MAYOR ADAMS UNVEILS NEW INVESTMENTS IN UPCOMING MAYORAL BUDGET TO CREATE MORE HOMES, CONNECT MORE NEW YORKERS TO HOMES, KEEP MORE NEW YORKERS IN HOMES

 

Following Back-to-Back Record-Breaking Years for Affordable and Supportive Housing, City Will Invest $24.7 Billion in Housing as Part of 10-Year Capital Strategy, Including $1 Billion as Part of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity 

Along With Historic $650 Million Investment to Curb Street Homelessness Announced Earlier This Year, City Will Invest $46 Million to Help Create and Preserve 5,850 Units of Supportive Housing, Reimagine 15/15 Housing Initiative and Get New Yorkers Help and Housing They Need  

Building on Expansion of Homeowner Help Desk and First-Ever Tenant Protection Cabinet, FY2026 Executive Budget Includes New Investments to Keep New Yorkers in Their Homes, Provide Legal Services for Tenants 

Part of Mayor Adams’ “Budget Week,” Unveiling “Best Budget Ever,” Which Invests in Affordability, Public Safety, and Quality-of-Life Issues New Yorkers Care Most About

 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams today announced new investments to create more homes, connect more New Yorkers to homes, and keep more New Yorkers in the homes they already have as part of upcoming investments in his Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Executive Budget. The investments — part of the “Best Budget Ever” — once again, solidify the Adams administration’s position as the most pro-housing administration in New York City history. Following several back-to-back years shattering affordable housing records, today’s investments, first, continue the Adams administration’s historic housing production numbers by allocating $24.7 billion towards affordable housing through the city’s 10-Year Capital Plan, including making a $1 billion commitment for housing as part of Mayor Adams’ historic “City of Yes for Housing Opportunity” initiative. Additionally, Mayor Adams announced today that New York City will invest an additional $350 million in the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together (PACT) and New York City Public Housing Preservation Trust programs to renovate thousands of New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) units. Second, after breaking supportive housing records two years in a row and unveiling a sweeping $650 million investment to address homelessness earlier this year as part of his State of the City address, Mayor Adams today announced that New York City will invest an additional $46 million — to bring the total to $229 million over several fiscal years — to revitalize the city’s 15/15 Supportive Housing Initiative and create and preserve 5,850 supportive, congregate housing units that provide vulnerable New Yorkers with an affordable home as well as on-site social services. Finally, to keep New Yorkers in their existing homes, Mayor Adams touted new investments in Anti-Harassment Tenant Protection Program legal services that proactively engage tenants experiencing landlord harassment. The investments announced today further solidify the Adams administration’s position as the most pro-housing administration in New York City history, building on Mayor Adams’ five neighborhood plans that will deliver more than 50,000 new housing units and his ongoing commitment to creating new housing on city-owned sites.

“When we came into office, we said the days of letting people languish on our streets and on the subways were over. It was not safe, it was not humane, and it was not going to happen on our watch. That’s why we doubled the number of street outreach teams, pushed for new laws to get people the help they need, and began building thousands of new shelter beds that give people extra support. With our administration’s upcoming budget, we are doubling down on these efforts — building thousands of new supportive housing units that will help get even more people into stable homes as well as investing billions of dollars over the next 10 years in new affordable housing,” said Mayor Adams. “The sweeping investments we are announcing today as part of the ‘Best Budget Ever’ will help so many New Yorkers, from vulnerable people living on our subways to families searching for their first home, and create a safer, more affordable city for the decades to come.”

“In the last year, we have made unprecedented gains in creating and preserving affordable housing for all New Yorkers,” said Deputy Mayor for Housing, Economic Development, and Workforce Adolfo Carrion Jr. “This year’s budget will capitalize on these monumental achievements and continue to invest billions of dollars in our city’s housing agencies so they can create housing stability and opportunity for every New Yorker.” 

Creating New Homes for New Yorkers

Since entering office, Mayor Adams has made historic investments toward building the affordable housing that New Yorkers need. The Adams administration has shattered affordable housing records two calendar years in a row — creating and connecting New Yorkers to record amounts of affordable housing — and last December, Mayor Adams celebrated the passage of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, the most pro-housing proposal in city history that will build 80,000 new homes over 15 years and invest $5 billion towards critical infrastructure updates and housing.

