Weekly News from State Senator Gustavo Rivera!

 

SENATOR RIVERA IN THE COMMUNITY

SENATOR RIVERA HOSTS RENT FREEZE AND HOMEOWNER TAX BREAK SCREENING DAY AT PART OF THE SOLUTION!

This week, Senator Rivera’s office partnered up with the organization Part of The Solution (POTS) to host a Rent Freeze and Homeowner Tax Break Screening Day.

For a third year in a row, staff members from both offices assisted constituents with initial and renewal applications for SCRIE, DRIE, and SCHE. Over two dozen constituents were assisted at the event! Thank you POTS for your partnership!

Last weekend, Hands Off NYC held a Weekend of Action, where New Yorkers across the city came together in solidarity to educate the community about their constitutional rights as well as what needs to be done if there's an encounter with ICE agents.

Our office was proud to serve as a materials pick-up location for red cards, whistles, pins, and stickers from Hands Off NYC. As a friendly reminder, Senator Rivera's office also offers multilingual “Know Your Rights” palm cards.

Call our office at 718-933-2034 or email grivera@nysenate.gov to request free copies so you can distribute them at your school, organization, business, or in your neighborhood.

Click the link below if you’re interested in attending the next Hands Off NYC advocacy event.

FIND UPCOMING EVENTS

This week, Senator Rivera stood alongside the New Yorkers United for Child Care coalition and hundreds of parents, children, and advocates to urge the Legislature and the Executive to tax the rich to secure universal childcare for working families across New York State.

Senator Rivera strongly believes that we must pass proposals that make the wealthiest New Yorkers and corporations pay their fair share. Senator Rivera is proud to sponsor S.1439, which would fairly tax long-term capital gains for the top 1%.

Senator Rivera is a proud supporter of the Invest in Our New York (IONY) campaign to make billionaires and corporations pay their fair share. Learn more about IONY's 2026 Revenue Agenda here.

This week, Senator Rivera’s 'New York Affordable Drug Manufacturing Act' (S.1618) passed the Senate floor.

This is a priority of his because it would allow direct partnership with prescription drug manufacturers to produce generic drugs such as insulin and significantly lower the costs for consumers. California has already demonstrated the positive impacts of this initiative.

With healthcare costs going up, this bill will allow our State to drive drug costs down.

This week, Senator Rivera joined The Bronx Defenders and other advocacy organizations during their Dignity Not Detention Rally to shed light on the importance of passing New York For All Act, S.2235A, and the Dignity Not Detention Act, S.316, two important legislation pieces that would assure justice, protection, and due process for constituents regardless of their immigration status.

In light of the horrific and preventable death of legally blind Rohingya refugee Nurul Amin Shah Alam in Buffalo, it even more urgent that we pass these bills so that our State’s local law enforcement stop colluding with CBP and ICE agents. We should prohibit any person or entity in the state of New York from owning or operating immigrant detention facilities. Our communities are in danger and our job as leaders is to protect them.

SENATOR RIVERA HOLDS SENATE HEALTH COMMITTEE MEETING

This week, the Senate Health Committee held their third meeting of this legislative year and passed all 21 bills including 8 sponsored by Senator Rivera:

• S.1617: Provides for automatic enrollment and recertification simplification for Medicaid managed care plans and long term care plans.

• S.3581: Provides lead service line identification by a public water system that serves certain areas.

• S.1855: Strengthens protections for patients regarding sexual misconduct by medical providers.

Senator Rivera wishes our Jewish neighbors a Chag Purim Sameach! May this be a joyous holiday celebration for everyone observing! 

TUESDAY 3/3: SENATOR RIVERA, NMIC, AND THE NYC FREE TAX PREP INITIATIVE HOST FREE TAX PREP AT SENATOR RIVERA'S DISTRICT OFFICE

Meth Trafficker Sentenced to Nearly 16 Years in Federal Prison

 

Over Two Years the Organization Transported and Sold Hundreds of Pounds of Meth

Methamphetamine seized during the investigation. 

Cesar Delfin-Cervantes, 28, of Salem, Oregon, was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced.

