MAYOR ADAMS AWARDS KEY TO THE CITY OF NEW YORK TO WOMEN’S NATIONAL BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION CHAMPIONS, NEW YORK LIBERTY, AT CEREMONY FOLLOWING TICKER TAPE PARADE

 

Key to the City of New York Celebration Comes as New York Liberty Wins First-Ever WNBA Championship     

  

City Hosts Ticker Tape Parade, to Light Up City Hall and Municipal Buildings Tonight to Honor National Champions   

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today awarded the Key to the City of New York to members of the New York Liberty, the 2024 Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) champions. This is the first time in the franchise’s history that the team has won the WNBA Championship. Earlier today, Mayor Adams hosted a ticker tape parade that led down the Canyon of Heroes and ended with a ceremony at City Hall, where he presented the members of the Liberty with Keys to the City.  

   

“Keys to the City are reserved for those who know how to bring home the trophy — true champions — like the New York Liberty,” said Mayor Adams. “Every step of the way, the New York Liberty made our city proud, from making franchise history to securing the best record in the league, to inspiring all New Yorkers that our city is full of champions. I am proud to deliver the highest honor I can offer — a Key to the City — to each member of the New York Liberty, who have created a lasting legacy for our city.”  

   

“The Liberty are proud to bring the WNBA championship to New York, and we are honored to accept this Key to the City. We have been chasing this dream since 1997 and would not be here without this incredible team who showed grit and determination all season long, Joe Tsai and Clara Wu Tsai, and each and every Liberty legend who paved the way,” said Keia Clarke, CEO, New York Liberty. “We take great pride in what the Liberty built during this historic season, and to all the Liberty fans celebrating across the city and around the world, we thank you. This championship is for you.”  

  

Today, a Key to the City was presented to each of the New York Liberty’s 12 players: Kennedy Burke, Marquesha Davis, Ivana Dojkić, Leonie Fiebich, Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, Betnijah Laney-Hamilton, Nyara Sabally, Jaylyn Sherrod, Breanna Stewart, Kayla Thornton, and Courtney Vandersloot. Keys were additionally presented to Head Coach Sandy Brondello; Assistant Coaches Roneeka Hodges, Olaf Lange, and Zach O’Brien; and Board of Governors Joe and Clara Wu Tsai.    

   

Founded in 1997, the New York Liberty were one of the eight original franchises of the WNBA. Led by Head Coach Sandy Brondello this year, the New York Liberty had the best record in the league this season, winning 32 games and only losing eight. They defeated the Minnesota Lynx in Game 5 of the WNBA finals on Sunday night to win their first-ever championship.

 

In addition to City Hall, the following city buildings will be lit up seafoam tonight to celebrate the Liberty’s national championship:    

  

Brooklyn Borough Hall: 209 Joralemon Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201  

The David N. Dinkins Manhattan Municipal Building: 1 Centre Street, New York, NY 10007  

Queens Borough Hall: 120-55 Queens Boulevard, Kew Gardens, NY 11424  

Staten Island Borough Hall: 10 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, NY 10301  

   

The Key to the City of New York was first awarded in 1702 by New York City Mayor Phillip French, when he offered "Freedom of the City" to Viscount Edward Cornbury, governor of New York and New Jersey. By the mid-1800s, it became customary to award the Key to the City of New York as a direct symbol of the city's wish that a guest feel free to come and go at will. Today, the Key to the City of New York is a beloved symbol of civic recognition and gratitude reserved for individuals whose service to the public and the common good rises to the highest level of achievement. 

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Former Federal Employee Pleads Guilty to Mishandling Classified Materials

Margaret Anne Ashby, 26, of Henderson, Nevada, pleaded guilty for mishandling sensitive documents as a former employee of a Department of Defense component agency.

As described in the plea agreement, starting in March 2020, Ashby was a civilian employee of a Department of Defense component agency located in the Southern District of Georgia, and during this time held a top secret security clearance as required for her employment.

From February 2022 to May 2022, Ashby, without authority, knowingly removed documents and materials containing classified information “concerning the national defense or foreign relations of the United States . . . with the intent to retain them at unauthorized locations, including her residence in the Southern District of Georgia and in digital files saved via a personal computing device located in the Southern District of Georgia.”

A sentencing date has not yet been set. Ashby faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and three years of supervised release for mishandling sensitive documents, along with substantial financial penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Jill E. Steinberg for the Southern District of Georgia, and Robert Wells of the FBI National Security Branch announced the case.

