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Saturday, April 22, 2023
Bronx Chamber of Commerce - Bronx Business News You Can Use
Seller Of Counterfeit Art Extradited From Germany After 13 Years As A Fugitive
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ANGELA CATHERINE HAMBLIN, a citizen of the United Kingdom, was extradited from Germany to the United States to serve a prison sentence for selling fake works of art through a commercial auction website and in private transactions. After pleading guilty in 2009, HAMBLIN was sentenced to one year and one day in prison. However, HAMBLIN failed to report to U.S. prison authorities as ordered and instead fled the United States to the United Kingdom. She was re-arrested on May 31, 2022, while changing planes at an airport in Frankfurt, Germany.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Hamblin went to great lengths to avoid accountability for her crimes, but this Office and the FBI have long memories and benefit greatly from our cooperation with international partners. Despite some 13 years on the run, Hamblin was apprehended last year as she changed flights in Germany and today returns to face justice and serve her time in prison.”
As alleged in the Indictment and other documents and statements made in Court:
For about five months in 2007, HAMBLIN engaged in a fraudulent scheme to sell at least four paintings that she represented to be works of such artists as Joseph Mallord William Turner (a British watercolorist and printmaker), Milton Avery (an American abstract expressionist painter), Franz Kline (an American abstract painter), and Juan Gris (a Spanish Cubist painter and sculptor), when she knew that the paintings were not authentic works of art by these famed artists. HAMBLIN made various claims about where she acquired the paintings, including that she or her husband had inherited the paintings from relatives and that they purchased one of the paintings from a then-deceased seller. With respect to one of the paintings, HAMBLIN claimed that the artist had given it to George Balanchine, the choreographer, who had in turn sold it to her great-grandfather.
HAMBLIN was re-arrested on May 31, 2022, when she changed planes in Frankfurt, Germany, on a flight from Vienna, Austria, to the United Kingdom. Following an order of extradition by German authorities, HAMBLIN was flown today from Frankfurt to New York City and transported to the custody of the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to serve her prison sentence.
HAMBLIN, 74, of St. Boswells, Scotland, pled guilty on February 16, 2009, to two counts of mail fraud and one count of wire fraud. She was sentenced on July 14, 2009, by United States District Judge Loretta A. Preska to one year and one day in prison.
Mr. Williams praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Art Crime Team/New York Major Theft Task Force for their outstanding investigative work on HAMBLIN’s scheme to sell counterfeit art. Mr. Williams also thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the U.S. Marshals Service, and German authorities for their assistance in the extradition.
DEC ANNOUNCES WALLEYE, NORTHERN PIKE, PICKEREL, AND TIGER MUSKELLUNGE SEASON OPENS MAY 1
New York’s Coolwater Species Provide Excellent Fishing Opportunities
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today announced that the fishing season for walleye, northern pike, pickerel and tiger muskellunge begins on May 1.
"Early spring can be an exceptional time for fishing in New York, with species like walleye and northern pike becoming more active and aggressive as water temperatures rise,” said Commissioner Seggos. “I encourage all anglers to find the time to get out on the water this spring to enjoy, and share with others, the great fishing that can be found here in New York."
Historically found only in the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River, and Allegheny River watersheds in New York, walleye are now found in more than 140 waters from all the major watersheds of the state, primarily due to stocking and other DEC management efforts. Opportunities to catch lunker northern pike can also be found throughout much of the state, especially in the northeast and west. Visit DEC’s website for information on where to go fishing for walleye, pike and other coolwater sportfish.
Last year, DEC added a new feature to its official HuntFishNY app called The Tackle Box. Fishing regulations, boating access, and stocking information are all available in a map-based interface from the convenience of a smart phone. Other features include driving directions to state boat launch sites and an offline feature that allows a user to access information when cell coverage isn't available. The HuntFishNY app, which includes the Tackle Box, is free of charge and available through the App store (iOS) and Google Play (Android) for anyone to download on their tablet or smart phone. For more information on the HuntFishNY app and new Tackle Box feature visit the DEC website.
A digital version of the 2023 Freshwater Fishing Regulations guide is available to download on the DEC website. Hard copies of the guide are available wherever sporting licenses are sold. For locations visit the DEC website.
The State Pension Fund: Investing in Climate Change Solutions
The State Pension Fund: Investing in
Climate Change Solutions
On Earth Day and every day, State Comptroller DiNapoli is continuing his work to protect the Fund’s assets over the long term from the significant risks created by climate change. With the State pension fund’s $20 billion commitment to sustainable investments and climate solutions, Comptroller DiNapoli is taking action to seize investment opportunities that are best positioned for a low carbon future.
