U.S. Coast Guard Announces New Training Center in Alabama

 

The next generation of Coast Guard heroes deserve training centers and support facilities worthy of their mission

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the United States Coast Guard announced that its newest training center that will be opening in the state of Alabama.

The Coast Guard announced the selection of Birmingham-Southern College (BSC) in Birmingham, Alabama as the location of its newest training center.

“Today's announcement is further proof that this is the most exciting time to join the Coast Guard in 235 years,” said Secretary Kristi Noem. “Thanks to President Trump's visionary leadership and historic investment in the Coast Guard, the Service is shattering records across the board—including in recruitment. Last year’s recruitment exceeded 110% of active-duty enlisted goals, and the Coast Guard is on track to add 15,000 new members by 2028. This next generation of heroes deserves training centers and support facilities worthy of their mission, and that is exactly what they are going to have in Alabama.”

“We must invest in our most valuable treasure—our people—to meet the increasingly complex maritime security challenges facing the Nation,” said Admiral Kevin E. Lunday, Commandant of the Coast Guard. “The acquisition of the historic Birmingham-Southern College as our new training center is a critical step in our Force Design 2028 strategy, providing the right facilities necessary to grow our service and ensure the Coast Guard stands always ready.”

In November, the Coast Guard issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking potential locations for the new center based on a list of requirements, including lodging for 1,200 recruits, a medical facility to support 1,000 personnel, a land area of 150-250 acres, and 14 classrooms sized to accommodate 30-60 students, among other criteria. Birmingham-Southern best satisfied Coast Guard training mission requirements, offering turn-key ready facilities critical to supporting immediate commencement of training missions, while meeting all the service’s eligibility criteria with nominal investment compared to new construction.

Training missions at Birmingham-Southern are expected to begin later in 2026.

This new training center is part of the broader blueprint that is Force Design 2028, which will transform the Coast Guard into a more agile, capable, and responsive fighting force. Force Design 2028 has already been a tremendous success, from record-setting recruitment to a historic 6-to-1 return on investment.

Dominican Drug Trafficking Organization Member Pleads Guilty to Trafficking Narcotics on the Seacoast

 

A citizen of the Dominican Republic, who previously lived in Massachusetts, pleaded guilty today in federal court for drug trafficking in New Hampshire, U.S. Attorney Erin Creegan announces.

Juan Carlos De Los Santos Romero, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and one count of distribution of methamphetamine. His sentencing has been set for June 10, 2026. According to court documents and statements made in court, De Los Santos Romero was a member of a Methuen-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that was distributing large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl in the New Hampshire seacoast area. In late 2023 and early 2024, the DTO was involved in ten controlled purchases of fentanyl and methamphetamine with undercover law enforcement officers. Four co-conspirators, Jose Luis Guerrero Nunez, Carlos Alejandro Chevalier Santos, Eddy Mendez Carmona, and Luis Guerrero Cabral, have previously pleaded guilty.

The Drug Enforcement Administration led the investigation. The Seabrook Police Department, Hampton Police Department, Portsmouth Police Department, Methuen Police Department, and the New Hampshire State Police provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Vicinanzo is prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Caastle Founder Pleads Guilty To $300 Million Fraud Scheme

 

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that CHRISTINE HUNSICKER, the founder and former Chief Executive Officer of CaaStle Inc. (“CaaStle”), pled guilty to one count of securities fraud in connection with a scheme to defraud hundreds of investors in CaaStle, a retail-technology business.  As part of her plea, HUNSICKER agreed to forfeit nearly $300 million in proceeds from her illegal scheme, as well as from a scheme to defraud investors in P180, a related business venture.  HUNSICKER pled guilty today before U.S. District Judge J. Paul Oetken.  

“Christine Hunsicker fashioned a massive fraud scheme, built on forged documents, fabricated audits, and material misrepresentations to hundreds of venture capital investors,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “Today’s guilty plea sends a clear message: individuals who exploit investor trust for personal gain will be held accountable.  Fraud in the venture capital ecosystem not only harms investors financially, but also undermines innovation and confidence in emerging businesses. We will continue to pursue those who deceive investors and distort our private markets.” 

