NYC Green Fund Grassroots Grant Deadline 2/28

 

NYC Green Fund Grassroots Grant Program in Action

El Grito is a longtime grassroots organization using the arts and social justice to advocate for police accountability and youth empowerment in New York City. Awardees of our fall 2024 NYC Green Fund Grassroots grant, the organization received critical funding to help continue their work, providing music and dance workshops in Sunset Park this year and sharing Puerto Rican folkloric traditions for all ages. 

 

"As the organizers of the Sunset Park Puerto Rican Day Parade and Festival, having the funds to support regular programming in the lead up to the parade was so helpful in building public interest around the summer's major event…the grant made it possible for us to fairly compensate musicians and dancers for their teaching, which is a way of preserving the culture and supporting its practitioners. We are incredibly grateful for the…NYC Green Fund's support." 

 

There’s still time to apply for $1,000 to $40,000 and one or two-year funding through the NYC Green Fund Grassroots grant program. Don’t miss the chance to attend an info session. The last session is approaching, so register now!  

 

Monday, February 24, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm — Register Here 

 

The application deadline is February 28, 2025 at 11:59pm.

LEARN MORE/APPLY NOW

Partnerships for Parks is a joint program of City Parks Foundation and NYC Parks that supports and champions a growing network of leaders caring and advocating for neighborhood parks and green spaces. We equip people and organizations with the skills and tools needed to ensure these spaces are dynamic community assets.

President of Insurance Brokerage Firm and CEO of Marketing Company Charged in $161M Affordable Care Act Enrollment Fraud Scheme

 

An indictment was unsealed today charging Cory Lloyd, 46, of Stuart, Florida, and Steven Strong, 42, of Mansfield, Texas, in connection with their alleged participation in a scheme to submit fraudulent enrollments to fully subsidized Affordable Care Act insurance plans (ACA plans) in order to obtain millions of dollars in commission payments from insurance companies.

ACA plans offer tax credits to eligible enrollees. These tax credits, or “subsidies,” could be paid by the federal government directly to insurance plans in the form of a payment toward the applicable monthly premium. According to court documents, Lloyd and Strong conspired to enroll consumers in ACA plans that were fully subsidized by the federal government by submitting false and fraudulent applications for individuals whose income did not meet the minimum requirements to be eligible for the subsidies. Lloyd allegedly received commission and other payments from an insurance company in exchange for enrolling consumers in the ACA plans. In turn, Lloyd allegedly paid commissions to Strong in exchange for consumer referrals.

As alleged in the indictment, Lloyd and Strong targeted vulnerable, low-income individuals experiencing homelessness, unemployment, and mental health and substance abuse disorders, and, through “street marketers” working on their behalf, sometimes offered bribes to induce those individuals to enroll in subsidized ACA plans. Marketers working for Strong’s company allegedly coached consumers on how to respond to application questions to maximize the subsidy amount and provided addresses and social security numbers that did not match the consumers purportedly applying. As a result of being enrolled in subsidized ACA plans for which they did not qualify, some of these consumers experienced disruptions in their medical care.

The indictment alleges that Lloyd and Strong used misleading sales scripts and other deceptive sales techniques to convince consumers to state that they would attempt to earn the minimum income necessary to qualify for a subsidized ACA plan, even when the consumer initially projected having no income. Lloyd and Strong also allegedly conspired to bypass the federal government’s attempts to verify income and other information. Lloyd and Strong allegedly engaged in the scheme to maximize the commission payments they received from insurers, resulting in their companies’ receiving millions of dollars in commissions.

As alleged in the indictment, Lloyd and Strong’s scheme caused the federal government to pay at least $161,900,000 in subsidies.

Cory Lloyd and Steven Strong are each charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, conspiracy to defraud the United States, and two counts of money laundering. If convicted, each faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, five years in prison for conspiracy to defraud the United States, and 10 years in prison for each count of money laundering.

Supervisory Official Antoinette T. Bacon of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Justin Fleck of the FBI Miami Field Office, Acting Special Agent in Charge Isaac Bledsoe of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Miami Regional Office, and Special Agent in Charge Emmanuel Gomez of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Miami Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI, HHS-OIG, and IRS-CI are investigating the case.

Assistant Chief Jamie de Boer and Trial Attorney D. Keith Clouser of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.

The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,800 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $30 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.

