Justice Department Secures Over $900,000 Agreement with National Staffing Agency to Resolve Claims of Hiring Discrimination

 

The Justice Department announced today that it has secured a settlement agreement with Kforce Inc. (Kforce), a staffing agency with 36 offices across the United States. The agreement resolves the department’s determination that Kforce violated the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by discriminating against non-U.S. citizens with permission to work in the United States and excluding them from job opportunities based on their citizenship status.

“Companies cannot unlawfully exclude people with permission to work in the United States from job opportunities because of their citizenship status,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to hold those accountable who engage in behavior that runs afoul of our nation’s federal civil rights laws.”

The department’s investigation determined that from at least March 1, 2019, to Feb. 28, 2022, Kforce distributed job advertisements that contained unlawful hiring restrictions based on citizenship status or otherwise screened out candidates based on their citizenship status. These actions harmed workers who have been granted asylum or refugee status, and lawful permanent residents by unlawfully deterring them from applying to the job advertisements and failing to meaningfully consider those who did apply.

Under the terms of the settlement, Kforce will pay $690,000 in civil penalties to the United States and set aside $230,000 to compensate affected workers. The agreement also requires Kforce to train its personnel on the INA’s requirements, revise its employment policies and be subject to departmental monitoring and reporting requirements.

The Civil Rights Division’s Immigrant and Employee Rights Section (IER) is responsible for enforcing the anti-discrimination provision of the INA. Among other things, the statute generally prohibits discrimination based on citizenship status and national origin in hiring, firing or recruitment or referral for a fee; unfair documentary practices; retaliation; and intimidation. 

Learn more about IER’s work and how to get assistance through this brief video. Applicants or employees who believe they were discriminated against based on their citizenship, immigration status or national origin in hiring, firing, recruitment or during the employment eligibility verification process (Form I-9 and E-Verify); or subjected to retaliation, may file a charge. The public can also call IER’s worker hotline at 1-800-255-7688 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); call IER’s employer hotline at 1-800-255-8155 (1-800-237-2515, TTY for hearing impaired); sign up for a live webinar or watch an on-demand presentation; email IER@usdoj.gov; or visit IER’s English and Spanish websites. 

Congressional Campaign Staffer Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud

 

A congressional campaign staffer pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection with a scheme to fraudulently obtain political contributions.

According to court documents, Samuel Miele, 27, of New York, worked as a fundraiser for a candidate seeking election to the U.S. House of Representatives (Candidate #1). As part of the scheme, Miele impersonated a high-ranking aide to a member of House leadership while soliciting funds for Candidate #1’s campaign. Miele also admitted that he committed access device fraud by charging credit cards without authorization for contributions to Candidate #1’s and other candidates’ campaigns, as well as for Miele’s personal use. 

Miele is scheduled to be sentenced on April 30, 2024, and faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Assistant Director in Charge James Smith of the FBI New York Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI is investigating the case, with assistance from the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office.

Trial Attorneys Jacob Steiner and John Taddei of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ryan Harris, Anthony Bagnuola, and Laura Zuckerwise for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Rachel Friedman.

Twenty-Three Gang Members and Associates Indicted on Racketeering, Drug Trafficking, and Firearm Charges

 

A 12-count indictment was unsealed in the Northern District of Georgia charging 23 defendants – all alleged Sex Money Murder (SMM) gang members and associates – with crimes including racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking, and firearms violations.

According to court documents, SMM is a subset of The Bloods gang, which originated in Los Angeles in the early 1970s. The SMM subset has spread from the Bronx and New York to areas across the East Coast, including Georgia, where it operates inside and outside prisons and jails. The indictment alleges an extensive criminal enterprise in which SMM members, including inmates within the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDOC), orchestrated numerous crimes, including murders, attempted murders, attempted arson, drug trafficking within and outside of GDOC facilities, and wire and bank fraud. Eleven of the defendants were in prison when they allegedly committed or ordered the charged crimes. 

“The defendants and their criminal associates are alleged to have committed murder, engaged in stabbings and attempted murder, and distributed thousands of dollars’ worth of illicit drugs inside and outside the Georgia prison system, all to enhance the power and prestige of their gang, the Sex Money Murder set of The Bloods,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “With this RICO indictment, the Criminal Division, along with our federal, state, and local partners, again shows its commitment to hold accountable and bring to justice violent gang members who terrorize our communities and attempt to control our country’s prison systems.”