The FBI investigated the case. 

TOMORROW: State Senator Gustavo Rivera to host Get Your Shots! Meet and Greet

State Senator Gustavo Rivera will receive his annual Flu Shot and COVID-19 Booster as part of his “Get Your Shots! Meet and Greet” on Friday, October 25 at 10:00am at Mt. Carmel Pharmacy in Belmont. The Senator’s longtime pharmacist, Roger Paganelli, will be administering two vaccinations to the Senator and will discuss the important role that local community pharmacies play in accessible healthcare.

Senator Rivera will be meeting with neighbors and encouraging them to get their Flu, COVID and RSV vaccines for people who meet eligibility administered at community pharmacies like Mt. Carmel Pharmacy, that offers personalized services to their customers since 1964. Vaccines are a safe and effective way to protect yourself from potentially fatal illnesses and to help protect neighbors who may be more vulnerable to them. 

WHAT: Senator Rivera on “Get Your Shots! Meet and Greet”

WHEN: Friday, October 25, from 10:00am to 11:30am

WHERE: Mt. Carmel Pharmacy. 705 E 187th Street, Bronx, NY, 10458

Three Individuals Indicted for Fatal Shooting in Connection With Marijuana Deal in Queens

 

Victim was Found With Multiple Gunshot Wounds in the Back of a U-Haul Van in Bayside

An indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Jerome Waters, also known as “the Engineer,” Calvin Israel and William Barnett for their alleged roles in the kidnapping, robbery and fatal shooting of a victim in Queens, New York on July 25, 2024.  Two of the defendants, Waters and Israel, were arrested in Maryland, and will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date.  Barnett remains at large.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James E. Dennehy, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Thomas G. Donlon, Interim Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrests and charges.

“As alleged, the defendants’ premediated robbery and kidnapping that resulted in a violent death, demonstrates the significant threat of guns and drugs in our communities,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “This Office continues to work nonstop with our law enforcement partners to hold these drivers of violent crime accountable and remove their means to wreak havoc.”

“These arrests are another example of police and their federal partners’ unrelenting pursuit of crews that monetize drugs and brutality," stated NYPD Interim Commissioner Donlon.  “I commend our NYPD investigators and all of our law enforcement colleagues for their unwavering commitment to end such barbaric, senseless violence in our communities and for their tireless work to hold all those responsible for it accountable.”

As alleged in court filings, the defendants are members of a Baltimore-based violent robbery crew that conspired to commit an armed robbery and kidnapping of marijuana dealers in Queens, New York. On the night of July 24, 2024 and into July 25, 2024, the defendants drove up from Maryland to New York City for the purpose of kidnapping and robbing at gunpoint John Doe #1 and John Doe #2, who were both drug dealers.  Once in New York, Waters and Barnett met with John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 at a stash house in Queens under the guise of purchasing marijuana.

Moments later, Waters and Barnett pulled out guns and held up John Doe #1 and John Doe #2.  Next, they invited their co-conspirators into the stash house to assist in the robbery and kidnapping.  While in the stash house, the defendants and their co-conspirators tied up John Doe #1 and John Doe #2 with zip ties and forced them outside and into the back of a Jeep and a U-Haul van at gunpoint.  At the same time, the defendants and their co-conspirators stole approximately 30 pounds of marijuana from the stash house.

The defendants and their co-conspirators drove John Doe #1 and John Doe #2, who were still tied up, through Queens at gunpoint, demanding drugs and money.  Israel drove the U-Haul van containing John Doe #1, who was shot to death multiple times in the head in the back of the U-Haul van.  When his body was found by first responders, John Doe #1 still had a zip tie binding one of his hands and was surrounded by bags of marijuana. After the shooting, the defendants fled back to Maryland.

If convicted, Waters, Israel, and Barnett each face mandatory sentences of life imprisonment.  The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  As part of the program, U.S. Attorneys’ Offices work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement and their local communities to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

State Parks Debuts Trail Etiquette Initiative to Enhance Public Safety on Empire State Trail and Others This Fall

 

Online Messaging Campaign Features Trail Tips to Help Visitors Prevent Accidents and Navigate Busy Trails with Greater Awareness

The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) today announced a new trail etiquette initiative launching to ensure public safety on the agency’s over 2,000 miles of trails statewide, including the 750-mile Empire State Trail and the many locally-managed trails it encompasses. The initiative offers New York residents and visitors contemporary, common-sense tips to safely navigate busy trails being aware of the wide variety of trail users and occasional intersections. 