According to court records, Delfin-Cervantes was a leader in a multi-state and international drug trafficking organization. His father, Juan Carlos-Delfin, was also a member of the drug trafficking organization. Law enforcement’s investigation revealed that the organization arranged for large shipments of methamphetamine to be delivered through a network of couriers from Mexico to California and then to Salem, Oregon, where Delfin-Cervantes and his father resided. From there, Delfin-Cervantes organized delivery of the drugs to the Treasure Valley area. Over a span of approximately five months, investigators seized over 215 pounds of methamphetamine from the drug trafficking organization. Over a period of approximately two years, the organization transported and sold hundreds of pounds of methamphetamine.  

Chief U.S. District Judge Amanda K. Brailsford also ordered Delfin-Cervantes to serve five years of supervised release following his prison sentence.

Delfin-Cervantes’ father was convicted in the District of Idaho of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute after a federal jury trial in December of 2025 and is set for sentencing on April 21, 2026. Delfin-Cervantes’ sister, Esmeralda Delfin-Cervantes, is also alleged to be a member of the drug trafficking organization and has federal drug trafficking charges pending in the District of Oregon. 

U.S. Attorney Davis commended the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration (Boise District Office and Salem Resident Office), the Nampa Police Department Special Investigations Unit, the Ada County Sheriff’s Office, the Boise Police Department, the Meridian Police Department, the Oregon High Desert Drug Task Force, the Salem Police Department, and the Oregon State Police, which led to the charges.  

The High Desert Drug Task Force is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force that identifies, disrupts, and dismantles local, multi-state, and international drug trafficking organizations using an intelligence-driven, multi-agency prosecutor-supported approach.  They are supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA).

Methamphetamine seized during the investigation.Methamphetamine seized during the investigation.Methamphetamiseizeduring the investiga

Nos Quedamos Inc. - Housing Stability Can’t Wait

 

MESSAGE FROM THE CEO

Preserving What Our Communities Built:

Why Housing Stability Must Come First

As a community development corporation, our work is grounded in a clear belief: housing is not just about affordability — it is about dignity, stability, and quality of life. Deep affordability must deliver safe, well-maintained homes that reflect the respect our residents deserve.

Right now, that promise is at risk.

Recent findings from the Association for Neighborhood & Housing Development underscore the urgency: nonprofit and community-based owners across New York City are facing rising insurance, utility, repair, and operating costs that far outpace regulated rents. Thousands of affordable homes are under financial strain, placing decades of public investment and community ownership at risk of deterioration or loss.

Preservation is not secondary to development. It is a frontline housing justice strategy.

Across the city, families live in buildings created to be affordable but without the resources required to sustain them. Without targeted intervention, these homes fall into disrepair or become vulnerable to speculation and displacement. Losing this housing stock would reverse years of progress and destabilize the very communities these programs were designed to protect.

At We Stay/Nos Quedamos, we are taking a proactive stance. We continue to call on city and state partners to treat preservation as essential infrastructure and to invest accordingly. The homes our communities fought to build must not be allowed to fail. Sustained public investment, clear accountability, and true partnership are necessary to keep these buildings deeply affordable, resident-centered, and permanently protected.

We are also moving from advocacy to action — diligently working in partnership with our property management team to strengthen our portfolio, advancing long-term sustainability strategies, and working with partners to secure the policy and funding tools required to safeguard existing housing now, not later.

This moment calls for collective leadership. We invite fellow community-based organizations, advocates, and public agencies to align around preservation as a top priority. By coordinating strategies, sharing solutions, and pushing for smarter, sustainable policy, we can protect what already exists while expanding what’s possible.

When we preserve housing with intention, we preserve community, culture, and opportunity.

This is the work in front of us — and we are committed to leading it.

Cohort 5 Launches This March — Meet Our Next Generation of Community Leaders

This March, we will be proud to welcome Cohort 5 of the NQ Youth Organizing Fellowship — a growing pipeline of young leaders stepping up to shape the future of Melrose and beyond.