According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and statements made in public filings and in public court proceedings:

HUNSICKER, a well-known entrepreneur and successful businessperson in the fashion-tech industry, founded and was the CEO of CaaStle, a clothing technology business.  While promoting CaaStle as a rapidly growing business valued at more than $1.4 billion, HUNSICKER knew that CaaStle was in financial distress with limited cash and significant expenses.  To raise the capital for CaaStle’s operations, HUNSICKER provided investors with falsified income statements, fake audited financial statements, fictitious bank records, and sham corporate documents that grossly overstated CaaStle’s operating profit, revenue, and available cash.  She also misrepresented to investors that their funds would be used to purchase discounted shares from existing shareholders who needed liquidity, when in fact she fabricated the existence of those shareholders and used the money as new capital for CaaStle while concealing the company’s cash needs.

When confronted by an audit firm in October 2023 about transmitting a fake audit to an investor, HUNSICKER lied, falsely claiming that she had created the fake audit in connection with a lecture she gave at Princeton University, and that sending the audit to the investor had been a one-time error.  In reality, HUNSICKER had provided two fake audits to the investor while soliciting an investment.  She later repaid that investor to prevent the public disclosure of her fraud. Undeterred, she continued the scheme, providing an investor with fake bank account screenshots showing nearly $200 million in available cash when CaaStle had less than $200,000.  One month later, in October 2024, HUNSICKER provided a different investor with a fake draft audit.  In 2024, HUNSICKER also falsified the signatures of two Board directors to make it appear that the Board had authorized the grant of stock options to another investor, raising more than $20 million for CaaStle.

In 2024, HUNSICKER extended her fraudulent activities to P180, a new business venture. HUNSICKER intended for P180 to acquire clothing brands. P180 would then pay for and leverage the CaaStle service, which would infuse CaaStle with desperately needed cash.  HUNSICKER raised millions of dollars for P180 from existing CaaStle investors. In soliciting these investments, HUNSICKER repeated misrepresentations about CaaStle’s financial performance, and failed to disclose that her prior representations regarding CaaStle had been false.

In December 2024, the CaaStle Board removed HUNSICKER as Chair and prohibited her from soliciting investments. HUNSICKER, however, continued her fraudulent activities and raised and attempted to raise new capital for CaaStle and P180.  In February 2025, HUNSICKER attempted to sell an additional $19 million of her CaaStle shares to another investor.  HUNSICKER persisted in her deceptive practices even after law enforcement agents seized her electronic devices in March 2025, continuing to meet with the investor about a fake audit without revealing its fraudulent nature, her removal from the Board, or the prohibition against her selling shares.  CaaStle filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on June 20, 2025.

If you believe you have been a victim of the schemes described above, and you wish to provide information to law enforcement in connection to sentencing or to receive additional information, please contact Valeen Defendre, the Victim Witness Coordinator at the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of New York, at 866-874-8900 or valeen.defendre@usdoj.gov.

HUNSICKER, 48, of Lafayette, New Jersey, pled guilty to one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.            

The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.  HUNSICKER is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Oetken on August 5, 2026.

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI.  Mr. Clayton also thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has filed a separate civil action, for its assistance and cooperation in the investigation.

The case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. 

United States Leads Dismantlement of One of the World’s Largest Hacker Forums

 

The Department of Justice announced today the seizure of the LeakBase database, one of the world’s largest online forums for cybercriminals to buy and sell stolen data and cybercrime tools.

According to an affidavit unsealed on March 3, the LeakBase forum had over 142,000 members and more than 215,000 messages between members. Available on the open web and in English, the forum had an enormous and continuously updated archive of hacked databases including many from high profile attacks, including hundreds of millions of account credentials. LeakBase allowed forum users to sell the information from stolen databases, including data illegally obtained from U.S. corporations and individuals, and offered credit and debit card numbers, banking account and routing information, usernames and associated passwords which could facilitate additional account takeovers, as well as other sensitive business and personally identifiable information.