 

“Regardless of whether you walk, run, ride a bike, operate a wheelchair, walk a leashed pet, push a stroller, or cross-country ski, New York State Parks wants to ensure all trailgoers are aware of their surroundings and share our beloved trails with courtesy and safety in mind,” said New York State Parks Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons. “We all want to get outside and enjoy all that New York has to offer, and small actions can mean the difference between a memorable fall day on the trail or a trip to urgent care.” 

 

State Parks’ new trail etiquette initiative consists of four main principles: 

 

• Wear a helmet: All cyclists should wear a properly sized bike helmet, with the strap buckled. Under New York State law, those under age 14 are required to wear an appropriate helmet

 

• Be courteous and aware: Because the trail is enjoyed by a variety of users, ages and abilities, visitors should be aware of the activity around them.

 

• All users, especially groups and those with children, should stay to the right and maintain a clear path for passing.

 

• Cyclists must slow down for other trail users, use a bell or call out to alert others, and pass safely on the left.

 

• When stopping or taking a break, move to the side and avoid blocking the trail.

 

• Leashed dogs can make sudden movements and startle other trail users. Dog walkers must keep their pet under control at all times.

 

• See and be seen: Cyclists are encouraged to ride defensively. Stopping at all intersections to check for oncoming traffic before safely crossing is advised. 

 

• Follow electric bike rules: Electric-assist bicycles, or e-bikes, are legal to use across the state. However, government entities and trail owners can place restrictions on the types and places they may be used. In most locations e-scooters, one-wheels, and higher-speed e-bikes are prohibited. On road, Class I and Class II e-bikes are permitted where the posted speed is 30 mph or less. It is the responsibility of the rider to know where and what types of e-bikes are allowed and to operate them in a safe manner. 

   

The Empire Trail welcomes bicyclists and walkers of all ages and abilities to experience the Empire State’s urban centers, village main streets, rural communities, and diverse history, from New York City through the Hudson River Valley, west to Buffalo along the Erie Canal, and north to the Champlain Valley and Adirondacks. 

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, which saw a record 84 million visits in 2023. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518.474.0456. Join us in celebrating our Centennial throughout 2024, and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), the OPRHP Blog or via the OPRHP Newsroom. 

NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli: MTA Budget Gaps Return

 

As Funding Uncertainties Linger, Budget Holes Are Opening Up

After a brief period of financial stability secured by an infusion of state funds last year, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) now faces growing fiscal uncertainties and risks that create projected budget gaps that start at $211 million this year and increase to $652 million in 2028, according to a new report from State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. Those gaps could grow much wider if various budget risks that the MTA has identified come to pass.

“A year ago, the MTA was looking forward to a period of solid fiscal health, but its financial condition has quickly turned from stable back to uncertain,” DiNapoli said. “Paid ridership is not coming back as fast as the MTA hoped. With farebox and tax revenues down, a pause on congestion pricing and other financial risks, significant operating budget gaps could again be on the horizon. This is a very real and troubling possibility.”  

The MTA’s recovery from the pandemic relies on riders returning systemwide and the MTA’s best option for achieving that is increased safety, reliability, and frequency of service. But with paid ridership not increasing at the rate MTA had expected, the authority has had to lower its expectations for farebox revenue.

While paid ridership in June 2024 was at about 70% of pre-pandemic numbers, it failed to grow at the expected pace in July and August. MTA’s consultant, McKinsey, has predicted subway ridership will reach 80% by the end of 2026, a much slower return than the consultant’s July 2021 prediction of 86% by the end of 2024.

DiNapoli’s report highlights how uneven the ridership recovery has been across the MTA’s various systems — Long Island Rail Road is closest to pre-pandemic levels, but weekday service is still down around 20%, with Metro-North further behind. Bus ridership had initially recovered faster but has trended slightly down since June 2023. Disparate growth among subway lines and different parts of the city have been a drag on overall ridership.

By contrast, the 335 million crossings at the MTA’s seven bridges and two tunnels last year set a new record, with 339 million crossings expected this year. Increased toll revenue, however, has not made up for slow farebox growth, forcing the MTA to budget for $811 million less in bus and subway revenue through 2027, including $200 million annually to account for the risk of continued fare evasion.