In addition to the sweeping City of Yes for Housing Opportunity initiative, the Adams administration is advancing several robust neighborhood plans that, if adopted, would deliver more than 50,000 units over the next 15 years in Midtown South in Manhattan; in Long Island City and Jamaica in Queens; and around Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn. Last year, the New York City Council approved the Bronx-Metro North Station Area Plan, which will create approximately 7,000 homes and 10,000 permanent jobs in the East Bronx.

The Adams administration’s 10-Year Capital Plan will build on those projects, investing $24.7 billion in affordable housing — including $1 billion in new funding through Mayor Adams’ City of Yes for Housing Opportunity initiative — to support the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development’s (HPD) and NYCHA’s core capital programs that build new homes, preserve existing homes, deliver capital repairs, and more. Moreover, Mayor Adams announced today that the city will invest an additional $350 million in the PACT and Trust programs to renovate thousands of NYCHA units, bringing the total investment in the 10-Year Capital Plan for Section 8 conversions to $1.2 billion.

Connecting More New Yorkers to Homes

Mayor Adams has committed to getting every New Yorker, particularly vulnerable populations who need extra support, the help and housing they deserve. Last year, the Adams administration invested $900 million in supportive housing efforts. Additionally, as part of his State of the City address earlier this year, Mayor Adams announced that New York City will invest $650 million over several fiscal years in hundreds of new Safe Haven beds that offer a more flexible, personalized option for New Yorkers experiencing unsheltered homelessness; an innovative facility specifically to support unsheltered New Yorkers with serious mental illness; and a pilot program to connect soon-to-be parents applying for shelter with services that help them find permanent housing and prevent homelessness before their child is born.

Building on these investments, Mayor Adams announced today that New York City will reimagine the city’s 15/15 Supportive Housing Initiative to better support vulnerable New Yorkers — including individuals with serious mental illness, substance use challenges, or complex traumas — and create more affordable housing for them. First launched in 2015, 15/15 set an ambitious goal of financing 15,000 new units of supportive housing that offer New Yorkers both affordable housing and social services; this target was originally split between congregate units that provide housing and supportive services together at the same location and scattered site units that provide private market housing and supportive services at separate locations. While the city has exceeded its target for awarding new congregate units, it has nonetheless faced long-term challenges meeting its target for scattered site units.

To address these long-term challenges and efficiently connect more New Yorkers with valuable resources, the city will shift the focus of the program to producing more congregate units. Along with funding committed in the 10-Year Capital Plan, Mayor Adams announced today that the city will invest an additional $46 million in expense funding over several fiscal years to finance 5,850 congregate units and help thousands of individuals connect to permanent housing from the streets and from shelters. Eighty percent of those units are projected to be newly-constructed supportive units and 20 percent are expected to be preserved units, bringing them into the 15/15 program for the first time. These numbers are subject to change as the city implements this initiative.

Keeping New Yorkers in the Homes They Already Have

Finally, Mayor Adams has focused on keeping New Yorkers in their existing homes, launching New York City’s first-ever Tenant Protection Cabinet to develop policies and long-term strategies to support tenants; expanding the Partners in Preservation Program to the entire city in 2024 through a nearly $24 million investment in local organizations that support tenant organizing and combat harassment in rent-regulated housing; expanding the Homeowner Help Desk, which provides low-income homeowners with financial and legal counseling, to the entire city; and securing the largest housing discrimination settlement in city history.

Building on these investments, the FY2026 budget will invest $7.6 million in Anti-Harassment Tenant Protection Program legal services that proactively engage tenants experiencing landlord harassment. This critical program proactively engages with, and provides legal services and representation to, tenants experiencing disrepair and harassing treatment.

Today’s announcement comes during Mayor Adams’ “Budget Week,” where the Adams administration is unveiling signature investments in the “Best Budget Ever,” which will make New York City safer, more affordable, and the best place to raise a family, while maintaining record-high reserves and ensuring a strong fiscal future for the City of New York.  

