Governor Hochul Participates in a Briefing at Laguardia Airport

Governor Hochul: “I've conveyed our condolences to the Canadian government... To the entire Port Authority and LaGuardia family, I want you to know we are very cognizant of the traumatizing impact this has on you and, indeed, your own families… There are countless individuals who step up every day willing to do the hard work to make sure we're safe, and, in my judgment, they all deserve gratitude.”

Hochul: “I want to offer the full cooperation of New York State with the investigation. I'm grateful also to Secretary Duffy and Administrator Bedford for coming right here on this day. It's important to have your presence to know that this will be addressed at the highest levels, and also support from the Mayor who represents many of the people who work here, as I do, and Kathryn Garcia… She is a top consummate professional, and I have great confidence in her ability as well.”

While the facts of what happened last night at 11:45 p.m. were well known — yes, it was an aviation disaster, the likes of which we have not seen here in over three decades, but as a deeply human story where two young pilots left their homes expecting to return to their families and they will not. And this is what pains everyone here in the State of New York.

I've conveyed our condolences to the Canadian government. I have walked the halls and gone up to Port Authority personnel and police, telling them how grateful we are that they put their lives out there every single day to make sure our traveling public is safe.

So, to the entire Port Authority and LaGuardia family, I want you to know we are very cognizant of the traumatizing impact this has on you and, indeed, your own families. So I want to, first, convey my gratitude to all of you, and sympathies to those who have had their lives shattered as a result of this, and those who have sustained injuries. It's not what you expect when you get on an airplane.

But also, I want to offer the full cooperation of New York State with the investigation. I'm grateful also to Secretary Duffy and Administrator Bedford for coming right here on this day. It's important to have your presence to know that this will be addressed at the highest levels, and also support from the Mayor who represents many of the people who work here, as I do, and Kathryn Garcia — up until a short time ago, she was my top state operations officer in charge of every disaster, every crisis that has befallen the State of New York in the last four years. So she is a top consummate professional, and I have great confidence in her ability as well.

So, let me close with this: Let's acknowledge the tremendous stress — particularly in recent days — that our airline workers are under. And as we come through here, know that this is an ecosystem which is not self-sustaining.

There are countless individuals who step up every day willing to do the hard work to make sure we're safe, and, in my judgment, they all deserve gratitude, not just on this day, but as I often do, walking through airports, just saying thank you with a heart full of gratitude for what they do to make our lives safer and better. Thank you.

 

MAYOR MAMDANI LAUNCHES BACK HOME UNIT AND GUIDE TO HELP NEW YORKERS RECOVER AFTER EMERGENCIES

 

New unit will coordinate services for residents displaced by fires and other disasters 

TODAY, New York City Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani launched the new Back Home Unit in the Office of Housing Recovery Operations (HRO), a new initiative to help New Yorkers displaced by fires and other disasters return home more quickly and with greater support.   

  

The Back Home Unit launches alongside the Back Home NYC guide, an interagency resource outlining services available after a disaster, and a revamped digital vacate order tracker designed to improve coordination and transparency, ensuring New Yorkers can return home as soon as it is safe.  

  

The Back Home Unit will serve as a centralized hub for displaced tenants, providing a single point of contact to coordinate services, respond to resident needs, share real-time updates on inspections, facilitate access to belongings and notify residents when vacate orders are lifted.   

  

The initiative follows the passage of the Back Home Act, led by Council Members Jennifer Gutiérrez and Shekar Krishnan, which aims to strengthen the City’s response to emergency displacement and recovery.  

  

“When New Yorkers are forced from their homes by a fire or other disaster, the last thing they should have to face is a maze of government bureaucracy. The Back Home Unit is about dignity and urgency – cutting through red tape and standing alongside our neighbors in a moment of crisis,” said Mayor Mamdani. “When disaster strikes, you deserve a City that shows up for you and fights to get you home. That’s what our administration will deliver.”  

  

“Whether you need support with where to go and what to do next, understanding your rights as a tenant or knowing when you can return home, the Back Home Unit and guide are here to help you every step of the way. With the creation of this Unit, we’re building a government that works for New Yorkers and delivers the clarity and care New Yorkers deserve in their most difficult moments,” said Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning.   

  

The Back Home Unit will coordinate services across City agencies, including the Department of Buildings, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the Fire Department.   

