYPD continues its work to safeguard New York City and deliver the most effective, fair policing to the people it serves.

Mr. Chernyavsky’s deep understanding in managing a combination of the most significant legal and policy subjects, as well as his close work with local, state, and federal government partners, will enrich the NYPD executive team’s work on timely public-safety issues of wide-ranging importance.

“I am extremely pleased to add Mr. Chernyavsky to my executive team,” said NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell. “His decades of service with the New York City Police Department have established him as one of the premier law-enforcement professionals in our city. I look forward to working closely with him and the rest of our team as we continue to fight for every New Yorker, in every New York City neighborhood.”

CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE POLICE COMMISSIONER

Oleg Chernyavsky

Oleg Chernyavsky joined the New York City Police Department as an attorney in October 2002, assigned to the department’s Legal Bureau. He rose through the ranks, and was promoted to Assistant Deputy Commissioner, Legal Matters in June 2019. In this role, while simultaneously overseeing all of the Legal Bureau’s attorneys and support staff, he served as an advisor to the police commissioner and other NYPD executives on a variety of legal topics and policies as they relate to policing. Mr. Chernyavsky also served as the NYPD’s liaison with various city, state, and federal elected officials, as well as police executives and prosecutors throughout New York State. While assigned to the Legal Bureau’s Civil Enforcement Unit, Mr. Chernyavsky spearheaded the reconstruction of the department’s vehicle forfeiture program and prosecuted nuisance abatement actions. During his time at the Legal Bureau’s Criminal Section, he advised and trained members of the department on a variety of topics, represented the NYPD at community council meetings, and advised the Detective Bureau on numerous investigations, including several high-profile and newsworthy crimes and investigations. His mission has also involved analyzing complex legislative matters at all levels of government and working closely with agency executives on confidential and sensitive matters. Mr. Chernyavsky has conferred frequently with the Mayor’s Offices of Federal, State, and City Legislative Affairs as well as with elected officials and other city agencies. Additionally, he serves as the NYPD liaison to the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police, and served as the police commissioner’s voting representative on the Governor’s Criminal Justice Task Force. Mr. Chernyavsky earned a Bachelor of Science degree from St. John’s University, a master’s degree in international relations from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School, and a Juris Doctor degree from Syracuse University School of Law.

Former NYPD Sergeant Pleads Guilty To Embezzlement Scheme

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), Thomas M. Fattorusso, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, New York Field Office (“IRS-CI”), and Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (“DOL-OIG”), announced that ANTHONY LISI pled guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his involvement in an embezzlement scheme.  LISI surrendered yesterday and pled guilty before United States District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer, to whom his case is assigned.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:  “As he admitted, Anthony Lisi participated in an embezzlement scheme.  Lisi accepted a job with a technology company and, for over a year, submitted falsified weekly time sheets to his employer. He claimed that he had worked eight hours per day, every day—including various holidays—when he had not.  As a law enforcement officer who worked for the NYPD for over 20 years, including as a Sergeant, Lisi knew right from wrong.”

FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said:  “As he admitted, Mr. Lisi intentionally defrauded his victims through an embezzlement scheme as soon as he began his employment.  As a law enforcement officer, he knew better than most that by lying about the services he provided he was committing a crime.  Embezzlement schemes harm both private businesses and the broader economy regardless of their scale.  The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to work to hold fraudsters accountable in our justice system.”

IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Thomas M. Fattorusso said:  “There is simply no excuse for Lisi, whose job as a Sergeant with the NYPD was to understand how laws work and how laws are broken.  His scheme to make fast cash without doing the work has now landed him on the wrong side of the law, and his guilty plea moves him a step closer to realizing the consequences of his actions.”

According to the allegations in the Information, court filings, and statements made in court:

In connection with an IT services contract, a technology company hired ANTHONY LISI.  From January 2018 to February 2019, LISI electronically submitted weekly time sheets in which he represented to the technology company that he had worked eight hours per day, every day, including various holidays.  In fact, he had not.  These false representations induced the technology company to pay LISI. 

LISI, 47, of Monroe, New Jersey, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.  Under the terms of his plea agreement, LISI has agreed to forfeit $66,100 and to pay restitution of $94,185. 

The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.  LISI is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Engelmayer on December 21, 2022, at 10:30 a.m.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI, IRS-CI, and DOL-OIG.  Mr. Williams also noted that the investigation is ongoing.

This matter is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit.  Assistant United States Attorney Michael D. Neff is in charge of the prosecution.