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| NYS Pension Fund Commits $1.3 Billion to Sustainable Investment Program |
Climate Change Poses Significant Threats
to Communities in New York
The State Comptroller’s office also surveyed localities around the State to understand how climate change is impacting their financial and capital planning decisions. “Climate change poses significant threats to communities in New York. Concerns are growing about severe heat waves and droughts, more frequent and destructive storms, and flooding and rising sea levels that threaten both coastal and inland communities,” DiNapoli said. “Local governments are shouldering much of the financial burden of climate change as they maintain important infrastructure such as roadways, drinking water systems and sewers. Local officials will increasingly need to assess the need for additional climate actions, plan for these higher costs, and communicate these challenges to stakeholders at the State and local levels.”
| Localities Spending More to Address Climate Change Hazards |
ALSO IN THE NEWS THIS WEEK
Note: Some news links may require a paid subscription.
- The Capitol Connection #2316 - New York state Comptroller Tom DiNapoli
- New York took in nearly $3B more in taxes than expected
NY State Fiscal Year Tax Receipts Beats Estimate by $2.9 Billion
- NYS Is Holding $4.6 Billion Owed to 24 Million NYC Accounts. See if You Own One of Them
- NYS missed out on $183 million in rebates through Medicaid claims
Comptroller: Area communities report climate-related projects
Tweet of the Week
Tom DiNapoli @NYSComptroller
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Council Member Marjorie Velรกzquez - What's Happening in District 13
Dear Neighbor,
EARTH DAY is here! Together, we can reduce the City’s carbon footprint by choosing more sustainable products, cleaning up our parks and greenways, or planting more trees and flowers. But it’s not just about what we do on one day, but the ways we work to keep our communities clean, safe, and healthy all year.
In this week’s email, you will find information regarding upcoming events, educational opportunities for our youth, community resources, and information for caregivers. We’ve also updated our ‘Career Corner’ with exciting information, which includes HPD’s upcoming hiring event and informational sessions for those interested in pursuing a career with Carpenters. For those interested in learning about upcoming events and community resources, please scroll to ‘What’s Happening in District 13’ and ‘Community Resources.’
In the meantime, if you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, please call us at (718) 931-1721 or email us at District13@council.nyc.gov.
Wishing you all a beautiful and joyous weekend.
Sincerely,
Council Member Marjorie Velรกzquez
EARTH DAY WEEKEND
Morris Park BID Earth Day Celebration
Tomorrow, Saturday, April 22, the Morris Park BID will host an Earth Day Celebration from 12 PM to 2 PM! This year’s event will take place at Loreto Park, and participants will have a chance to meet the NYC Urban Park Rangers. There will be environment-themed activities and crafts, children’s activities, and more. Local Bronx artists Lovie Pignata and Kaylove will also be in attendance.
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New Yorkers for Parks - Parks again threatened by proposed budget cuts.
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Parks at a tipping point with proposed cuts Parks are threatened by over $70 million in funding cuts — nearly $50 million in proposed cuts in Mayor Adams’ FY24 preliminary budget, plus $25 million via mandated 4% PEG cuts to agencies citywide. These combined cuts bring us dangerously close to Covid-19 funding levels, when parks saw their worst conditions on record. We’ve seen the impact of these austerity measures, and we can’t let them happen again.
We commend the City Council’s preliminary budget response, which rejects these proposed cuts and calls on the mayor to fund 1,000 additional Parks staff, plus critical resources for GreenThumb, natural areas, and forestry maintenance. Now, the Council must push back on PEG cuts and fund all 280 Play Fair positions. In response to these threats, we held a Play Fair rally at City Hall Park, hosted a City Hall Advocacy Day to lobby Council Members about parks funding needs, and issued a statement calling attention to the omission of parks in Mayor Adams' PlaNYC report. This weekend, Play Fair members throughout the city will table in their local parks to collect petition signatures. TAKE ACTION: Use our social kit to post on all platforms on Monday, April 24th! Thank you for rallying with the Play Fair Coalition!
We saw phenomenal turnout during last month's Play Fair rally at City Hall Park. A big thank you to all the Play Fair advocates, NYC Parks workers, New York City Council Members, and students who rallied with us or testified to the critical importance of NYC Parks at the preliminary budget hearing!
Among the many advocates who testified at the City Council hearing were students Emma, Camila and Jerick from Samara Community School in the Bronx, Evangeline from Fort Greene Prep, and Zoey from PS46 in Brooklyn. Click the link below to hear the powerful message they shared about parks equity and access.
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