Van Cortlandt Park Alliance - Work with Us!

 

Spring Garden Internship

The 2024 Spring Garden Internship for High School students will run from April to June afterschool on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

For details and the application click here by March 8, 2024.

 

Ecological and Trail Stewardship Technician (3)

Seasonal

VCPA is seeking 3 Seasonal Technicians  to assist with trail maintenance and ecological restoration efforts within the natural areas of Van Cortlandt Park. 

For details and instructions to apply click here.

 

Crew Leader for Urban Ecology Teens Internship (2)

Part-Time • Seasonal

The Crew Leaders will work alongside VCPA staff in leading the summer Urban Ecology Teen Internship program (Eco-Teens). Through special projects and enrichment activities, Crew Leaders will teach basic plant identification and lead basic forest, aquatic and trail restoration work. 

For details and instructions to apply click here.

Crew Leader for Garden 2 Market Internship 

Part-Time • Seasonal

The Crew Leader will work alongside VCPA staff in leading the summer Garden 2 Market Internship. The Crew Leader will be responsible for supporting 6 high school G2M interns as they learn how to maintain a garden, run a farm stand, and explore issues of the local food system. 

For details and instructions to apply click here.

 

Upcoming Openings!

VCPA will open applications to high school students for our summer internships later this month.

 

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Our Contact Information
Van Cortlandt Park Alliance
80 Van Cortlandt Park South, Ste. E1
Bronx, NY 10463
718-601-1460
http://vancortlandt.org

Attorney General James Announces Historic Judgment Against Predatory Lender

 

Richmond Companies Required to Pay More Than $77 Million to Small Businesses for Usury and Outrageous Interest Rates

New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a historic court judgment against three merchant cash advance companies, Richmond Capital Group, Ram Capital Funding, and Viceroy Capital Funding (Richmond companies) and their principals, Jonathan Braun, Tzvi Reich, Robert Giardina, and Michelle Gregg, for usury and fraud due to illegally high-interest, short-term loans and undisclosed fees. The judgment amount against the Richmond companies is more than $77,298,631, and follows the major court victory Attorney General James secured in September 2023, which included the cancellation of all outstanding debts of the small businesses. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) filed a lawsuit against the Richmond companies for violating multiple state laws, including Executive Law § 63(12), due to their illegal, high-interest loans disguised as merchant cash advances.

“This historic judgment should send a clear message that anyone who takes advantage of small businesses in New York will regret their greed and actions,” said Attorney General James. “Small businesses in New York and throughout the nation are major job creators, but they face enormous challenges and companies that prey on them hurt our entire economy. I am proud to have secured this decision for over $77 million to be returned to small businesses that have suffered because of the Richmond companies.”

In June 2020, Attorney General James sued the Richmond companies for hurting small businesses in New York and throughout the nation. The OAG investigation uncovered that the Richmond companies were loaning money to small business owners at astronomically high interest rates and over short terms, illegally charging undisclosed fees, debiting excess amounts from merchants’ bank accounts, and fraudulently obtaining judgments against merchants by filing false affidavits in New York state courts. One example presented to the court showed that the Richmond companies loaned $10,000 to a small business and required its owner to pay back $19,900 within 10 days, through daily payments of $1,999. As a result of the large daily payments and the short, 10-day repayment term, the annual interest rate for the merchant cash advance, including fees, came close to 4,000 percent — almost 250 times the legal interest rate.

The September 2023 court decision required the Richmond companies to stop collecting on their outstanding debt and to repay thousands of small businesses the unfair interest they had to pay. The decision by Judge Andrew Borrok of the New York State Supreme Court for New York County follows the Richmond companies’ refusal to provide an accounting and full history of monies collected as part of the September 2023 court decision.

D.A. Bragg: Seven Indicted In Assault On Police Officers In Times Square

 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., today announced the indictment of seven individuals for their roles in an assault on two NYPD officers in Times Square on January 27, 2024.

Of the seven indicted today:

1.   Five were arrested last week: DARWIN ANDRES GOMEZ-IZQUIEL, WILSON JUAREZ, KELVIN SERVITA AROCHA, YORMAN REVERON, and YOHENRY BRITO.
2.   Two additional individuals have been indicted, but they have not been apprehended and their names remain under seal until they are arraigned in Supreme Court.