“Gang activity poses a grave risk of harm to our communities as well as to many of our institutions,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan for the Northern District of Georgia. “The defendants charged in this case allegedly perpetrated numerous violent and other criminal offenses, including multiple murders, brutal assaults, and drug trafficking crimes, on behalf of the gang Sex Money Murder. For more than a decade, these gang members and their associates allegedly orchestrated a criminal enterprise within and outside of multiple prisons to earn money for, boost their status in, and impose discipline required by the gang. This indictment is the culmination of a lengthy and carefully coordinated federal and state law enforcement investigation aimed at dismantling this violent group.”

“The FBI and its partners will not stand by as members of an elaborate criminal enterprise engage in acts that endanger our communities,” said Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. “There are consequences for partaking in illegal activity, and this does not change when some of the bad actors are already behind bars. We will continue to ensure that members of the Sex Money Murder gang face justice for their alleged misconduct, which includes drug trafficking, firearms violations, and egregious violence.”

“It’s alarming to think that these criminals were brazen enough to distribute dangerous drugs and commit heinous crimes while behind bars,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert J. Murphy of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Atlanta Division. “They must now face the consequences.”

The indictment alleges that the defendants or other SMM members committed multiple acts of violence in furtherance of the racketeering conspiracy, including storming a home and shooting multiple rounds of ammunition into a bathroom, killing a 9-month-old boy; on multiple occasions, incarcerated SMM members murdering, stabbing, or beating other inmates for disrespecting SMM leadership or violating SMM rules; and shooting and killing another SMM member on belief that the member had cooperated with law enforcement.

The following defendants have been charged in the indictment for conduct related to their alleged roles in the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) conspiracy and related crimes: 

• Ryan Brandt, aka Street Life and Robert Kraft, 44, of Hays State Prison in Trion, Georgia, is charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiring, aiding, and abetting, and possessing a controlled substance and a controlled substance analogue with the intent to distribute;
• Kyle Oree, aka Nasty Nu, 52, of Washington State Prison in Davisboro, Georgia, is charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiring to possess and possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute and a controlled substance analogue with the intent to distribute;
• Chase Pinckney, aka Chase Pickney, Three Shots, Noriega, and Sinatra, 38, of Ware State Prison in Waycross, Georgia, is charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiring to possess a controlled substance with the intent to distribute;
• Elton Jackson, aka 2gz and John Madden, 41, of Telfair State Prison in Helena, Georgia, is charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiring to possess a controlled substance with the intent to distribute;
• Sean Carr, aka Nut and Nutkase, 51, of FCI Talladega in Talladega, Alabama, is charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiring to possess a controlled substance with the intent to distribute;
• Lavorsia Jones, aka Shitbag, 23, of Dacula, Georgia, is charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiring, attempting, and possessing a controlled substance with intent to distribute and possessing a controlled substance analogue with the intent to distribute;
• Danielle Ford, 49, of Ellenwood, Georgia, is charged with RICO conspiracy, conspiring to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and possessing a controlled substance analogue with the intent to distribute;
• Charlton King, aka Hell’s Militant Camp, 23, of Valdosta, Georgia, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
• Demarco Draughn, aka Shoota B, 28, of Macon State Prison in Oglethorpe, Georgia, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
• Richard Smith, aka Alleyway and Brett Favre, 36, of Ware State Prison in Waycross, is charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiring to possess a controlled substance with the intent to distribute;
• Rontavious Fowler, aka Lil Hot, 26, of Hancock State Prison in Sparta, Georgia, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
• Shavon Thomas, aka Shavon Edwards, 55, of Decatur, Georgia, is charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiring to possess a controlled substance with the intent to distribute;
• Lionel Edwards, aka Tony, Tyson, and Python, 41, of USP Florence in Florence, Colorado, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
• Anthony Jernigan, aka Hell Raiser, 36, of Hays State Prison in Trion, is charged with RICO conspiracy;
• Cedric Pierre, aka Flip, 23, of Robert A. Deyton Correctional Facility in Lovejoy, Georgia, is charged with RICO conspiracy and conspiring to possess and possessing a controlled substance with the intent to distribute;
• Ricardo Sanchez, 40, of Macon State Prison in Oglethorpe, is charged with conspiring to possess and possessing a controlled substance with the intent to distribute;
• Troy McCraine, 57, of Tennessee, is charged with conspiring to possess a controlled substance with the intent to distribute;
• Qawwee Mitchell, 36, of Gainesville, Georgia, is charged with conspiring to possess and possessing a controlled substance with the intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime;
• Sherri Gandy-Torres, 56, of Lakeland, Florida, is charged with conspiring to possess and possessing a controlled substance with the intent to distribute;
• Nyla Blacknell, 43, of Duluth, Georgia, is charged with conspiring to possess and possessing a controlled substance with the intent to distribute and possessing a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime;
• Tracey Wise, 46, of Milledgeville, Georgia, is charged with conspiring to possess a controlled substance with the intent to distribute;
• Shounnette Wooten, 50, of Gray, Georgia, is charged with conspiring to possess a controlled substance with the intent to distribute; and
• Kierra Williams, 31, of Milledgeville, Georgia, is charged with conspiring to possess a controlled substance and possessing a controlled substance analogue with the intent to distribute.