Justice Department Announces Two Cases Involving Judicial Misconduct and Obstruction of Law Enforcement

 

Ex-Judge of Dona Ana County Charged with Evidence Tampering and Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Charged with Unlawful Obstruction and Concealment

The Justice Department announced federal criminal charges in two separate cases involving the alleged obstruction of federal law enforcement operations and unlawful concealment of individuals residing illegally in the United States.

“The allegations against Judge Dugan and Judge Cano are serious: no one, least of all a judge, should obstruct law enforcement operations," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "Doing so imperils the safety of our law enforcement officers and undermines the rule of law. The Department of Justice will continue to follow the facts — no one is above the law.”

“Sanctuary jurisdictions that shield criminal aliens endanger American communities,” said Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This Justice Department will not stand by as local officials put politics over public safety. Reckless sanctuary city policies create a sanctuary for one class—criminals. Those days are over.”

United States v. Jose Luis Cano; United States v. Nancy Ann Cano, District of New Mexico

Nancy Ann Cano, 68, and Jose Luis Cano, 67, were arrested for evidence tampering offenses related to the federal investigation and prosecution against Cristhian Ortega-Lopez, a Venezuelan national residing unlawfully within the United States and with alleged ties to transnational criminal organization Tren de Aragua, a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO).

“Judges are responsible for upholding our country’s laws. It is beyond egregious for a former judge and his wife to engage in evidence tampering on behalf of a suspected Tren de Aragua gang member accused of illegally possessing firearms,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison for the District of New Mexico. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to dismantling this foreign terrorist organization by disrupting its criminal operations in New Mexico. That starts by prosecuting those who support gang members — including judges.”

According to court documents, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) initiated the investigation into Ortega-Lopez after receiving an anonymous tip that the individual was unlawfully present in the United States and in possession of firearms. Subsequent investigation confirmed that the defendant illegally entered the country on Dec. 15, 2023, near Eagle Pass, Texas, and was released shortly thereafter due to overcrowding at the Border Patrol facility.

Evidence uncovered by federal agents revealed the defendant had posted multiple photos and videos on social media showing him and other illegal aliens handling firearms at a shooting range in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Among the weapons allegedly pictured were a Sig Sauer P365 handgun, an AR-15 rifle equipped with a suppressor, and other high-powered firearms and ammunition. Distinctive tattoos confirmed Ortega-Lopez’s identity in the photos and videos. Further review of his social media activity revealed content suggesting affiliation with Tren de Aragua, including gang-related tattoos, hand gestures, and clothing.

According to court documents, in January 2025, HSI received a tip that Ortega-Lopez was unlawfully residing with other illegal aliens at a property in Las Cruces owned by Nancy and Jose Cano. Prior to his resignation in March 2025, Jose Cano served as a judge of the Dona Ana County Magistrate Court.

On Feb. 28, 2025, HSI executed two federal search warrants in connection with the investigation, resulting in the arrest of the Ortega-Lopez and multiple associates, and the seizure of four firearms.

Ortega-Lopez was arrested for illegal possession of firearms and ammunition. Four firearms believed to be in Ortega-Lopez’s possession, along with three of his cell phones, were seized during the operation. During the search, Ortega-Lopez was permitted to make a phone call before being taken to the Doña Ana County Detention Center (DACDC). He informed agents that a particular phone he wished to use was not among the devices recovered. Video calls from DACDC later showed Nancy Cano holding a black iPhone believed to be Ortega’s fourth phone.

In a March 7 call with Ortega-Lopez, Nancy Cano used the device to contact a person named “Michelle” via WhatsApp, then facilitated a FaceTime conversation between Michelle and Ortega-Lopez using her personal phone. Additionally, in an April 20 call, Nancy Cano and Ortega-Lopez discussed deleting his Facebook account – a platform where he had previously shared incriminating content, including gang affiliations and images with firearms.

On April 24, HSI agents executed a subsequent search warrant at the Cano residence to locate the missing cellphone. During questioning, Jose Cano admitted to destroying Ortega’s cellphone by smashing it with a hammer approximately five weeks prior, believing it contained incriminating photos and videos of Ortega with firearms.

Forensic analysis of the recovered phones revealed messages linked to Ortega’s criminal activities, including affiliations with the Tren de Aragua gang and images of Ortega with firearms.