On March 3 and 4, law enforcement agents and officers in 14 countries including the United States took synchronized actions against LeakBase and its users in a coordinated effort hosted by Europol in The Hague. Specifically, the United States and other countries shut down LeakBase, seized its data and two of the domains used by the forum, posted seizure banners on the LeakBase sites, sent prevention messages to LeakBase members, and collected additional evidence. Law enforcement also executed search warrants, arrests, and conducted interviews in the United States, Australia, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom.  

LeakBase Splash Page

“The takedown of this cyber forum disrupts a major international platform that cybercriminals use to obtain and profit from the theft of sensitive personal, banking and account credentials,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “This operation illustrates the strength of the United States and our international partners working across the globe to dismantle a critical cybercriminal forum. The Criminal Division will continue to leverage our international relationships to protect victim personal and account information from falling into the hands of transnational criminal organizations.”

“This 14-country operation demonstrates the extraordinary cooperation with our international partners,” said U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah. “Working with our partners, we can take down even the most sophisticated cyber criminals and networks. My office remains steadfast in our commitment to investigate and seek justice for Americans who are targeted by individuals attempting to hide behind foreign borders.”

“The FBI, Europol, and law enforcement agencies from around the world executed a takedown of LeakBase, one of the largest online cybercriminal platforms, seizing users’ accounts, posts, credit details, private messages, and IP logs for evidentiary purposes,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Together with our partners, we are sending a message that no criminal is truly anonymous online and removing an easy point of access to stolen information on American businesses and individuals. The FBI will continue to defend the homeland by dismantling the key services that cybercriminals use to facilitate their attacks.”

“Hiding behind a screen does not shield cybercriminals from accountability,” said Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls of the FBI Salt Lake City Field Office. “This international operation demonstrates the strength of our global alliances and our shared commitment to disrupting platforms that facilitate the theft of data and the victimization of innocent people and organizations worldwide. Together, we will continue to identify, dismantle, and hold accountable those who seek to profit from cybercrime, no matter where they operate.”

The announcement today follows the disruption of predecessor cybercrime marketplaces RaidForums in 2022 and BreachForums in 2023, in addition to the conviction and subsequent sentencing of the founder of BreachForums in 2025.

The FBI Salt Lake City Field Office is investigating the case. The FBI San Diego Field Office, Utah Department of Public Safety, and Provo Police Department also participated in the operation domestically.

Senior Counsel Matthew A. Lamberti of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brent L. Andrus and Carl D. LeSueur for the District of Utah are prosecuting the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, Europol, and numerous law enforcement authorities in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Greece, Kosovo, Malaysia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom provided significant assistance.

CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime and intellectual property (IP) crime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and IP criminals, and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.

Anyone that has any information regarding LeakBase should contact the FBI at FBI-SU-Leakbase@fbi.gov.

BRONX DAYCARE PROVIDER, HUSBAND SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS TO LIFE FOR MURDER OF NICHOLAS DOMINICI BY FENTANYL POISONING

 

Toddler Was One Of Four Babies Exposed To Drug At Home Daycare That Masked Narcotics Operation

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that the operator of a Bronx home daycare center and her husband have been sentenced 25 years to life in prison for the fentanyl poisoning death of 22-month-old Nicholas Dominici and the exposure of three other children suffered on September 15, 2023. 

District Attorney Clark said, “A beautiful little boy died and three children aged eight months to two years became seriously ill from fentanyl poisoning. These babies were shields to protect a narcotics operation. Grei Mendez and her husband, Felix Herrera Garcia showed such depravity that they hid fentanyl under the floor where the children took naps. Little Nicholas paid with his life for their greed; now Mendez and Garcia will spend the rest of their days in prison.” 

District Attorney Clark said Grei Mendez, 38, and Felix Herrera Garcia, 37, both of 2705 Morris Avenue, the Bronx, were sentenced today to 25 years to life in prison by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Margaret Clancy. They were found guilty by a jury on November 21, 2025, of second-degree Murder, (depraved indifference to human life); additionally, Mendez was found guilty of first-degree Assault and Hererra Garcia was found guilty of second-degree Assault.