If convicted, the defendants face penalties including up to life in prison for the racketeering conspiracy, 10 years to life in prison for the narcotics conspiracy and drug trafficking charges, and five years to life in prison for the firearms offenses.

The FBI, the Atlanta-Carolinas High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas Program, the DEA, and the Georgia Department of Corrections are investigating the case, with valuable assistance from the Georgia Attorney General’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Georgia Department of Community Supervision, the Georgia State Patrol, the Brookhaven Police Department, the Butts County Sheriff’s Office, the DeKalb County Police Department, the Douglasville Police Department, the East Point Police Department, the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, the Gwinnett County Police Department, the Marietta Police Department, the Riverdale Police Department, the Sandy Springs Police Department, and the South Fulton Police Department.

Trial Attorney Lisa M. Thelwell of the Criminal Division’s Violent Crime and Racketeering Section (VICAR) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg for the Northern District of Georgia are prosecuting the case, and former VICAR Trial Attorney Rebecca R. Dunnan previously prosecuted the case.

The indictment is a result of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigations. The OCDETF mission is to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States, using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency task force approach. OCDETF synchronizes and incentivizes prosecutors and agents to lead smart, creative investigations targeting the command-and-control networks of organized criminal groups and the illicit financiers that support them. Additional information about the OCDETF Program may be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty To Hacking Fantasy Sports And Betting Website

 

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JOSEPH GARRISON pled guilty today to conspiracy to commit computer intrusion in connection with a scheme to hack user accounts at a fantasy sports and betting website (the “Betting Website”) and sell access to those accounts in order to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars from them.  GARRISON pled guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger and is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan on January 16, 2024

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U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Joseph Garrison and his co-conspirators launched an online cyberattack, stealing approximately $600,000 from innocent victims’ accounts.  Garrison now stands convicted of a federal crime for targeting the accounts of victims making legitimate online wagers.” 

According to the charging documents and other filings and statements made in court:

On or about November 18, 2022, GARRISON launched a “credential stuffing attack” on the Betting Website.  During a credential stuffing attack, a cyber threat actor collects stolen credentials or username and password pairs obtained from large-scale data breaches of companies that can be purchased on the dark web.  The threat actor then systematically attempts to use those stolen credentials to obtain unauthorized access to accounts held by the same user with other companies and providers in order to compromise accounts where the user has maintained the same password.  Here, in connection with the attack on the Betting Website, there was a series of attempts to log into the Betting Website accounts using a large list of stolen credentials.

GARRISON and others successfully accessed approximately 60,000 accounts at the Betting Website (the “Victim Accounts”) through the credential stuffing attack.  In some instances, the individuals who unlawfully accessed the Victim Accounts were able to add a new payment method on the account, deposit $5 into that account through the new payment method to verify that method, and then withdraw all the existing funds in the Victim Account through the new payment method (i.e., to a newly added financial account belonging to the hacker), thus stealing the funds in the Victim Account.  Using this method, GARRISON and others stole approximately $600,000 from approximately 1,600 Victim Accounts.