Jose Cano is charged with one count of tampering with evidence and Nancy Cano is charged with one count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised released, and up to a  $250,000 fine. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Ortega-Lopez is charged with being an unlawful alien in possession of firearms and ammunition, which carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. Despite strong evidence and pre-trial services’ assessment that the defendant poses a serious risk of flight and danger to the community, a U.S. Magistrate Judge ordered the defendant released on conditions. The government has since filed a notice of appeal challenging that decision, citing the defendant’s unlawful status, gang affiliations, disregard for previous release conditions, and risk to public safety.

HSI is investigating the cases, with valuable assistance from the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maria Armijo, Randy Castellano, and Elizabeth Tonkin for the District of New Mexico are prosecuting both cases.

United States v. Hannah C. Dugan, Eastern District of Wisconsin

The Justice Department announced the filing of a federal criminal complaint against Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Hannah C. Dugan, 65, for her alleged interference with a federal law enforcement operation and unlawful concealment of an individual subject to arrest.

According to court documents, the charges stem from events occurring on April 18, when members of the Milwaukee office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Enforcement and Removal Operations (ICE ERO), along with federal partners from the FBI, DEA, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, attempted to execute a lawful arrest warrant for Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, a Mexican national previously removed from the United States and recently charged in Milwaukee County with multiple counts of domestic abuse-related battery.

According to court documents, federal agents arrived at the Milwaukee County Courthouse intending to arrest Flores-Ruiz in a public hallway following his court appearance before Judge Dugan. Upon learning of the agents’ presence in the hallway, Judge Dugan allegedly confronted and ordered federal agents to leave the courthouse. After being made aware of a valid immigration arrest warrant, Judge Dugan told agents that they needed a judicial warrant and demanded that they go to the Chief Judge’s office. Once the agents were no longer in the vicinity of her courtroom, Judge Dugan allegedly elected not to conduct a hearing on Flores-Ruiz’s criminal case, despite the fact that victims of his offense were present, and instead personally escorted Flores-Ruiz and his attorney through a restricted “jury door” exit not typically used by defendants or attorneys. This doorway led to a non-public hallway through which Flores-Ruiz and his attorney exited her courtroom. According to the affidavit, Judge Dugan’s actions directly resulted in Flores-Ruiz temporarily avoiding federal custody. He was ultimately arrested outside the courthouse, following a brief foot pursuit.

Dugan is charged with obstruction of proceedings before a department or agency of the United States, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and concealing a person to prevent arrest, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison.

Flores-Ruiz was previously deported in 2013 and had reentered the United States unlawfully. He was subject to arrest based on an administrative warrant issued by ICE for immigration violations following his recent criminal charges in Milwaukee County.

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

2024 NYC Construction Safety Report Highlights Record-Low Incidents

 

New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Buildings (DOB) Commissioner Jimmy Oddo have released the 2024 New York City Construction Safety Report, which shows a 30 percent decline in worker injuries and a 24 percent decrease in construction-related incidents compared to 2023. The construction sector also saw fatalities remain at a ten-year low.

Throughout 2024, DOB conducted 416,290 field inspections, the highest on record, and introduced several measures to boost site safety. These initiatives included enhanced oversight mandates for construction superintendents, new licensing requirements for smaller crane and hoisting machine operators, and expanded use of digital technology for tracking safety compliance. The city also saw an increase in initial construction permits, with a 24 percent rise compared to 2023, indicating a continued robust building pipeline while maintaining a focus on safety.

The report’s data show that over 98 percent of active construction sites did not report any injuries or incidents in 2024. Overall, construction-related incidents dropped from 841 in 2023 to 638 in 2024, while injuries declined from 692 to 482 over the same period. Seven fatalities were reported, matching the previous year’s total. Looking forward, the DOB plans to launch a new enforcement unit utilizing predictive analytics to proactively identify and inspect high-risk buildings and contractors.

“Licensed contractors in New York City are among our country’s most skilled and experienced construction professionals, and the recent safety improvements reinforce the industry’s focus on creating healthy work environments that benefit all New Yorkers,” said April McIver, Esq., executive director, Plumbing Foundation City of New York. “Construction operations are critical to New York City’s economic growth, and we applaud our industry members and government partners for working together to ensure that these operations are performed in the safest manner possible.”