According to facts at trial, on September 15, 2023, in an apartment in 2707 Morris Avenue that was a licensed daycare named El Divino Nino, four children were poisoned by exposure to fentanyl: 22-month-old Nicholas Dominici died, 2-year-old Abel Garcia suffered respiratory arrest but survived after being revived at a hospital, Abel’s 8-month-old sister Kiara Garcia and Jaziel Lino, another 2-year-old boy, suffered acute opioid intoxication requiring hospital treatment. Emergency Medical Service Technicians used Narcan to reverse symptoms of the brother and sister.

According to facts presented at trial, large quantities of fentanyl were being processed in the daycare center, including with the use of kitchen equipment Mendez used to prepare the children’s food. When they were sickened, and before calling 911, Mendez called her husband. He removed drugs and/or paraphernalia, and she can be heard telling him to go out the back. Video showed Herrera Garcia fleeing the building through a back alley while carrying weighted plastic bags before police and medical responders arrived. 

A kilo of fentanyl was found in a closet, and twelve additional kilos of fentanyl, heroin and other narcotic substances were found under a trap door in the floor of the playroom, directly below where the children played and slept. Kilo presses and drug packaging paraphernalia were found in the apartment as well. 

Mendez and Garcia are currently serving 45-year sentences in federal prison after their convictions for narcotics trafficking resulting in the death of Nicholas. The state prison sentence will run concurrently to the federal sentence.

District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detectives Sheldon Smith of the Bronx Homicide Squad, Manuel Cruz of the 52nd Precinct Detective Squad, and Special Agents Edison Serpa and Kyle Harrell of the Drug Enforcement Administration for their work in the investigation. District Attorney Clark also thanked the NYPD Police Laboratory and Latent Print Section for their work in this investigation.

Governor Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James Urge New Yorkers to Remain Vigilant Regarding Potential Price Gouging on Essential Goods

Warning is a Result of Tensions and Conflict in the Middle East

New Yorkers Can Report Price Gouging Here

Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James today urged residents and visitors to remain vigilant against price gouging in the wake of heightened geopolitical tensions and conflict in the Middle East, particularly in Iran, that could threaten supply chains for essential goods. Recent global events may result in halted or delayed shipping that could affect U.S. imports and lead to unfair or excessive pricing for consumers. This could include food, pharmaceuticals, gasoline and other consumer goods.

“Following U.S. military action in Iran, New York is stepping up to protect our residents from the too-frequent occurrence of consumer exploitation during emergencies or abnormal market disruptions,” Governor Hochul said. “I am calling on all New Yorkers to report price gouging on essential products from gasoline to groceries to ensure that we are holding unscrupulous actors accountable.”

New York Attorney General Letitia James said, “There is no excuse for unfairly raising prices of essential goods and services that New Yorkers depend on. With sudden increases in oil prices poised to drive up costs for New Yorkers, I am encouraging everyone to be on the lookout for unreasonable price hikes and report price gouging to my office.”

New York Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley said, “While events overseas are beyond New York’s control, they can affect the price of food and fuel costs. However, there is no excuse for businesses to take advantage of these circumstances to unfairly inflate prices. We encourage New Yorkers to help protect themselves and others by reporting suspected price gouging so that it can be investigated and appropriate action can be taken.”

Consumers who believe they have encountered excessively high prices are encouraged to document the incident with receipts or photos and file a complaint with the New York State Attorney General’s office. To file a complaint, fill out the price gouging complaint form. 

DiNapoli, Sanders and Anderson Take Action to Expand Lending in Underserved Communities and Spur Economic Development

 

Today New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, State Sen. James Sanders Jr. and State Assemblymember Khaleel M. Anderson held a press conference in support of legislation that would expand lending in underserved communities and help stimulate economic development.

The two bills were developed by DiNapoli, with the assistance of Sanders, chairman of the Senate Committee on Banks, will make it easier for community and minority-owned banks to access state deposits that help provide essential banking services and increase financing for small businesses and homeowners.

“Supporting community and minority-owned banks and credit unions puts state funds to work in neighborhoods that have historically been overlooked,” said DiNapoli. “These funds will help expand financial services, increase access to capital and build wealth through homeownership, entrepreneurship and job growth. It is a win-win for the state and our local communities.”