Another significant revenue stream that was revised downward from the MTA’s February Plan to its July Plan is the projected collection of real estate-related taxes, which are expected to be $790 million lower over the next four years due to lower commercial real estate activity in New York City.

As revenue growth is adjusted downward, the MTA’s expenses reflect growing costs for payroll and benefits, debt service, paratransit, and supplies and materials. Overtime is another growing cost, reaching $1.4 billion in 2023, above the previous record set in 2018. The rise in overtime spending is caused in part by the need to fill vacancies and fewer available workers, although the MTA does offset some of the additional overtime cost with payroll savings. The MTA has authorized new hiring and projects overtime costs will drop.

The MTA’s financial plan also does not yet factor in recent uncertainty for funding of its 2020-2024 capital program. The pause on congestion pricing has created a $15 billion funding shortfall in that capital program, and the 2025-2029 program was approved with $33 billion in unidentified funding, for a total of $48 billion in unidentified capital funding over the two programs. The MTA is relying on securing funding in the state budget in the upcoming legislative session. The outcome will have implications for capital investment and on maintenance and debt service costs.

DiNapoli’s report warns that if the loss of revenue from the pause on congestion pricing is not resolved, and if other risks noted in the MTA’s plan and the Comptroller’s report come to pass — such as an economic slowdown that damages ridership and tax revenues — budget gaps could reach as much as $3 billion in 2028.

Report

Financial Outlook for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority

Related Work

MTA 2025-2029 Capital Program Scenarios (Sept. 2024)

Investment and Funding Choices Facing the MTA (June 2024)

Comptroller’s Subway Ridership Dashboard

Venezuelan Television News Network Owner Charged in Alleged $1.2B Money Laundering Scheme

 

A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida returned an indictment charging a Venezuelan television news network owner for his role in a $1.2 billion scheme to launder funds corruptly obtained from Venezuela’s state-owned and state-controlled energy company, Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. (PDVSA), in exchange for hundreds of millions in bribe payments to Venezuelan officials.

According to court documents, between 2014 and 2018, Raul Gorrin Belisario (Gorrin), 56, of Venezuela, conspired with others to launder the proceeds of an illegal bribery scheme using the U.S. financial system as well as various bank accounts located abroad. Gorrin and his co-conspirators paid millions of dollars in bribes to high-level Venezuelan officials to obtain foreign currency exchange loan contracts with PDVSA. Gorrin and his co-conspirators subsequently directed the laundering of the illicit proceeds, in part, in the Southern District of Florida, where they purchased real estate, yachts, and other luxury items. To conceal the movement of the bribe payments and illicit funds, Gorrin and his co-conspirators used a series of shell companies and offshore bank accounts.

“According to the indictment, Gorrin and his co-conspirators paid millions of dollars in bribes to high-ranking foreign officials to secure over $1 billion in ill-gotten gains, which Gorrin and his co-conspirators used to purchase yachts and other luxury items in the United States,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Gorrin’s alleged conduct enriched corrupt government officials and exploited the U.S. financial system to facilitate these crimes. Together with our partners, the Criminal Division remains committed to ensuring that the United States is not a safe haven for carrying out money laundering schemes or hiding criminal proceeds.”

“This case represents the Southern District of Florida’s continued commitment to combating foreign corruption and holding those who subvert the integrity of the U.S. financial system responsible for their crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida. “Our office will continue to partner with the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) to identify, disrupt and prosecute those who launder money to facilitate corruption and carry out their nefarious schemes.”

“This action by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), working against global illegal activities with our international and domestic partners, significantly upholds the rule of law,” said Executive Associate Director Katrina W. Berger of HSI. “This case demonstrates HSI’s global footprint and our commitment to curbing the flow of illicit funds while enforcing U.S. sanctions. It also serves as a stark reminder that crime and corruption will not be tolerated.”

Gorrin is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, Gorrin faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Gorrin, who is a fugitive in a separately charged matter, remains at large.

HSI Miami’s El Dorado Task Force is investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and authorities in the United Kingdom, Spain, Switzerland, Portugal, and Malta provided assistance.

Trial Attorney Paul A. Hayden of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nalina Sombuntham for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Paster for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

This effort is part of an OCDETF operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and Foreign Extortion Prevention Act matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/foreign-corrupt-practices-act.

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