Ex-Congressman George Santos Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Wire Fraud and Aggravated Identity Theft

 

Santos Filed Fraudulent FEC Reports, Embezzled Funds from Campaign Donors, Stole Identities, Charged Credit Cards Without Authorization, Obtained Unemployment Benefits Through Fraud, and Lied in Reports to the U.S. House of Representatives

Former Congressman George Anthony Devolder Santos was sentenced by United States District Judge Joanna Seybert at the federal courthouse in Central Islip to 87 months in prison for committing wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.  As part of the sentence, Santos was ordered to pay restitution to his victims in the amount of $373,749.97 and $205,002.97 in forfeiture.  Santos pleaded guilty in August 2024.  

John J. Durham, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division; Christopher G. Raia, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI New York); and Anne T. Donnelly, Nassau County District Attorney announced the sentence.

“George Santos was finally held accountable for the mountain of lies, theft, and fraud he perpetrated.  For the defendant, it was judgment day, and for his many victims including campaign donors, political parties, government agencies, elected bodies, his own family members, and his constituents, it is justice,” stated U.S. Attorney Durham.  “To Mr. Santos and other dishonest individuals of that ilk, who lie, steal identities and commit frauds to get elected to public office, this prosecution speaks to the truth that my Office is committed to aggressively rooting out public corruption and that public officials who criminally abuse our electoral process will end up in a federal prison.”

Mr. Durham expressed his appreciation to the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General and the New York State Department of Labor, for their assistance.

FBI Assistant Director in Charge Raia stated, “Today, former United States Congressman George Santos is held accountable for his repeated criminal dishonesty – financing his election campaign with ill-obtained funds, stealing COVID unemployment benefits, and providing materially false information in his financial disclosure. Santos abused his authority to garner illicit donations and campaign support; ultimately betraying the public’s trust and violating our democratic systems.  May today’s sentencing emphasize the FBI’s continued commitment to dismantling any fraudulent scheme designed to unlawfully benefit those in positions of power.”

“George Santos blatantly disregarded campaign finance laws and abused the trust of his constituents and contributors.  While he may have made a mockery of his position in public office, today’s sentencing is justice for those he has wronged.  CI New York proudly worked with the Eastern District of New York, the FBI and Nassau County DA’s office to ensure that Santos faces the consequences of his years of deception,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Chavis.

“George Santos spent his brief career in public service conning his donors and constituents until the deceit caught up to him and he was exposed as an opportunist and a fraud.  This lengthy prison sentence is a just ending for a weaver of lies who believed he was above the law,” stated Nassau County District Attorney Donnelly. “Being elected to represent any community is accepting a solemn responsibility and a position of great trust. George Santos failed the people he was elected to represent in Nassau County and Queens.  He broke that trust and traded in his integrity for designer clothes and a luxury lifestyle. I will continue to work with my partners to root out public corruption and ensure that the crucial standards to which we hold our elected officials and public institutions are upheld.” 

The counts to which Santos pled guilty relate to the following criminal scheme, as set forth in the superseding indictment:

The Party Program Scheme

During the 2022 election cycle, Santos was a candidate for the United States House of Representatives in New York’s Third Congressional District.  Nancy Marks, who pleaded guilty on October 5, 2023 to related conduct, was the treasurer for his principal congressional campaign committee, Devolder-Santos for Congress.  During this election cycle, Santos and Marks devised and executed a fraudulent scheme to obtain money for the campaign by submitting materially false reports to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), in which they inflated the campaign’s fundraising numbers for the purpose of misleading the FEC, a national party committee, and the public.

The purpose of the scheme was to ensure that Santos and his campaign qualified for a program administered by the national party committee to provide financial and logistical support to Santos’s campaign.  To qualify for the program, Santos had to demonstrate, among other things, that his congressional campaign had raised at least $250,000 from third-party contributors in a single quarter.

To create the public appearance that his campaign had met that financial benchmark and was otherwise financially viable, Santos and Marks agreed to falsely report to the FEC that at least 11 of their family members had made significant financial contributions to the campaign.  In fact, Santos and Marks both knew that these individuals had neither made the reported contributions nor given authorization for their personal information to be included in such false public reports.  In addition, Santos and Marks knew that the national party committee relied on FEC fundraising data to evaluate candidates’ qualification for the program, and agreed to falsely report to the FEC that Santos had loaned the campaign significant sums of money, when, in fact, Santos had not made the reported loans and, at the time the loans were reported, did not have the funds necessary to make such loans.  These falsely reported loans included one for $500,000 when in fact Santos had less than $8,000 in his personal and business bank accounts.