More than an internship, this is a hands-on leadership experience rooted in community power, housing justice, and neighborhood advocacy. Our fellows don’t just learn about change — they lead it.

Throughout the spring, Youth Organizers will work side by side with our Civic Engagement Fellow, Housing Organizer, and Resiliency team to protect and strengthen deeply affordable housing and advance climate justice across our community.

They will:

• Lead community workshops and conversations

• Organize residents and build neighborhood power

• Support outreach through canvassing and phone banking

• Learn the history and legacy of the Melrose Urban Renewal Plan

• Turn knowledge into action through real-world organizing

Every step of the way, they’re building skills, confidence, and leadership — while making a tangible impact in the neighborhoods they call home.

Stay tuned. The next generation of community leadership starts here.

The Countdown to Community In a moment when so much feels uncertain, from housing and climate to food access and beyond, there is no better time to come together as a community. On March 21st, we kick off the spring with our annual Melrose Spring Equinox Celebration, themed Spring into Action. This gathering is about more than welcoming a new season. It’s about reconnecting with one another, grounding ourselves in shared purpose, and reminding ourselves that real change happens when we show up together. The day will include live performances, connections with community partners leading powerful work, and space to learn, reflect, and imagine what’s possible when the community leads. We invite you to get involved, bring a neighbor, and be part of the collective energy needed to move us forward. Spring is coming and so is the moment to act. Click the link below to RSVP because you won’t want to miss out!  RSVP

Oyster Bay Resident Sentenced to 108 Months in Prison for $30 Million Investment Fraud Scheme and Selling Foreign Nationals Access to Prominent U.S. Politicians

 

At the federal court in Central Islip, Sherry Xue Li was sentenced by United States District Judge Gary R. Brown to 108 months in prison for money laundering conspiracy and conspiracy to defraud the United States by obstructing the Federal Election Commission’s (FEC) administration of campaign finance laws.  Li orchestrated a nearly decade-long scheme to defraud investors out of more than $30 million through a fictitious development project.  As part of the scheme, Li and her co-defendant Lianbo Wang falsely promised those investors that their investments would guarantee them lawful permanent resident status in the United States.  Li and Wang also sold foreign investors access to U.S. politicians at fundraisers by collecting foreign-sourced funds from them and unlawfully contributing those funds to U.S. political campaigns and committees.  As part of the sentence, Li was ordered to forfeit $31.5 million, as well as property at three locations, and to make restitution to her victims in the same amount.  In 2024, Wang pleaded guilty to engaging in unlawful monetary transactions and conspiracy to defraud the United States, and was sentenced to 60 months’ imprisonment. Li pleaded guilty in July 2025. 

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); Michael Alfonso, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, New York (HSI New York); and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI New York) announced the sentence. 

“Li orchestrated an elaborate fraud to steal tens of millions of dollars from more than 150 victims around the world,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “She peddled false promises and outright lies to her many investors and stuffed her pockets while they suffered devastating losses.  Meanwhile, she sought to obstruct the operation of free and fair elections in our country and sold access to the democratic process to the highest bidder.  Today she faces justice for her cynical schemes.  Our Office will stop at nothing to hold fraudsters to account and to keep America’s elections free from unlawful foreign influence.”  

“By defrauding over 150 victims out of $30 million and facilitating illegal contributions to U.S. political campaigns, Sherry Li put personal profit above the law and public trust.  Li’s sentencing underscores HSI New York’s and federal law enforcement’s shared commitment to hold accountable those who orchestrate international schemes designed to undermine our immigration and financial systems.  No matter how elaborate or deceptive the tactics used by fraudsters, we remain steadfast in protecting individuals and organizations from those who seek to abuse the safeguards established by our laws,” stated HSI New York Acting Special Agent in Charge Alfonso.

“Li turned the American dream into a fraud driven nightmare—stripping investors of their savings while spending their money on luxury trips.  Not one EB 5 or stock investor saw the promised return. With this sentencing and more than $30 million forfeiture order, Li will now answer for the damage she caused,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Chavis.