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

Attorney General James Announces Takedown of Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking Ring in the Hudson Valley

 

AG’s Investigation Seized Six Kilograms of Fentanyl, Two and a Half Kilograms of Cocaine, Ghost Guns, and Other Illegal Handguns

New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced the takedown of a drug trafficking ring in the Hudson Valley that illegally sold cocaine, powder fentanyl, and counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl across Dutchess, Ulster, and Orange Counties. An investigation led by the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF) recovered two and a half kilograms of cocaine worth approximately $45,000, thousands of counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl worth over $500,000, and three and a half kilograms of powder fentanyl worth over $200,000. Five illegal handguns, including two ghost guns, and four high-capacity magazines were also seized during the operation. A 122-count indictment charging four individuals for their roles in the drug trafficking network was unsealed in Dutchess County Court. The indictment charges Xavier Grant, Antawone West, Michael Jones, and Kenyi Torres with multiple felonies for narcotics and firearms offenses.

“Drug traffickers who distribute lethal amounts of opioids put communities throughout our state in danger,” said Attorney General James. “Not only did these individuals sell deadly narcotics, they disguised fentanyl in fake prescription pills, putting the lives of their customers at even greater risk. I thank our partners in law enforcement for their collaboration in this effort to take a dangerous criminal organization off our streets as we continue to work to keep New Yorkers safe.”

The takedown was the result of an eleven-month joint investigation led by OCTF and the New York State Police’s (NYSP) Special Investigations Unit – Hudson Valley (SIU-HV) and Troop K – Violent Gang and Narcotics Enforcement Team (K-VGNET).

The investigation included hundreds of hours of physical and covert surveillance, analysis of voluminous electronic evidence, including cellphone communications, covert video and audio recordings, and other traditional investigative techniques. During their communications, the defendants frequently utilized coded and cryptic terminology in an attempt to disguise their illicit activities, such as referring to orders of counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl as “blues,” “blueberries,” or “perks,” a nod to their legitimate, prescription medication counterparts. 

The investigation revealed that Grant, West, Jones, and Torres obtained cocaine, powder fentanyl, and counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl for further distribution. Additionally, the investigation revealed that the four defendants worked together to store, supply, and distribute the narcotics in Dutchess, Orange, and Ulster Counties. The narcotics were stored in various stash locations in the residential areas of Poughkeepsie and often sold in parking lots. The investigation also seized five illegal handguns, four of which were loaded, and two of which were ghost guns, in addition to four illegal high-capacity magazines.

The investigation into this narcotics trafficking network led to the recovery of:

• Two and a half kilograms of cocaine;
• Thousands of counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl weighing over two and a half kilograms;
• Three and a half kilograms of powder fentanyl;
• Five illegal handguns, including two ghost guns and four high-capacity magazines;
• Drug paraphernalia, including scales, ziplock bags, glassine envelopes, and other packaging materials used to package and measure narcotics;
• Two “kilo” presses; and
• Approximately $255,000 in cash.

Some of the alleged narcotics and firearms seized during the investigation, including cocaine, counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, powder fentanyl, five handguns, four high-capacity magazines, and “kilo” presses.

The 122-count indictment, unsealed in Dutchess County Court, includes counts for various felony narcotics offenses, including charges against Jones and West for Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the First Degree, respectively. Each carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Additional charges include various counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance (class B felonies) and Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance (class A-II and B felonies), as well as Conspiracy to commit those crimes.

Jones and West are also charged with firearms offenses including Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Second Degree, a class C violent felony, Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Third Degree, a class D felony, and Criminal Possession of a Firearm, a class E felony.

Grant and Torres are each charged with, among other things, multiple counts of Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Second Degree, a class A-II felony, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. They are also charged with Conspiracy to commit those crimes. The charges against the defendants are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Some of the alleged counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl seized during this investigation.

“I want to thank the Attorney General’s Office, and our law enforcement partners for their vigilant hard work that has resulted in the arrests of these dangerous individuals,” said New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James. “The sale of these highly addictive drugs perpetuates a cycle of substance abuse which poses a significant threat to safety and quality of life within our neighborhoods. This sends a strong message to dealers that we will not tolerate illegal drugs and weapons being brought into or sold in our communities.”

Those charged in the indictment include:

• Xavier Grant a/k/a “X,” 22 years old of Poughkeepsie, New York;
• Antawone West, 25 years old of Poughkeepsie, New York;
• Michael Jones a/k/a “Slime,” 33 years old of Poughkeepsie, New York; and
• Kenyi Torres, 45 years old of Middletown, New York.