  

The new Back Home NYC guide provides a one-stop overview of available services and next steps after a disaster, including short- and long-term shelter options, how to recover or replace essential documents, landlords’ responsibilities and tenants’ rights, as well as protections for students and workers.  

  

Delivering on Mayor Mamdani’s commitment to public excellence, the Back Home Unit also introduced an improved digital portal to track vacate orders, streamline agency coordination and provide timely updates to residents as buildings are cleared for reentry.   

ICE Asks Governor Pritzker and Chicago Sanctuary Politicians to Not Release Criminal Illegal Alien Accused of Killing 18-Year-Old Loyola College Student

 

Jose Medina-Medina was previously RELEASED after an arrest for shoplifting in Chicago

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged an arrest detainer asking sanctuary politicians to not release Jose Medina-Medina, a Venezuelan criminal illegal alien arrested for killing 18-year-old Sheridan Gorman in Chicago, Illinois.

According to local reports, 18-year-old Loyola University student Sheridan Gorman was shot and killed on Thursday morning around 1:00 am while she was walking in a park with friends. Medina-Medina is accused of approaching her while wearing a mask and armed with a gun. As she attempted to flee, he fired his gun and shot her. Gorman was shot and pronounced dead at the scene.

Sheridan Gorman

On May 9, 2023, Medina-Medina was apprehended by the U.S. Border Patrol and released into the country under the Biden administration. He was then released again on June 19, 2023, following an arrest for shoplifting in Chicago, Illinois.

Jose Medina-Medina

“Sheridan Gorman had her whole life ahead of her before this cold-blooded killer decided to end her life. She was failed by open border policies and sanctuary politicians who RELEASED this illegal alien TWICE before he went on to commit this heinous murder,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “We are calling on Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago’s sanctuary politicians to commit to not releasing this criminal illegal alien from jail back into American neighborhoods.”

In December 2025, ICE Director Todd Lyons sent a letter to Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul calling on him to put the safety of Americans first and honor ICE arrest detainers of the more than 4,000 criminal illegal aliens in the state’s custody including murderers, sexual predators, and those convicted of or charged with weapons offenses.

DHS law enforcement is protecting American communities every day from another senseless tragedy like this taking place in another town, to another family. Victims of illegal alien crime may receive support from the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office by contacting 1-855-488-6423.

Tallahassee Man Sentenced for Drug Distribution Conspiracy & Illegal Weapons Charges

 

Garret Culpepper, 25, of Tallahassee, Fla., was sentenced to seven years in federal prison after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana, and unlawful possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking crimes. The term of imprisonment will be followed by eight years on federal supervised release, and Culpepper was also ordered to forfeit property and U.S. currency connected to the drug trafficking activity.  

"THC vape devices containing Schedule 1 Controlled Substances are a real concern and DEA is treating them as such,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Daniel Escobar, Tampa Field Division.

The sentence was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “This case is the result of the outstanding investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department and our federal law enforcement partners, which dismantled a large-scale drug trafficking scheme by the defendant. My office will continue to deliver successful prosecutions, like this one, to fulfill the promise made by President Donald J. Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi through Operation Take Back America that our communities would be liberated from the scourge of drugs and criminal violence that has plagued our streets for far too long.”

Court documents reflect that beginning in 2023, investigators identified the defendant as a significant distributor of illicit marijuana and THC products, including THC ‘vape’ cartridges. Investigators were able to detail the defendant’s involvement in the manufacture and distribution of thousands of THC cartridges, hundreds of pounds of THC products such as wax, and thousands of pounds of raw marijuana.  This investigation ultimately led to the execution of a search warrant at the defendant’s Tallahassee residence on March 18, 2025, during which investigators recovered equipment designed to fill THC vape cartridges in bulk, just under 34 pounds of THC products, approximately 15 pounds of raw marijuana, body armor, multiple firearms, including rifles and handguns staged for easy access throughout the residence, and over $80,000 in U.S. currency.

The case involved a joint investigation by Tallahassee Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  

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.

Russian Citizen Sentenced to Prison for Hacking into U.S. Companies and Enabling Major Cybercrime Groups to Extort Tens of Millions of Dollars

 

A court in the Southern District of Indiana today sentenced a Russian citizen, Aleksei Volkov, to 81 months in prison for assisting major cybercrime groups, including the Yanluowang ransomware group, in carrying out numerous attacks against U.S. companies and other organizations. Volkov facilitated dozens of ransomware attacks throughout the United States, causing over $9 million in actual losses and over $24 million in intended losses. Volkov was indicted for this activity in both the Southern District of Indiana and Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Police in Rome, Italy, then arrested Volkov, and he was extradited to the United States. He pleaded guilty to charges from both indictments.