Law enforcement executed a search on GARRISON’s home in February 2023.  In that search, they located programs typically used for credential stuffing attacks.  Those programs require individualized “config” files for a target website to launch credential stuffing attacks, and law enforcement located approximately 700 such config files for dozens of different corporate websites on GARRISON’s computer.  Law enforcement also located files containing nearly 40 million username and password pairs on GARRISON’s computer, which are also used in credential stuffing attacks.

On GARRISON’s cellphone, law enforcement also located conversations between GARRISON and his co-conspirators, which included discussions about how to hack the Betting Website and how to profit from the hack of the Betting Website by extracting funds from the Victim Accounts directly or by selling access to the Victim Accounts.  In one particular conversation, GARRISON discussed, in substance and in part, how successful he was at credential stuffing attacks, how much he enjoyed credential stuffing attacks, and how GARRISON believed that law enforcement would not catch or prosecute him.  Specifically, GARRISON messaged the following, in substance and in part: “fraud is fun . . . im addicted to see money in my account . . . im like obsessed with bypassing shit.”

GARRISON, 19, of Madison, Wisconsin, pled guilty to one count of conspiring to commit computer intrusion, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.  

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

Comptroller’s Review of Citi Bike Finds Worrying Decreases in Service Reliability Under Lyft’s Operation, Especially in Low-Income Neighborhoods

 

Report outlines contract overhaul with a better balance of oversight & incentives, ensure more reliable & equitable service, and secure a long-term future for bikeshare in NYC

New York City Comptroller Brad Lander released a new report, Riding Forward: Overhauling Citi Bike’s Contract for More Reliable and Equitable Service, revealing significant operational shortcomings under Lyft’s operation, which has left riders facing more unusable stations, longer periods of station unavailability, and more broken bikes. Low-income neighborhoods and communities of color faced these problems more significantly. The review also found that the NYC Department of Transportation (DOT) failed to hold Lyft, which has operated Citi Bike since 2018, accountable for its failure to meet contracted performance standards. 

The report calls for a comprehensive contract overhaul to ensure more reliable and equitable service with a more strategic mix of enforcement of performance standards, attention to equitable service, and incentives to enable Citi Bike to thrive as a key element of the city’s transportation network – whether under Lyft or a new operator.

“Citi Bike has grown to be a vital element of New York City’s transportation network, but Lyft’s failure to deliver reliable service across the system raises alarm bells. The City should overhaul the contract with more strategic performance standards and the oversight and incentives to achieve them. Making sure that New Yorkers can access working bikes and docks in every neighborhood across the city is the way to secure Citi Bike’s future as an essential and equitable component of New York City’s transportation network,” said Comptroller Brad Lander.

New Yorkers took 3.4 million trips on Citi Bike in September 2023, making it by far the largest bike share program in the country. While the network of bikes, especially e-bikes, and docks grew over the past five years, maintenance decreased. Rebalancing moves—the relocation of bikes between stations, which is essential for bikes and docks to be available when and where riders need them—decreased by 80% from 2014 to 2022. With fewer rebalancing efforts, certain areas experience shortages of bikes or docks, impacting service quality.

The neighborhoods on the outer edges of the system experience far more empty stations and unusable bikes disproportionately affecting Black, Latino, and low-income residents. Riders in Sunset Park, Red Hook, and Kensington in Brooklyn and Fordham Heights, Morris Heights, and University Heights in the Bronx encountered Citi Bike stations with no bikes or out-of-service docks more than 20% of the time during peak hours throughout June and July 2023. When riders are uncertain whether bikes or docks will be available when they need them, they are far less likely to use the system.

Despite numerous instances of service failures, the report found no evidence that the City enforced the performance standards in Lyft’s contract. For example, the Comptroller’s analysis found 11,6000 instances in June and July 2023 alone where stations were left completely empty or full for an hour or more. At one point in 2018, Citi Bike experienced a significant service decline with only 57% of bikes available to riders due to repair needs, though the contract requires 97% availability. These and other failures to adhere to contract requirements could have resulted in millions of dollars of fines against Lyft. 

 The report comes as Lyft is reportedly considering selling Citi Bike and as docked bikeshare network programs in other cities declined in recent years, highlighting the tensions of privately-operated systems. Lyft does not receive any subsidy from the City of New York, leaving it reliant on fees and sponsorships to be profitable, and potentially in tension with the City’s interest in reliable and equitable service across all neighborhoods.