Through the execution of this scheme, Santos and Marks ensured that Santos met the necessary financial benchmarks to qualify for the program administered by the national party committee.  As a result of qualifying for the program, the congressional campaign received significant financial support.

As part of his plea agreement, Santos stipulated that he had engaged in the following additional criminal conduct, as set forth in the superseding indictment and other court filings, and agreed that this criminal conduct would be considered by the Court at the time of sentencing:

The Credit Card Fraud Scheme

Between approximately July 2020 and October 2022, Santos devised and executed a fraudulent scheme to steal the personal identity and financial information of contributors to his campaign.  He then repeatedly charged contributors’ credit cards without their authorization.  Because of these unauthorized transactions, funds were transferred to Santos’s campaign, to the campaigns of other candidates for elected office, and to his own bank account.  To conceal the true source of these funds and to circumvent campaign contribution limits, Santos falsely represented in FEC filings that some of the campaign contributions were made by other persons, such as his relatives or associates, rather than the true cardholders.  Santos did not have authorization to use their names in this way.  In furtherance of the scheme, Santos sought out victims he knew were elderly persons suffering from cognitive impairment or decline.

Fraudulent Political Contribution Solicitation Scheme

Beginning in September 2022, during his successful campaign for Congress, Santos operated a limited liability company (Company #1) through which he defrauded prospective political supporters.  Santos enlisted a Queens-based political consultant (Person #1) to communicate with prospective donors on Santos’s behalf.  Santos directed Person #1 to falsely tell donors that, among other things, their money would be used to help elect Santos to the House, including by purchasing television advertisements.  In reliance on these false statements, two donors (Contributor #1 and Contributor #2) each transferred $25,000 to Company #1’s bank account, which Santos controlled.

Shortly after the funds were received into Company #1’s bank account, the money was transferred into Santos’s personal bank accounts—in one instance laundered through two of Santos’s personal accounts.  Santos then used much of that money for personal expenses.  Among other things, Santos used the funds to make personal purchases, including of designer clothing, to withdraw cash, to discharge personal debts, and to transfer money to his associates.

Unemployment Insurance Fraud Scheme

Beginning in approximately February 2020, Santos was employed as a Regional Director of a Florida-based investment firm (Investment Firm #1).  By late March 2020, in response to the outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States, new legislation was signed into law that provided additional federal funding to assist out-of-work Americans during the pandemic.

In mid-June 2020, although he was employed and not eligible for unemployment benefits, Santos applied for government assistance through the New York State Department of Labor (NYS DOL), claiming falsely to have been unemployed since March 2020.  From that point until April 2021—during which time Santos was working and receiving a salary on a near-continuous basis, and throughout his first unsuccessful run for Congress—he falsely affirmed each week that he was eligible for unemployment benefits when he was not.  As a result, Santos fraudulently received more than $24,000 in unemployment insurance benefits.

False Statements to the House of Representatives

Santos, like all candidates for the House, had a legal duty to file with the Clerk of the United States House of Representatives a Financial Disclosure Statement (House Disclosures) before each election.  In his House Disclosures, Santos was personally required to give a full and complete accounting of his assets, income, and liabilities, among other things.  He certified that his House Disclosures were true, complete, and correct.

In September 2022, in connection with his second campaign for election to the House, Santos filed a House Disclosure in which he vastly overstated his income and assets.  In this House Disclosure, he falsely certified that during the reporting period:

• He had earned $750,000 in salary from the Devolder Organization LLC, a Florida‑based entity of which Santos was the sole beneficial owner;
• He had received between $1,000,001 and $5 million in dividends from the Devolder Organization LLC;
• He had a checking account with deposits of between $100,001 and $250,000; and
• He had a savings account with deposits of between $1 million and $5 million.