According to court documents, Volkov, 26, of St. Petersburg, Russia, was an “initial access broker,” that is, a person who specializes in gaining unauthorized access to computer networks and systems of corporations and organizations and selling that access to other cyber threat actors such as ransomware groups. Volkov found vulnerabilities in computer networks and systems, identified ways to access those networks and systems without authorization, and sold that illicit access to conspirators who were also cybercriminals.

Volkov’s co-conspirators then used the access Volkov provided to infect the affected computer networks and systems with malware. This malware encrypted the victims’ data and prevented the victims from accessing it, damaging their business operations. The conspirators then demanded that the victims pay them a ransom in cryptocurrency — sometimes in the tens of millions of dollars — in exchange for restoring the victims’ access to the data and promising not to publicly disclose the hack or release victims’ stolen data on a “leak” website. In some cases, the victims paid the ransom and in others the conspirators posted the victims’ confidential data on the leak site. If the victims paid the ransom, Volkov received a share of the money.

On Nov. 25, 2025, Volkov pleaded guilty to four counts from the Southern District of Indiana indictment, namely, unlawful transfer of a means of identification, trafficking in access information, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft; as well as two counts from the Eastern District of Pennsylvania indictment, namely, conspiracy to commit computer fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering after the  two cases were consolidated in the Southern District of Indiana. As part of his plea, Volkov admitted that he and his co-conspirators hacked into numerous victims’ computer networks, stole their data, deployed ransomware, demanded payment in cryptocurrency to exchange for restoring access to the data, and divided the ransom payments among themselves. In fact, they demanded tens of millions of dollars in ransom and received millions. Volkov agreed to pay full restitution to victims including at least $9,167,198.19 to known victims to compensate them for their actual losses as well as to forfeit equipment he used for his crimes.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Wheeler II for the Southern District of Indiana, U.S. Attorney David Metcalf for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Special Agent in Charge Timothy O’Malley of the FBI Indianapolis Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Philadelphia Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI is investigating the case.

Attorney General James’ Health Care Helpline Recovers Over $1.5 Million for New Yorkers in 2025

 

OAG Helped Thousands of New Yorkers Resolve Medical Billing Errors, Insurance Denials, and Coverage Problems

New York Attorney General Letitia James today released the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) 2025 Health Care Bureau Annual Report, detailing how the office helped thousands of New Yorkers resolve health care disputes, correct medical billing errors, and obtain necessary medical treatment. In 2025, OAG’s Health Care Helpline handled 4,890 complaints from New Yorkers and secured $1.53 million in restitution and savings by correcting billing mistakes, reversing wrongful insurance denials, and addressing unlawful business practices.

“Health care is complicated enough without families being forced to fight insurers for the care and coverage they are entitled to,” said Attorney General James. “My office’s Health Care Helpline helps New Yorkers cut through red tape, correct billing mistakes, and access the care they need. Whether someone is facing a surprise bill, a wrongful denial of coverage, or confusion about their benefits, my office is here to help.”

The Health Care Helpline serves as a direct resource for New Yorkers seeking help with medical bills, insurance claims, and access to care. In 2025, helpline advocates directly intervened in 3,279 complaints and helped thousands more by providing information or referrals to other agencies. In addition to resolving individual complaints, the report, “Real Solutions for New Yorkers,” highlights how consumer complaints help OAG identify broader systemic issues in the health care system and launch investigations when necessary.

In 2025, the most common categories of complaints to the Health Care Helpline were provider billing (42 percent), wrongful practices such as improper collections or refund issues (24 percent), claim-processing errors (13 percent), and health plan denials of coverage (10 percent). Other complaints involved obtaining or maintaining insurance coverage and access to prescription drugs. 