KRVC - This Thursday, Sept. 15th, Gallery 505 Opening Reception at 7:00 pm

 

We have so many exciting and fun events planned for our community this coming fall -- Join us this Thursday September 15th 7:00 pm Gallery 505 505 West 236th Street  for the opening of Erika Shallcross's exhibit From Every Angle: Through the Female Gaze

Erika Shallcross is a visual artist based in New York City. A photographer, painter, and collage technician, her pieces are both whimsical and evocative. Regularly experimenting with new techniques and touching on various themes, Shallcross believes these parameters simultaneously anchor, free, and guide her work. Shallcross is the owner of the Riverdale-based New York Portrait Company, which specializes in unique and innovative women’s portraiture. In addition, she teaches a variety of courses at Pelham Art Center in Westchester, New York. NewYorkPortraitCompany.com SCOTT BRAVO acoustic, instrumental guitarist will be here. Scott was born and raised in Syracuse NY. In 2004 he recorded his first full album and went on tour across the country. By 2007 he had signed a record deal with Ohio record label RockShot Records and released his jazziest album to date. ”Bemusement Park”. In 2009 Scott released “NY Smile” his 4th album. He spent the vast majority of 2009-2013 on the road around the country steadily building a larger following. In 2013 he moved to NYC. In 2015 he released 5th album, a collection of older songs called "V" and his 6th “Yes…But With Shades of Grey”. In 2017 he released his 7th album, "Acoustisexual", and in 2019 he released a live EP entitled "Naked in My Glass Home". In 2020 he decided to try his hand at the 8 string acoustic guitar. From Every Angle: Through the Female Gaze explores confidence, inner strength, and, of course, the female form, as seen through the eyes of artist Erika Shallcross.  Look forward to seeing you! KRVCDC.ORG/EVENTS

NYC & Company Announces the Return of NYC Off-Broadway Week for the Fall

 

Today, NYC & Company is proud to announce that the fall iteration of NYC Off-Broadway Week will return for the first time since 2019, offering 2-for-1 tickets to 28 Off-Broadway shows, available for purchase now at nycgo.com/offbroadwayweek. 

The biannual program is celebrating its 13th year and will run from September 26 through October 9. 

Participating shows in NYC Off-Broadway Week fall 2022 include: 

1. American (Tele)visions ** 

2. Asi Wind’s Inner Circle ** 

3. Blue Man Group 

4. Cherry Jam ** 

5. Drunk Shakespeare 

6. Eva Luna ** 

7. Frankenstein – The Musical 

8. Friends! The Musical Parody 

9. Gazillion Bubble Show 

10. Hyprov ** 

11. I’m Revolting ** 

12. Ink’d Well ** 

13. Jasper ** 

14. Kinky Boots ** 

15. La Breve y Maravillosa Vida de Oscar Wao ** 

16. Los Otros ** 

17. The Office! A Musical Parody 

18. Only Gold ** 

19. Peerless ** 

20. Perfect Crime 

21. The Play That Goes Wrong 

22. Stomp 

23. Stranger Sings! ** 

24. Ted Greenberg’s The Complete Performer ** 

25. This Beautiful Future ** 

26. Titanique ** 

27. Two Jews, Talking ** 

28. Weightless **  

*Subject to availability. Blackout dates may apply. 

** New participants in NYC Off-Broadway Week. 

Attorney General James Returns $24,000 to Nurses Taken Advantage of by Albany Hospital

Albany Med Health System Will Pay $114,000 in Total for Illegally Forcing Former Nurses to Pay Fees Following Resignation or Termination 

New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a second agreement with Albany Med Health System (Albany Med) after finding that Albany Med included an illegal provision in employment contracts with nurses who were hired from overseas. That illegal provision, or “repayment fee,” required nurses to pay thousands of dollars if they resigned or were fired within the first three years of employment at Albany Med. In 2021, Attorney General James recovered more than $90,000 for seven former employees of Albany Med who were forced to illegally pay the hospital because of this provision. Following the news of that settlement, additional former nurses of Albany Med came forward and reported similar treatment. Today’s settlement will return more than $24,000 to eight nurses who paid illegal repayment fees to Albany Med between 2007 and 2010, bringing the total amount Albany Med will pay in restitution to $114,000.

“I will not allow hardworking nurses — frontline workers — to be taken advantage of in New York state,” said Attorney General James. “Our health care system is dependent on nurses, and they deserve to be treated with the highest respect and dignity. My office will always fight for health care workers, and I am proud that we can continue to protect the nurses who were impacted by these illegal contracts, return the funds stolen from them, and hold employers accountable.”

“This second settlement for Albany Medical Center nurses is a victory for immigrant nurses and workers everywhere who have been subjected to coercive employment contracts,” said NYSNA President Nancy Hagans, RN, BSN, CCRN. “We applaud Attorney General Letitia James’ office for taking action to protect New York’s workers — wherever they hail from — and winning a settlement that returns some of the nurses’ hard-earned money.”