“After we discovered how the state was not maximizing the participation of all communities in economic development, we knew we had to act,” said Sanders. “These reforms ensure that public dollars are not just sitting on the sidelines, but actively working in the neighborhoods that need them most. By modernizing our deposit programs and removing outdated barriers, we are empowering community banks and minority‑owned financial institutions to expand lending, support small businesses, and help families build wealth. This is how we create real, lasting opportunity – by making sure every community has access to the financial tools that drive growth.”

“I want to thank State Comptroller DiNapoli, Senator Sanders and Assembly Member Vanel, for joining me in this united push to make banking and financing more accessible to underbanked communities across the state, specifically in my district of Southeast Queens," said Anderson. “The modernization and flexibility that these bills provide will allow community banks and minority deposit institutions to serve the public more efficiently, and to ultimately support the underserved communities that the BDD program and CBDP were designed to help.”

The first bill (S.8357/A.9574), authored by DiNapoli and sponsored by Sanders and Anderson, would reduce a barrier to participation in the Banking Development District (BDD) Program, which places public deposits in financial institutions serving underserved communities. The bill would allow participating banks to use reciprocal deposits to meet collateral requirements, allowing state deposits to be insured through FDIC-backed deposit placement networks, instead of requiring traditional collateral, freeing up more capital for lending.

The second bill (S.8406/A.9573), authored by Comptroller DiNapoli and sponsored by Sanders and State Assemblymember Clyde Vanel, would raise the Community Bank Deposit Program (CBDP) cap from $20 million to $30 million, expanding participating banks’ ability to support mortgages, small businesses, farms and local development.

The BDD program is administered by the Department of Financial Services (DFS) to encourage participation. DiNapoli’s office makes public deposits available up to $35 million to banks and credit unions to open or maintain a bank branch. DiNapoli has awarded deposits totaling approximately $505 million to 13 banking institutions that have opened or maintained branches in DFS-designated BDDs across New York State.

Banking Development District Program

*Indicates Minority Owned Institution

Banking Development District	City / Branch	State Deposit Amount
Heritage Financial Credit Union	Middletown (Poughkeepsie)	$35,000,000
Hudson Valley Credit Union	Poughkeepsie (Green Island, Neversink and Denning)	$20,000,000
Lyons National Bank	Lyons (Jordan)	$10,000,000
Northfield Bank	Staten Island (Rosebank/Stapleton)	$10,000,000
Ponce Bank*	Bronx (District 9 Bronx)	$35,000,000
Popular Bank*	New York (District 1 Bronx, District 11 116th St., District 3 Lower East Side, District 6 East Tremont, District 7 Sunset Park, Brooklyn/Kings)	$175,000,000
Ridgewood Savings Bank	Ridgewood (Clinton Hill, Van Cortlandt Village, Williamsbridge)	$30,000,000
Savannah Bank	Savannah (Mentz)	$10,000,000
Seneca Savings	Baldwinsville (Bridgeport)	$10,000,000
Spring Bank	Bronx (Community District 4, Community District 6- Red I)	$20,000,000
Wallkill Valley Federal Savings & Loan	Wallkill (Maybrook)	$10,000,000
Flagstar Bank / NY Community Bank	Westbury (Brentwood, Corona Heights, Wyandanch)	$105,000,000
Sidney Federal Credit Union	Sidney (Morris/Butternut Valley	$35,000,000
Total		$505,000,000

The CBDP offers public funds to banks to use to stimulate local economic development. Tens of millions have been awarded through the program, but there are currently no minority owned banks participating. DiNapoli, state legislators and supporters of the legislation would like to see this change.

Community Bank Deposit Program

Community Bank	City	State Deposit Amount
Carthage Savings Bank	Carthage	$20,000,000
Genesee Regional Bank	Rochester	$20,000,000
Solvay Bank	Solvay	$20,000,000
Tompkins Community Bank	Ithaca	$20,000,000
Total		$80,000,000

 

Legislation

S.8357/A.9574

S.8406/A.9573

Banking Programs

Banking Development District

Community Bank Deposit

MAYOR MAMDANI, DCWP SUE PREDATORY TOW TRUCK OPERATOR FOR JUNK FEES, OVERCHARGING CUSTOMERS AND OTHER UNLAWFUL PRACTICES

 

Mayor Mamdani, Commissioner Levine vow full restitution for New Yorkers ripped off by Instant Recovery Towing 

Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) announced a lawsuit against Instant Recovery Corp., a Bronx-based tow truck operator, for allegedly engaging in predatory practices and repeatedly violating City law.  