Many of the complaints handled by the Health Care Helpline involve significant financial or medical consequences for patients. Highlights from the report include:

• The OAG helped secure approval for a life-saving double-lung transplant for a patient with Stage 4 lung cancer whose insurance company initially denied coverage because he had not been cancer-free for five years. As the patient only had one to three years left to live, meeting that requirement was impossible, and his doctors had approved an earlier transplant as part of a clinical trial. After an OAG advocate challenged the denial and highlighted flaws in the insurer’s reasoning, the company reversed its decision and approved the procedure.
• The OAG successfully convinced a health plan to reduce outstanding debt for a disabled Social Security recipient from $262,466 to $1,297 after her health plan wrongfully refused to cancel claims following retroactive Medicare coverage. The health plan had sent her bills to debt collectors, but after significant pressure from OAG, the plan agreed to reprocess the claims in accordance with Social Security Administration guidance.
• A New Yorker was left with a five-figure ambulance bill after her son had to be transferred to another hospital due to emergency surgery complications. An OAG advocate intervened and negotiated with the insurer to reduce the bill to just $100 for the consumer.
• A cancer patient needed an MRI after being diagnosed with lymphoma, but the test was rejected by her insurer. The consumer later learned that her online insurance account had been wrongfully closed, and her attempts to reopen it failed. The OAG contacted the insurance plan and successfully restored the consumer’s account, allowing the MRI to be scheduled.
• An OAG advocate recovered $4,287 in premiums that a consumer paid for a fake health plan that did not provide adequate coverage. After the consumer discovered the plan was fraudulent and was unable to cancel it herself, OAG intervened to secure a full refund.
• A consumer was saddled with a $79,721 surprise bill after her insurance company suddenly stopped paying for her son’s mental health treatment and sought reimbursement for prior payments. The OAG intervened to remind the insurer of its legal obligations and existing settlements with OAG, ultimately forcing the plan to repay the denied claims, plus interest.

New Yorkers can contact the Health Care Helpline through the online complaint form to report and resolve health care complaints ranging from simple billing errors to complex deceptive business practices. Consumers can also call 1-800-428-9071 to file a complaint. Any consumer who believes that they may have been treated unfairly by a health care provider, Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), insurance plan, or other health-related business should contact the helpline for assistance. Helpline advocates also work to ensure that any negative impacts from improper medical billing or insurance claims are removed from credit reports.

Governor Hochul Addresses Collision Accident at LaGuardia Airport

Governor Hochul: “ I want to acknowledge the tragic accident at LaGuardia Airport late last night, a collision with an Air Canada jet and a Port Authority firetruck. First of all, my heart goes out to the families of the two pilots, Canadian pilots — certainly a very tragic outcome — and also the dozens of individuals who were injured, some seriously, some have already been discharged in the hospital.”

Hochul: “I spoke with a number of people, including Kathryn Garcia, the relatively new executive director of the Port Authority, who's been doing all the media briefings… We're working in close contact with them. I've left a message for Secretary Duffy that we're willing to be of assistance in any way possible. I know he's scheduled to be there and certainly we're hoping they'd be able to get air traffic back on schedule starting at 2:00 p.m. this afternoon.”

 Let me start with this. I want to acknowledge the tragic accident at LaGuardia Airport late last night, a collision with an Air Canada jet and a Port Authority firetruck. First of all, my heart goes out to the families of the two pilots, Canadian pilots — certainly a very tragic outcome — and also the dozens of individuals who were injured, some seriously, some have already been discharged in the hospital.

I've been fully briefed on the incident and the investigation. I spoke with a number of people, including Kathryn Garcia, the relatively new executive director of the Port Authority, who's been doing all the media briefings. And those of you who know Albany know Kathryn Garcia is the best of the best, and so I have confidence in her helping work with the investigations out of the federal government. We're working in close contact with them. I've left a message for Secretary Duffy that we're willing to be of assistance in any way possible. I know he's scheduled to be there and certainly we're hoping they'd be able to get air traffic back on schedule starting at 2:00 p.m. this afternoon. So I just wanted to put that out there.

 

HAPPENING THIS SATURDAY Assemblymember John Zaccaro, Jr.'s Annual Easter Egg Hunt

 

Friends & Neighbors, 

 

Spring has sprung and it’s time to get out those Easter baskets, fancy hats, and pastel colors. It’s time for our annual Pelham Parkway Easter Egg Hunt!

 

This year, we’re thrilled to bring you an afternoon filled with music, games, face painter, popcorn, and of course, lots of Easter eggs. Here are the details: 

 

WHEN: Saturday, March 28, 2026 THIS SATURDAY

WHERE: Pelham Parkway Greenway (across from Peace Plaza)

TIME: 11:00AM - 2:00PM

 

Events like these are what makes our community so special. Come out, enjoy the afternoon, and spend time with old and new friends. 

 

Looking forward to seeing everyone then! 

 

In Gratitude, 

John Zaccaro, Jr.