The Scheme to Defraud Investors

Li and Wang defrauded investors in a fictitious development project in Sullivan County, New York called the Thompson Education Center (the TEC Project) out of more than $30 million. Many of the victims were foreign nationals located in the People’s Republic of China who were persuaded to invest in the project by the defendants’ false assurances that their $500,000 investments would guarantee them lawful permanent residence in the United States through the EB-5 investment visa program administered by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  The defendants falsely represented the progress they were making on the project and its support from government officials.  The defendants distributed promotional materials that contained photographs of Li with prominent U.S. politicians to falsely convey government support for the project.

Li and Wang siphoned off the money they fraudulently obtained from investors by transferring the funds through bank accounts held in the names of various companies that Li had created. Once the funds were in those accounts, Li and Wang used the funds to pay for personal expenses including clothing, jewelry, housing, vacation travel, upscale dining, and political contributions to prominent politicians.  The portion of the invested capital Li and Wang actually spent on the TEC Project was used merely to create and perpetuate the fiction that the TEC Project was a viable development project that was actually under construction.  For example, Li and Wang hired contractors, engineers, and other professionals to create architectural drawings and plans and perform minor work on or around the development site, which Li and Wang showed to potential investors to mislead them into believing the TEC Project had a realistic probability of completion and of delivering the returns on investment that the co-conspirators promised their investors.

Ultimately, more than 150 investors invested at least $31.5 million in the TEC Project, including approximately $16.5 million from EB-5 investors who were promised green cards in return for their investments, and approximately $15 million from stock investors who were promised that an initial public offering (IPO) would take place.  No EB-5 investor in the TEC Project ever received a temporary or permanent green card and the TEC Project did not have an IPO or list on any stock exchange.

Selling Access to U.S. Politicians

In furtherance of their scheme, Li and Wang also acted as “straw donors” for foreign nationals to unlawfully contribute to campaigns supporting U.S. politicians and political committees. Li and Wang promised foreign nationals access to U.S. political events and politicians in exchange for a fee. Li and Wang used the money they received from foreign nationals to fund political contributions and falsely identified themselves and other U.S. citizens as the contributors of the funds, in violation of the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA) and FEC regulations. In some cases, Li and Wang used TEC Project investors’ investment funds to make the political contributions which they used to gain access to the political events, where Li and Wang took photographs with elected officials.  Li and Wang would then use the photographs as a marketing tool in soliciting investments from foreign nationals in the TEC Project.   

For example, Li and Wang charged 12 foreign nationals $93,000 per person for admission to a June 28, 2017 fundraising event with the then-President of the United States.  Li and Wang used the funds that they collected from the foreign nationals to unlawfully make $600,000 in political contributions in their own names—$270,500 from Li and $329,500 from Wang—to the joint fundraising committee hosting the fundraiser.  At the time they made these contributions, they were the largest contributors to the joint fundraising committee, which was unaware of their fraudulent conduct. Li, Wang, and their foreign national guests attended the fundraiser and took photographs with the then-President of the United States.  Li and Wang later used a photograph of Li and the President taken at the fundraiser to solicit investments in the TEC Project.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime and Public Integrity Sections.  Assistant United States  Attorneys Andrew D. Reich and Meredith A. Arfa are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Magdalena St. Surin and Rebecca Roth. Assistant United States Attorney Claire S. Kedeshian of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture Section is handling forfeiture matters.

Permits Filed for 307 East 148th Street in Mott Haven, The Bronx

 

Permits have been filed for a ten-story mixed-use building at 307 East 148th Street in Mott Haven, The Bronx. Located between Morris Avenue and Courtlandt Avenue, the lot is near the 3rd Avenue–149th Street subway station, served by the 2 and 5 trains. Joel Guttman is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 105-foot-tall development will yield 51,165 square feet, with 38,665 square feet designated for residential space, 12,096 square feet for commercial space, and 403 square feet for community facility space. The building will have 89 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 434 square feet. The concrete-based structure will also have 22 enclosed parking spaces.

Nikolai Katz Architect is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits will likely not be needed as the lot is vacant. An estimated completion date has not been announced.