  

After receiving a high volume of complaints, DCWP launched an investigation that found Instant Recovery consistently charged illegal fees, overbilled customers and used other unlawful tactics to exploit New Yorkers.  

  

“Tow trucks often meet New Yorkers on their worst days — after an accident or a breakdown,” said Mayor Mamdani. “Instead of offering help, companies like Instant Recovery have taken advantage of people when they need help most, extorting them with price gouging, hidden fees and coercive charges. Today, we’re fighting back — demanding full restitution for every New Yorker harmed and making clear to the entire industry: if you prey on our neighbors and ignore the law, we will hold you accountable.”  

  

DCWP is seeking full restitution for affected consumers, civil penalties for over a thousand violations and the revocation of the company’s tow truck license. Last week, DCWP also conducted a compliance blitz, issuing warnings to more than 300 tow truck operators citywide to reinforce compliance with towing and booting laws.  

   

“Instant Recovery's pattern of predatory behavior of bogus fees, cash-only demands and refusal to provide receipts is exactly the kind of consumer abuse this administration will not tolerate,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su. “We are pursuing this case without fear or favor and fighting to return every dollar owed to New Yorkers.”   

  

“From dolly and special tow fees to overcharging for storage and drop fees, Instant Recovery treated the law as optional,” said Commissioner Sam Levine. “Our lawsuit puts the entire industry on notice: DCWP is watching, and we will act.”    

  

Details of the Case    

 

Instant Recovery has operated since November 2024, primarily in the Bronx. DCWP received a high volume of consumer complaints almost immediately after the company began operating, including:  

  

•    Charged more than the legally permitted amounts for tow, drop and storage fees.  

•    Conducted illegal tows.  

•    Forced consumers to pay in cash.  

•    Refused to provide receipts.   

  

DCWP Actions to Crack Down on Junk Fees    

  

Under Mayor Mamdani’s Executive Order 09, DCWP has led a citywide crackdown on junk fees that inflate costs for consumers and undercut honest businesses.   

  

In January, the Mamdani Administration issued a final rule prohibiting hotels from charging excessive “destination” or “resort” fees and banning hidden credit card holds. DCWP also filed a landmark lawsuit against solar panel installation company Radiant Solar and its owner for deceiving consumers and embedding undisclosed “dealer fees,” seeking millions in civil penalties and restitution.   

  

Following the launch of the City’s annual Free Tax Prep initiative, DCWP began a citywide sweep of paid tax preparers to ensure compliance with laws prohibiting illegal overcharging and hidden fees. The agency also continued its “Fee Free February” enforcement actions targeting predatory employment agencies.  

  

DCWP will continue aggressive enforcement across industries to root out junk fees and protect working New Yorkers.

     

Towing Services in New York City  

  

DCWP licenses businesses that perform “non-consensual” tows, including towing cars:  

•    Blocking private driveways.  

•    Parked on private property including private parking lots.  

•    Immobilized after an accident.  

•    Stolen, abandoned, or broken down.  

  

Consumers whose vehicles are being towed in these circumstances should check a company’s license status online or call 311 to confirm the operator is licensed. Additional information is available in DCWP’s Towing Services Guide.  

 

Vehicles may also be towed by government agencies, including the NYPD, the City marshal or the sheriff. Information about vehicles towed by law enforcement is available through the New York City Department of Finance. DCWP regulates the City's Directed Accident Towing Program (DARP) and Rotation Tow Program (ROTOW), which oversee accident, abandoned and driveway-blocking tows. The agency also licenses businesses that boot vehicles on private property. Consumers can verify a booting company’s license or file a complaint by visiting nyc.gov/dcwp or calling 311.