Attorney General James issued a subpoena in February 2020 after the matter was referred to her office by the New York State Nurses Association (NYSNA). The ensuing investigation revealed Albany Med recruited nurses from foreign nations, most often the Philippines, under visa arrangements. The employment contracts provided to these nurses included an unlawful mandatory repayment provision, which would require a nurse to pay up to $20,000 if they resigned or were fired within the first three years of employment at Albany Med. If nurses failed to pay the fee, the provision threatened legal action and reporting to immigration authorities. As a result of the provision, nurses were discouraged from leaving Albany Med, even if the conditions of employment were unsustainable, or if they were able to find higher payment or better opportunity elsewhere.

In June 2021, Albany Med agreed to pay $90,229 in restitution and interest to seven nurses who had been forced to pay Albany Med under this provision since 2011. Albany Med was also required to remove the repayment provision from all employment contracts, notify current and former nurses of the clause’s removal, and submit written reports on their compliance to the Office of the Attorney General (OAG). Albany Med has since complied with all stipulations of the agreement.

After the announcement of the settlement, eight additional former employees came forward. The OAG found that between 2007 and 2010, Albany Med received repayment fees from these employees. In today’s agreement, Albany Med has agreed to pay these employees $24,255 in restitution.

Postal Service Employee Admits Stealing Cell Phones from Mail

 

 A Hudson County, New Jersey, woman today admitted stealing numerous cell phones from mail that passed through the United States post office where she was employed, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger, announced.

Nyasia Hutchinson, 26, of Jersey City, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez to an information charging her with one count of theft of mail by a postal employee.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Hutchinson was employed by the U.S. Postal Service as a postal service clerk at the Elizabeth Post Office (EPO). From May 1, 2018, through Dec. 31, 2018, another EPO employee provided Hutchinson with 15 to 20 stolen cellphones that the employee had taken out of packages at the EPO that had been mailed to a Hillside, New Jersey, business. Hutchinson admitted that she taped up empty packages and placed them back in the mail stream after cellphones had been removed. Hutchinson later sold the stolen iPhones which had a total approximate value of $12,000, keeping the sales proceeds for herself.

The theft of mail by a postal employee charge carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 31, 2023.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew Modafferi, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

Representatives Bush, Bowman and 30 Colleagues Urge Federal Agencies to Review and Implement Effective School Safety Measures

 

Lawmakers argue funding for armed officers in schools is an inadequate gun violence prevention strategy

In the aftermath of the horrific school shooting that occurred at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas this past May, Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01), Congressman Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), and 30 colleagues are urging the Department of Justice, Department of Education and Department of Health and Human Services to conduct a review of gun violence prevention strategies in schools and establish a comprehensive plan that meets the holistic emotional, health, and safety needs of  all our students. The massacre at Robb Elementary School marks the deadliest U.S. school shooting in nearly a decade, and was at least the thirtieth school shooting in 2022. In their letter, the lawmakers criticize the misguided federal response to increase the scale and scope of law enforcement in schools, and urge our federal agencies to consider public health strategies that are more holistic and proven to be effective in preventing all forms of violence in schools.

 

“We recognize that even when law enforcement responses are functioning optimally, they cannot prevent atrocities from occurring. To that end, we urge you to break this cycle of violence and recommit to public health and safety strategies that will ensure our schools are safe for all students,” wrote the lawmakers. “This requires thinking comprehensively about violence in our schools to ensure that we prevent violence – by resolving the root causes of conflict that can escalate into violence – not simply remedy its impact. As a starting point, we ask that the Department of Education, in concert with Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice conduct a holistic review of any and all non-punitive, non-law enforcement preventative safety measures currently in schools, the health and safety impacts of such measures, and steps your agencies intend to take to meet the needs of our child and prevent the onslaught of violence we are currently witnessing in our schools.”

 

A copy of the letter can be found HERE.

 

Additional co-signers on this letter include Representatives Ro Khanna (CA-17), Mary Scanlon (PA-05), Jesús García (IL-04), Doris Matsui (CA-06), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Shelia Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), Mondaire Jones (NY-17), Carolyn Maloney (NY-12), Anthony Brown (MD-04), Frederica Wilson (FL-24), Mark Takano (CA-41), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Nanette Barragan (CA-44), Alma Adams (NC-12), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Andre Carson (IN-07), Betty McCollum (MN-04), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (NY-14), Nydia Velazquez (NY-07), Rashida Tlaib (MI-03), Danny Davis (IL-07), Madeline Dean (PA-04), Ritchie Torres (NY-15), Barbara Lee (CA-13), Dwight Evans (PA-03), Adriano Espillat (NY-13), Nikema Williams (GA-05), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Terri Sewell (AL-07), and Henry “Hank” Johnson (GA-04).