To address these challenges, the report calls for the City to initiate a comprehensive overhaul of the Citi Bike contract, with a more strategic mix of performance standards, oversight to require them, and financial incentives to achieve and exceed them. Although Citi Bike’s contract does not officially expire until 2029, parties can revise the terms at any time and did so at least ten times in the past ten years— most recently this past summer to expand the number of e-bikes (despite reports that Lyft seriously considered selling off the network at the time).

Regardless of whether Lyft continues to operate the system or sells it to a new operator down the road, the Comptroller recommends overhauling Citi Bike’s contract to deliver reliable, high-quality service in neighborhoods across the system by:

• Updating performance standards with neighborhood level requirements to ensure high-quality service throughout the system, not just in aggregate. 
• Strengthening enforcement of basic performance standards by actually levying fines where the operator fails to meet minimum performance requirements, especially around rebalancing and fleet availability. 
• Providing financial incentives for consistently achieving and exceeding performance standards, in order to provide stronger incentives for reliable and equitable service and ensure the long-term viability of the system. 
• Expanding eligibility for Citi Bike’s existing discounted membership program to reach more low-income New Yorkers, 
• Improving transparency through enhanced public reporting on Citi Bike’s operations. 

“Thanks to Comptroller Lander for shining a light on the inner workings of Citi Bike. This is the detailed review and set of policy ideas on service quality and transparency that we’ve needed for some time,” said Jon Orcutt, advocacy director at Bike New York.

“Citi Bike is an important cog in the city’s transportation network, so it’s essential that the bikes are in good working order, that stations are well balanced with a supply of bikes and open dock space, and that the system is maintained equitably throughout its operating footprint. We commend Comptroller Lander for shining a light on the areas in which Lyft is coming up short in meeting those requirements, and look forward to continued improvement and growth in the city’s bike share system,” said Eric McClure, Executive Director at StreetsPAC

BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO 63 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR STABBING THREE PEOPLE, TWO OF THEM FATALLY

 

Defendant Was Found Guilty of Murder and Attempted Murder; Butchered His Father and Ex-Girlfriend, Left his Brother Wounded for Life

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to 63 years to life in prison for a vicious stabbing spree that left his father and exgirlfriend dead and his brother with catastrophic wounds.

 District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant stabbed his father and brother numerous times during a dispute and then went to the home of his former girlfriend and stabbed her 47 times. The brother still resides in a rehabilitation center over three years later, but he came to court to powerfully testify at the trial. Now the defendant will likely spend the rest of his life behind bars.”

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Jean Carlo Jimenez, 33, of 2138 Gleason Avenue, was sentenced today to 25 years to life in prison for second-degree Murder, 20 years for Attempted Murder, and 18 years for Attempted Murder, to run consecutively, by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Marsha Michael. The defendant was convicted of these charges as well as fourthdegree Criminal Possession of a Weapon after a six-week jury trial.

 According to the investigation, on March 1, 2020, at approximately 7:10 p.m., inside 2138 Gleason Avenue, the Bronx, the defendant stabbed his father, Ramon Emilio Jimenez, Sr., 60, and brother, Ramon Emilio Jimenez Jr., 38, numerous times causing catastrophic injuries to both during a dispute over trying to get his girlfriend back. The defendant then walked to 2004 Ellis Avenue where at about 7:30 p.m. he stabbed Mercy Capacette, 29, approximately 47 times and caused about 21 incised wounds to her body. Witnesses to the stabbing testified that the defendant had a knife in each hand. Capacette died of her injuries that night. Ramon, Sr. died of his injuries on April 16, 2020. (Ramon, Sr. was still alive at the time of the original indictment therefore the defendant was not charged with his murder.) Ramon, Jr., lost his right eye and is paralyzed on his left side.

 District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detective Randy Delanuez, retired Detectives Daniel Smith and Christine Reyes Casilla for their work in the investigation and Parkchester Public Safety for their assistance.