These assertions were false: Santos had not received from the Devolder Organization LLC the reported amounts of salary or dividends and did not maintain checking or savings accounts with deposits in the reported amounts.  Further, Santos failed to disclose that, in 2021, he received approximately $28,000 in income from Investment Firm #1 and more than $20,000 in unemployment insurance benefits from the NYS DOL.

LONG ISLAND MAN INDICTED FOR MURDER OF MOTORCYCLIST IN FATAL ROAD RAGE INCIDENT

 

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Jordan Rosen was indicted by a grand jury and charged with murder in the second degree for the death of a 55-year-old Astoria man on April 5 during an alleged road rage incident that began on a Long Island Expressway exit ramp. Rosen pursued the other driver, who was on a motorcycle, hit him from behind and drove over him on Woodhaven Boulevard.

District Attorney Katz said: “Our roadways are not the place to settle disputes. As alleged, this defendant plowed his BMW SUV into a motorcyclist shortly after the two had a minor collision on the Long Island Expressway. As a result of Jordan Rosen’s actions, the motorcycle burst into flames and the driver was killed.”

Rosen, 42, of Ocean Harbor Drive in Oceanside, was arraigned today on an indictment charging him with two counts of murder in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree, reckless driving and operating a motor vehicle with a tinted window. Queens Supreme Court Justice Mary Bejarano who remanded the defendant and ordered him to return to court April 28. If convicted, he faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

According to the charges, on April 5, at approximately 9:21 a.m., Rosen was operating a 2024 BMW iX SUV on the eastbound exit ramp of the Long Island Expressway headed toward Woodhaven Boulevard. At the same time, William McField was operating a 2023 KTM motorcycle in the same vicinity and the vehicles came into contact with one another.

McField passed Rosen on the exit ramp of the Long Island Expressway and then drove through a steady red light and around traffic on Woodhaven Boulevard, heading south. Rosen ran through the steady red light as well, and pursued McField.

The victim maneuvered his motorcycle to the left side of the road, which was marked by zebra stripes and not laned for traffic. Rosen also maneuvered into the zebra stripes and accelerated towards McField until the BMW struck the motorcycle from behind. The force of the collision caused the front of the BMW to lift, mount the motorcycle, and run over McField. Rosen continued moving southbound on Woodhaven Boulevard until he struck another motorist operating a Mazda CX-5 in the center lane. During Rosen’s second collision, the motorcycle, still dragging beneath his car, burst into flames. Rosen’s vehicle came to rest against a lamp post in the center of the roadway.

McField was pronounced dead at the scene from severe body trauma.

The investigation was conducted by Detective Christopher Paul and Sergeant Robert Denig of the NYPD Highway District’s Collision Investigation Squad.

DHS Sweeps into Action to Protect Child from Tren De Aragua Parents

 

Despite claims from the Venezuelan government that the U.S. “kidnapped” a child, the truth is DHS took action because both her parents are part of Tren De Aragua.  

The child’s father, Maiker Espinoza-Escalona is a lieutenant of Tren De Aragua who oversees homicides, drug sales, kidnappings, extortion, sex trafficking and operates a torture house. The child’s mother, Yorely Escarleth Bernal Inciarte oversees recruitment of young women for drug smuggling and prostitution. These criminal illegal aliens entered the country illegally and had final orders of removal from a judge.  

Thanks to President Trump and Secretary Noem, both of these criminal gang members have been removed from our country.  

In partnership with the Department of Health and Human Services, the child was taken off the deportation flight manifest for her safety and welfare. The child remains in the care and custody of the Office of Refugee Resettlement and is currently placed with a foster family. 

The previous administration allowed many children who came across the border unaccompanied to be placed with sponsors who were actually smugglers and sex traffickers. In less than 100 days, Secretary Noem and Secretary Kennedy have already reunited over 5,000 unaccompanied children with a relative or safe guardian. 

Statement attributable to a senior DHS official: 

“Thanks to President Trump, these Tren De Aragua gang members have been removed from our country. Due to the violent criminal activities of the parents including operating a torture house, sex trafficking, and kidnapping the child was removed from their custody. We will not allow this child to be abused and continue to be exposed to criminal activity that endangers her safety.  

President Trump and Secretary Noem take their responsibility to protect children seriously and will continue to work with federal law enforcement and the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that children are safe from abuse, sexual exploitation, and trafficking.”