 

Governor Hochul Announces $10.25 Million to Expand Addiction Services for Underserved New Yorkers

 

Federal Funding To Support Development of Mobile Units Throughout New York State

Funding Also To Enable 15 Service Providers To Support Street Outreach Services in New York City, the Southern Tier, and the Mohawk Valley

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $10.25 million in federal funding to bolster harm reduction. Administered by the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports, $5.75 million is earmarked to support the development of mobile medication units, and $4.5 million is being awarded to help 15 providers establish street outreach units for engaging populations that have difficulty accessing care.

"My administration will continue using every tool at our disposal to help individuals impacted by addiction and address the heart-wrenching toll overdoses have taken on communities across our state," Governor Hochul said. "The $10.25 million announced today will help fund these critical services and help connect New Yorkers to the support and resources they need to break the vicious cycle of addiction."

New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports Commissioner Chinazo Cunningham said, "Every individual has different needs and goals related to their recovery, and at OASAS, we are dedicated to meeting them wherever they are and offering any help they require to reach their goals. These new mobile medication units and street outreach efforts will allow us to connect with high-risk populations, engage more people, and link them to lifesaving assistance and support."

Mobile Medication Units

All mobile units will offer admission assessments and medication induction, medication administration and observation, toxicology tests, and other medical services. The development of mobile medication units was made possible by a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration rule change, allowing them to be operated by existing treatment providers.

This funding for the units was provided through the federal State Opioid Response Grant, which is administered jointly by the Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene and OASAS. The following providers will each receive $550,000 to establish new mobile medication units:

New York City

• PROMESA, Inc. (Bronx)
• PROMESA, Inc. (Kings)
• West Midtown Management Group, Inc., DBA West Midtown Medical Group

Western NY

• PROMESA, Inc. (Chautauqua)
• PROMESA, Inc. (Erie)

Mid-Hudson

• Cornerstone Family Healthcare 

The following providers will receive $350,000 to support the ongoing development of mobile medication units. These providers were already awarded $200,000 earlier this year for this initiative.

Capital Region

• PROMESA, Inc. 

Central NY

• Helio Health, Inc. 

Finger Lakes

• Strong Memorial Hospital

Mohawk Valley

• Helio Health, Inc. 

New York City

• Vocational Instruction Project (VIP) Community Services, Inc.

North Country

• Credo Community Center for the Treatment of Addictions, Inc.

Southern Tier

• Ithaca Alpha House Center Inc. DBA Cayuga Addiction Recovery Services 

Western NY

• BestSelf Behavioral Health, Inc. 

Street-Level Outreach

In addition to the mobile units, the federal funding will also be used to expand and enhance harm reduction services in the Harlem, West Midtown, Lower East Side, and Bronx neighborhoods of New York City, as well as in communities in the Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley region. Through this initiative, outreach workers will visit areas where high-risk populations tend to congregate — places such as parks and encampments of people experiencing homelessness — to offer overdose prevention and education, naloxone dispensing and prescribing, education on safe sex and sexually transmitted infection management, and connections to other services.

This initiative is part of OASAS's ongoing to expand harm reduction services throughout New York State. Harm reduction includes low-threshold access to medications for opioid use disorder and other medical services, peer support services, and referrals to other services, such as follow-up visits for continuity of care.

Funding for the outreach initiative was provided through the federal Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant. Providers with one location are being awarded up to $250,000, while those with two locations are receiving up to $400,000.

Providers with one location include:

New York City

• Promesa Inc.
• BOOM! Health
• Bowery Residents Committee, Inc.
• National Harm Reduction Coalition
• Upper Manhattan Mental Health Center
• Housing Works
• Odyssey House
• Samaritan Daytop Village
• St. Ann's Corner of Harm Reduction
• Vocational Instruction Project Community Services, Inc.

Providers with two locations include:

New York City

• Exponents, Inc.
• Harlem United Community AIDS Center
• OnPoint NYC
• Services for the Underserved, Inc.

 

Southern Tier/Mohawk Valley

• The REACH Project, Inc.

New York State has instituted an aggressive, multi-pronged approach to addressing the overdose epidemic and created a nation-leading continuum of addiction care with full prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction services. The State has worked to expand access to traditional services, including crisis services, inpatient, outpatient, and residential treatment programs, as well as medication to treat addiction, and mobile treatment and transportation services.

Governor Hochul was a member of the New York State Heroin and Opioid Task Force, which recommended new, non-traditional services in 2016, including recovery centers, youth clubhouses, expanded peer services, and open access centers, which provide immediate assessments and referrals to care. These services are now in communities throughout the state and have helped New Yorkers in need of access care closer to where they live.

New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state's toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).

Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, residential, or outpatient care can be found using the NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the NYS OASAS website.

If you, or a loved one, have experienced insurance obstacles related to treatment or need help filing an appeal for a denied claim, contact the CHAMP helpline by phone at 888-614-5400 or send an email.