Statement From Governor Kathy Hochul

“Public safety is my top priority. We cannot protect the safety of the public without a well-functioning court system. We need to attract and retain talented judges and we need our courts to fairly and promptly dispense justice. That is why I asked my appointees to the Commission on Legislative, Judicial, and Executive Compensation to support an increase in compensation for judges in New York. I also worked with the Office of Court Administration to identify key reforms to strengthen the court system and areas where we could partner together to improve the administration of justice in New York. These reforms include a surge in resources to family court, increased data transparency, an expansion in the number of problem-solving courts and a plan to reduce the backlog in cases related to violent offenders. I am grateful to the new leadership at OCA, including Chief Judge Wilson and Chief Administrative Judge Zayas, for their partnership and shared commitment to putting these key reforms in place and to a system that is just, fair and keeps New Yorkers safe.”

 

Consumer Alert: New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection Provides Tips to Save on Energy Bills and Highlights Utility Intervention Unit

Follow These Energy Usage Tips to Save Money During the Colder Months

Follow the New York Department of State on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for “Tuesday’s Tips” – Practical Tips to Educate and Empower New York Consumers on a Variety of Topics

Secretary Rodriguez: “The Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection Utility Intervention Unit (UIU) is providing helpful tips for homeowners and renters to save money on energy bills this winter without sacrificing comfort.” 

For this week’s “Tips,” the New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection is providing tips for New Yorkers to save on energy costs this winter. Follow the New York Department of State on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and check in every Tuesday for more practical tips that educate and empower New York consumers on a variety of topics. Sign up to receive consumer alerts directly to your email or phone here.

“As we continue to adjust to the colder temperatures, New Yorkers will be spending more time indoors, which brings an increase in energy usage,” said Secretary of State Robert J. Rodriguez. “The Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection Utility Intervention Unit (UIU) is providing helpful tips for homeowners and renters to save money on energy bills this winter without sacrificing comfort.”

NYSERDA President and CEO Doreen M. Harris said, “New York is committed to helping New Yorkers make their homes as energy efficient as possible while helping reduce heating bills. There are a number of measures that can be taken – from using a smart thermostat or adding more insulation to your home to replacing old, outdated appliances with more efficient ones – every little bit helps, and I encourage homeowners to assess what makes the most sense for them and act now as winter is fast approaching.”  

The Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection (DCP) works to educate and empower consumers in the utility market year-round through the Utility Intervention Unit (UIU). DCP is also sharing money-saving energy usage tips for all New Yorkers and DCP offers a Guide to Home Heating with Oil and Propane to provide shopping guidance and help heating oil and propane fuel consumers reduce their heating bills.

HEATING/COOLING:

• Check your thermostat:Each degree you lower your thermostat can cut your fuel consumption by approximately 3%. Installing a programmable thermostat can automatically adjust the temperature based on your home, work and sleep schedule and provide an estimated cost savings of 10-20% on your monthly heating and cooling bills.
• Weatherize and insulate your home:Help your home to retain heat during cold weather by insulating your attic and outside walls, sealing and insulating heating ducts, removing window air conditioners, wrapping or covering wall air conditioners and sealing any cracks around walls and windows.
• Get your heating system tested and tuned:Conduct annual checkups to help ensure the efficiency of your system. Replace your furnace filters at least every three months to keep your equipment running efficiently and consider replacing the filters once a month during heavy use months such as the summer and winter. A dirty filter slows down airflow and makes your system work harder to keep you comfortable.
• Use ceiling or floor fans: Avoid heating or cooling an entire house when only using one or two rooms by shutting off heat in any unused areas and closing vents in unused bedrooms. Use ceiling or portable floor fans in the rooms you are using to assist with heating and cooling.
• Use radiators efficiently:Move rugs and furniture away from heating vents and radiators. Blocked vents can disrupt air circulation and cause an imbalance in a home’s heating system. Placing heat resistant reflector panels between radiators and walls can help heat the room instead of the wall.
• Contact your heating provider:Ask your home heating provider if they have any available bill assistance programs, pricing plans or other opportunities to better manage your bill. If considering switching to a different pricing plan, take care to consider the full terms, benefits and risks of each pricing plan. Your heating provider may also be able to provide information on external heating bill assistance programs and resources. Check out DCP’s Guide to Home Heating with Oil and Propane for more guidance.