The Office also shared information about additional individuals who have not been identified. Anyone with information about these individuals should call 212-335-9040. The Office’s investigation into the assault in Times Square remains ongoing.

Today’s New York State Supreme Court indictment follows a thorough investigation of each individual’s conduct that included a review of several different angles of video surveillance, review of a variety of body worn camera footage, and interviews with witnesses. The Statement of Facts details that, as alleged, the defendants are responsible for a range of conduct, which the Office was able to verify following a comprehensive review of evidence.

BRITO, GOMEZ-IZQUIEL, REVERON and AROCHA are all charged in a New York State Supreme Court indictment on two counts of Assault in the Second Degree and one count of Obstructing Governmental Administration in the Second Degree. JUAREZ and BRITO are each charged with one count of Tampering with Physical Evidence. JUAREZ is charged with two counts of Hindering Prosecution in the Third Degree, while BRITO is charged with one count. [1]

“The assault on our police officers in Times Square outraged and sickened me. We have absolutely no tolerance for this despicable behavior. Our joint investigation with the NYPD helped us determine the alleged roles of new individuals involved, including some who are charged with having committed the most violent conduct and have not yet been apprehended. We ask the public to share any information on these individuals by calling the Office at 212-335-9040,” said District Attorney Bragg. “The thorough nature of our joint investigation reflects the utmost seriousness in which we are treating this incident – accountability, justice and public safety only comes from charging the right people with the right conduct. I am extraordinarily grateful to Commissioner Caban and the entire NYPD for their close partnership on this investigation, along with our team of dedicated prosecutors and analysts who have worked tirelessly to uncover every piece of evidence.”

NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said, “As this thorough investigation continues, the men and women of the NYPD remain committed to working with the office of the Manhattan district attorney to ensure that everyone who took part in this despicable incident is held fully accountable for their actions.”

According to court documents and statements made on the record, at approximately 8:30 p.m. near 220 West 42nd Street, two police officers instructed the defendants to move to West 41st Street. One officer eventually grasped BRITO and pushed him against a building. BRITO then attempted to escape and struggled against the officers while he was held on the ground. BRITO fled the scene and was arrested on January 31st. He has been held on bail since February 1st.

The first four individuals arrested that evening were GOMEZ-IZQUIEL, JUAREZ, AROCHA and REVERON. Of those four, GOMEZ-IZQUIEL is charged with allegedly grabbing one officer and kicking the other once. REVERON is charged with allegedly grabbing, pulling and throwing the two officers to the ground. Neither JUAREZ nor AROCHA ever hit or kick either officer – AROCHA kicked a police radio and JUAREZ watched from a distance, before eventually giving his grey jacket to BRITO.   

Over the last several days, there have been rumors that the four individuals above left the City and were taken into custody by federal authorities. The Manhattan D.A.’s Office was informed by Homeland Security Investigations on Tuesday, February 6, 2024, that the four individuals they took into custody were not affiliated with the New York City investigation. To date, the Office has not received any indication from federal authorities that they have detained any individual related to the Office’s case.

The names of the additional two individuals indicted today are sealed:

1.   One individual in a black jacket, light blue hood and black pants, allegedly kicked and then grabbed the leg of an officer. He was taken into custody at the scene but eventually released by the NYPD. 
2.   The other individual, in a red, white and blue FILA jacket, grabbed an officer. Later that evening, JUAREZ was found wearing the FILA jacket.

Three individuals have not yet been identified. Of those three individuals:

1.   One individual, wearing an red hooded sweatshirt and white hat, kicked an officer’s head multiple times and grabbed and pulled the collar of the other officer.
2.   A second individual, wearing a black puffer coat, kicked an officer in the head once and fell to the ground.
3.    A third individual, wearing a black jacket with a hood over a white brimmed hat, kicked an officer in the foot.