This takedown marks the latest major drug bust in OAG’s Suburban and Upstate Response to the Growing Epidemic (SURGE) Initiative, a law enforcement effort that brings together state and local law enforcement to target New York’s heroin, opioid, and narcotics trafficking networks. Since launching in 2017, SURGE has taken 984 alleged traffickers off the streets.

The investigation was led by OCTF Detectives David Walsh and Steven Cohan, under the supervision of OCTF Detective Supervisor Bradford Miller, OCTF Downstate Assistant Chief Ismael Hernandez, and OCTF Deputy Chief Andrew Boss. The Attorney General’s Investigations Division is led by Chief Oliver Pu-Folkes. 

Attorney General James would also like to thank Dutchess County District Attorney Anthony Parisi, the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office, the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department, and the Dutchess County Drug Task Force for their assistance throughout the investigation.

NYC SANITATION SUPERVISOR INDICTED FOR FILING $21,000 IN FRAUDULENT TIMESHEETS

 

He Allegedly Took Long Breaks at Home, Issued Summonses at Locations Where He Was Not Present  

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Department of Sanitation supervisor has been indicted on Grand Larceny, Falsifying Business Records, and other charges for allegedly filing time sheets for over $21,000 in pay for hours he was at his Bronx home instead of working. 

District Attorney Clark said, “This defendant allegedly took long breaks at his home while he was supposed to be working and submitted false timesheets. He made $21,800 in fraudulent pay. This crime diminishes the reputation of our honest, hardworking civil servants.” 

Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber said, “City employees who falsify their timesheets and claim to be working, when in fact they are taking unauthorized breaks, commit fraud against the city and its taxpayers, as alleged in this indictment. This charged conduct diminishes precious City funds and falls far below the standard expected of City employees. I thank the Bronx County District Attorney’s Office for its partnership in protecting City dollars and the City Department of Sanitation for reporting this matter to DOI.” 

District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Steven Taylor, 50, of the Bronx, was arraigned on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, by Supreme Court Justice George Villegas on a 36-count indictment including third-degree Grand Larceny, fourth-degree Grand Larceny, Petit Larceny, second-degree Falsifying Business Records, first-degree Falsifying of Business Records, seconddegree Offering a False Instrument for Filing, first- degree Offering a False Instrument for Filing, Official Misconduct, Defrauding the Government and Making a Punishable False Written Statement. He is due back in court on June 2, 2025.

According to the investigation, the defendant, a supervisor for the New York City Department of Sanitation, between February 1, 2021 and January 31, 2022, claimed to be working, but allegedly drove his city-issued car home and took hours-long breaks. He allegedly filed seven summonses for administrative code violations and parking violations even though he was not physically present at those locations to witness them as required by department policy.

District Attorney Clark thanked the New York City Department of Sanitation for their assistance in the investigation. District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detective Daniel Angen of the Bronx District Attorney Squad for his assistance in the case. 

An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt. 

Statement by Ed Cox on President Trump Cancelling Hochul's Congestion Pricing

 

NYGOP Chair Ed Cox released the following statement in response to the a report that President Trump will today announce the termination of the approval of Kathy Hochul's congestion pricing scheme:

 

"I commend President Trump for his decisive action in halting Governor Hochul's ill-conceived congestion pricing scheme. This plan was a cash-grab that would have unfairly taxed hardworking New Yorkers, already the most taxed people in the country.

 

"Governor Hochul's cancellation of the plan right before the 2024 election, following its reinstatement right after the election, was the worst kind of cynical politics. Kathy Hochul might have a blatant disregard for the financial burdens faced by New Yorkers - but President Trump does not."

Statement from Governor Kathy Hochul - Congestion Pricing

“Public transit is the lifeblood of New York City and critical to our economic future — as a New Yorker, like President Trump, knows very well.

“Since this first-in-the-nation program took effect last month, congestion has dropped dramatically and commuters are getting to work faster than ever. Broadway shows are selling out and foot traffic to local businesses is spiking. School buses are getting kids to class on time, and yellow cab trips increased by 10 percent. Transit ridership is up, drivers are having a better experience, and support for this program is growing every day.

“We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king. The MTA has initiated legal proceedings in the Southern District of New York to preserve this critical program. We’ll see you in court.”