HOUSEHOLD:

• Improve your water heater’s efficiency:Water heating accounts for about 14% of consumer energy bills. Wrapping your water heater in insulation, lowering water temperatures, insulating hot water pipes and limiting hot water use can all decrease your energy bill.
• Buy energy efficient appliances: Appliances with the ENERGY STAR® label are designed to use at least 20% less energy than their standard counterparts and can save you money on your energy bills. Find options at energystar.gov.
• Use appliances wisely:Conserve energy with larger appliances by setting your refrigerator no lower than 38-40 degrees. Load your washing machine to full capacity to minimize energy use and save water and detergent. Using your dishwasher is more energy efficient than washing your dishes by hand (even if your dishwasher is not quite full) and it saves more than 8,000 gallons of water each year!
• Dry clothes efficiently: Avoid the cost of running your dryer by drying your clothes on a clothesline when weather permits or by using an indoor drying rack. If using a clothes dryer, avoid overfilling it which can cause longer drying cycles. Clean the lint trap in your dryer before every load – it is one of the easiest things you can do to ensure proper air circulation and increase the efficiency of your dryer.
• Switch to modern light bulbs: Replace conventional light bulbs (such as incandescent or halogen) with energy-efficient light bulb options (such as led bulbs, led fixtures and smart light bulbs). Energy-efficient lighting uses less energy and lasts longer.

ELECTRONICS:

• Shut down your computer:When you shut down your computer, don’t forget to turn off the monitor—it can use twice as much energy as the computer. Use an advanced power strip for convenience so that all computer accessories can be turned off with one switch. Even in sleep mode, your computer may cost you $105 a year!
• Use rechargeable batteries and charging units:Rechargeable batteries are more cost-effective in the long term. Plug your battery charging system or power adapter into a power strip to enable you to shut off power with the flick of a switch. For even more savings, use a power strip with a timer or a programmable power strip.
• Disconnect digital media players:Turn off DVD and Blu-ray players, audio players and video game consoles when not in use to avoid wasting energy. Even when powered off, most electronics continue to draw power, often referred to as ghost electricity, vampire power or phantom power. To save energy and time, plug entertainment products into an advanced power strip to centrally turn off all components at once.
• Stream your content smartly: Streaming through a game console uses up to 10 times as much energy as streaming on a laptop or tablet. Consider using another kind of device to stream—like a Blu-ray player, set-top box or Smart TV that has earned an ENERGY STAR® label.

How does the Utility Intervention Unit work for consumers?

DCP’s UIU is committed to protecting consumers from economic harm. UIU advocates for energy affordability in electric, natural gas, water, and telecommunications matters by seeking to secure the lowest possible utility cost while maintaining reliable service with adequate customer service for consumers. 

UIU meets these goals by:

• Representing consumerswhen utilities seek to change customer rates by assessing:

1. Whether new investments are necessary;
2. How costs are allocated among the various customer classes; and
3. Whether customer service performances metrics and corresponding penalties are aligned such that customers collectively receive reliable service at reasonable costs with necessary consumer protections.

• Advocating for consumersat the local, state, and federal level at administrative and regulatory proceedings by emphasizing the potential costs of policy and market rule changes.
• Responding to consumer inquiriesand collaborating with DCP’s Consumer Assistance Program to mediate complaints for unregulated utilities, like home heating oil and propane, wireless telephone services, and cable.

In addition to the Home Heating with Oil and Propane Guide, DCP offers the following tips to help consumers reduce energy costs and heating bills:

NYSERDA offers more tips for saving energy in your home or apartment.

• Get a home energy audit. Conduct an energy audit of your home or apartment to learn about recommended efficiency improvements to save money on your energy bill. An audit can provide information on low-cost improvements as well as large-scale investments and available financial resources. You can get an audit yourself or contact the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) for assistance atnyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/Residential-Energy-Assessment-Programs. 
• See if you qualify for State heating assistance programs: New Yorkers have access to numerous heating cost assistance programs for qualifying applicants. Programs include direct assistance to pay bills, low-interest loans for home energy efficiency projects, and assessments for energy efficiency upgrades for both homeowners and renters.

For more information on New York State home heating assistance and energy efficiency programs, visit NYSERDA at www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/Home-Energy-Efficiency-Upgrades, or NYS Homes and Community Renewal at www.hcr.ny.gov/weatherization. For the Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) visit the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance at www.otda.ny.gov/programs/heap/.