Another individual, wearing light pink sneakers, kicked an officer in the upper body at least once. The individual initially charged with this conduct is Jhoan Boada, who has not been indicted as the Office continues to investigate.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Zachary Kotin, Mireille Dee and Neil Greenwell, with the assistance of Analyst Anastasia Trico, under the supervision of David Hammer (Chief of Trial Bureau 70) and Lisa DelPizzo (Chief of the Trial Division).

D.A. Bragg thanked Lt. John Peitanza, Detectives Robert Rivera and Lana Blanco, and police officers Jonathan Jimenez, and Kelvin Villegas of Midtown South; and the SMART Team.

Defendant Information:

YOHENRY BRITO

New York, New York

Charged

•   Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony, two counts
•   Obstructing Governmental Administration in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor, one count
•   Tampering with Physical Evidence, a class E felony, one count
•   Hindering Prosecution in the Third Degree, a class A misdemeanor, one count 

DARWIN ANDRES GOMEZ-IZQUIEL

New York, New York

Charged

•   Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony, two counts
•   Obstructing Governmental Administration in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor, one count

YORMAN REVERON

New York, New York

Charged

•   Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony, two counts
•   Obstructing Governmental Administration in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor, one count

KELVIN SERVITA AROCHA

New York, New York

Charged

•   Assault in the Second Degree, a class D felony, two counts
•   Obstructing Governmental Administration in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor, one count

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

New York, New York

Charged

•   XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
•   XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
•   XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

New York, New York

Charged

•   XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
•   XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
•   XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

WILSON JUAREZ

New York, New York

Charged:

•   Tampering with Physical Evidence, a class E felony, one count
•   Hindering Prosecution in the Third Degree, a class A misdemeanor, two counts

[1] The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. All factual recitations are derived from documents filed in court and statements made on the record in court. 

Founder and Former CEO of Sustainable Fuel Company Pleads Guilty to Multimillion Dollar Embezzlement and Investor Fraud Scheme

 

The founder and former CEO of a sustainable fuel company pleaded guilty today to wire fraud in connection with a scheme to embezzle at least $5.9 million from the company and to defraud several investors out of $15 million.

According to court documents, between 2021 and 2022, Bryan Sherbacow, 55, of Charleston, South Carolina, and Washington, D.C., defrauded the company he co-founded by transferring company funds without authorization to his personal bank account and by making unauthorized personal expenditures from a company bank account. Sherbacow attempted to conceal his actions by, among other things, emailing altered bank statements and other falsified financial records to the company’s outside accounting firm and members of the company’s board. Sherbacow used embezzled funds to pay for, among other things, a vintage Mercedes-Benz sports car, a Range Rover sport utility vehicle, payments to an art auction operator, personal tax liens, personal credit card payments, rent payments on personal residences, payment to a beach club, electronics, and a down payment on a condo. 

To raise additional funds for the company, Sherbacow also sent or caused to be sent altered bank statements and other falsified financial records to prospective and current investors. For example, Sherbacow caused a false and fabricated bank statement to be sent to two investors, in which Sherbacow intentionally removed transactions showing transfers from the company bank account to his personal bank account and falsified account balance information to make it appear that the company possessed more cash on hand than it possessed, due in part to Sherbacow’s unauthorized transfer of funds. Sherbacow also caused a balance sheet containing false and misleading financial information to be sent to another investor. In at least partial reliance on the fabricated bank statement and false and misleading financial information, three investors collectively invested approximately $15 million. 

Sherbacow pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced on May 16 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 and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI Washington Field Office is investigating the case.

Brooklyn Woman Sentenced To Three Years In Prison For COVID-19 Fraud Scheme And Fraud On NYCHA

 

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that CHANETTE LEWIS was sentenced today to three years in prison for her role in two fraud schemes.  LEWIS participated in a scheme to commit COVID-19 pandemic fraud by (i) defrauding New York City’s COVID-19 Hotel Room Isolation Program, and (ii) committing unemployment benefits fraud.  LEWIS also committed a fraud in which she submitted fabricated documents to the New York City Housing Authority (“NYCHA”) — such as purported Orders of Protection bearing Judges’ names, purported letters from a District Attorney, and purported letters from healthcare professionals attesting to alleged medical issues — in order to secure public housing benefits for her customers.  LEWIS’s sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Chanette Lewis exploited multiple lifelines offered to New York City residents in need during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Each of her schemes misappropriated identifying information of hardworking individuals, including medical professionals whose services were vital during the pandemic.  For her brazen crimes, Lewis has now been sentenced to prison.” 

LEWIS’s COVID-19 Pandemic Fraud Scheme

During 2020 and 2021, LEWIS conspired to commit COVID-19 pandemic fraud in two ways.

First, LEWIS defrauded the COVID-19 Hotel Room Isolation Program (the “Program”).  In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, New York City created the Program.  Funded by New York City and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Program provided free hotel rooms for qualifying individuals throughout New York City.  In total, the Program was open to (i) healthcare workers who needed to isolate because of exposure to COVID-19; (ii) patients who had tested positive for COVID-19; (iii) individuals who believed, based on their symptoms, that they were infected with COVID-19; and (iv) individuals who lived with someone who contracted COVID-19.  As stated on the City’s website describing the Program, such individuals “may qualify to self-isolate in a hotel, free of charge, for up to 14 days if you do not have a safe place to self-isolate.”  Those who wished to book a hotel room through the Program could either call a phone number or use an online hotel booking platform. 

LEWIS defrauded the Program in several respects.  First, she secured free Program hotel rooms for herself by falsely claiming to be a healthcare worker.  Second, she sold at least approximately 1,936 nights’ worth of fraudulently obtained hotel rooms to customers who were ineligible for the Program.  Third, LEWIS abused her employment, which was supposed to be in service of the Program.  Specifically, LEWIS worked at a call center that handled phone calls and certain reservations for the Program for several months in 2020.  As a result of her employment, LEWIS had access to legitimate healthcare workers’ identifying information.  LEWIS abused her position, including by misappropriating healthcare workers’ identifying information, revealing the Program’s inner workings to co-conspirators, and making unauthorized sales of Program hotel rooms to ineligible individuals.  For instance, LEWIS sold a co-defendant personal identifying information of at least five healthcare professionals, as well as certain “codes” to use when booking hotel reservations through the Program, such as an employee ID number and license number.  LEWIS also advertised to potential customers that when hotels asked for a healthcare worker’s identification, LEWIS would supply a purported paystub and a letter falsely asserting that the individual was a healthcare worker.

Second, during 2020 and 2021, LEWIS committed unemployment benefits fraud in New York State by fraudulently obtaining such benefits for herself and also by stealing the identity of an incarcerated individual and conspiring to obtain unemployment benefits issued for the benefit of that individual.  In total, LEWIS fraudulently obtained approximately $47,000 in unemployment benefits.

LEWIS’s Fraud on NYCHA

During 2020 and 2021, LEWIS participated in a separate conspiracy to defraud NYCHA.  LEWIS submitted fabricated documents to NYCHA — such as purported Orders of Protection bearing Judges’ names, purported letters from a District Attorney, and purported letters from doctors attesting to alleged medical issues — in order to secure public housing benefits for her customers, including transfers to larger NYCHA apartments.  In total, LEWIS submitted fraudulent applications to NYCHA on behalf of more than approximately 30 individuals, a number of whom in fact received the public housing benefit they requested based on fraudulent documentation submitted by LEWIS.

In addition to her prison term, LEWIS, 32, of Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $289,536 and to pay restitution of $360,330. 

LEWIS’s three co-defendants — Tatiana Benjamin, Tatiana Daniel, and Heaven West — previously pled guilty.  On February 1, 2024, Benjamin was sentenced principally to one year and one day in prison, three years of supervised release, restitution of $294,624, and forfeiture of $51,088; and West was sentenced principally to time served, three years of supervised release, restitution of $59,644, and forfeiture of $23,684.  Daniel’s sentencing is scheduled for March 6, 2024, at 11:30 a.m.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding efforts of agents, investigators, and analysts from the New York City Department of Investigation, the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General (“DOL-OIG”), and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.  Mr. Williams also thanked the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Intelligence Analysts for their support and assistance in this investigation.  He also expressed gratitude to the New York City Police Department, the New York State Department of Labor, and the DOL-OIG Atlanta Regional Office for their assistance.