DHS Re-Adds Illegal Alien to ICE’s Most Wanted List After Biden Removed Alleged Killer

 

Jesus Maltos-Chacon has been on the run for twenty years and was removed from ICE’s Most Wanted List during the Biden Administration  

Today, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that Jesus Maltos-Chacon, an illegal alien from Mexico, has been re-added to Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Most Wanted List after the Biden Administration removed his name. Maltos is wanted for a 2006 hit-and-run death on 20-year-old Blake Zieto in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.   

“Jesus Maltos-Chacon is the Mexican criminal illegal alien who killed 20-year-old Blake Zieto in Baton Rouge, LA,’ said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “Maltos-Chacon hit Blake head-on, driving his truck on the wrong side of the road, and trapped Blake’s motorcycle underneath the truck as it went up in flames. Jesus Maltos-Chacon has been on the run ever since. After being taken off the ICE Most Wanted list by Biden, he is back on the Most Wanted list. We will find Maltos-Chacon. Not only because justice demands it, but because the Zieto family deserves peace. If you have any information on this alien’s whereabouts, call our tip line at 866-347-2423.”  

Jesus Maltos-Chacon  

On November 18, 2006, Blake Zieto, 20, was driving his motorcycle to meet a friend in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  Jesus Maltos-Chacon, from the opposite lane, swerved his truck into Blake's lane and struck his motorcycle.   

Zieto’s motorcycle became trapped under the truck as the truck burst into flames. Jesus Maltos-Chacon exited the vehicle and fled the scene. Blake Zieto succumbed to his injuries on his ambulance ride to the hospital. His body was so badly burned that this family was forced to hold a closed casket funeral.  

Maltos-Chacon has multiple prior arrests in the United States, including for a DWI in Texas and in East Baton Rouge Parish for operating a vehicle without lawful presence. His earliest recorded arrest was on February 25, 1998, for assault with no disposition in Dallas, Texas, indicating that he has been in the United States illegally for nearly thirty years.   

State, local, and federal law enforcement have been searching for Maltos-Chacon for the twenty years since Blake’s death. Law enforcement has distributed multiple wanted fliers and received numerous tips on Chacon’s whereabouts locating him throughout Louisiana, Texas, and even as far north as Minnesota. The most recent potential tip on Maltos-Chacon' location was in November of 2025, with a report to the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Tip Line concerning an illegal alien living in Denham Springs, Louisiana.   

Blake’s parents, Judy and Tony, have spent nearly twenty years of seeking justice and being pushed aside by open borders politicians and sanctuary politicians. That changed under President Trump.  

President Trump created the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office during his first Administration—only for the Biden Administration to shutter its doors and leave victims of illegal alien crime without access to many key support services and resources. Last year on April 9, the Trump Administration re-opened the VOICE office and put American victims and their families first.  

“I've dedicated my life to fighting for justice for Blake,” Judy said. “So, I contacted VOICE, and they immediately called me back and gave me the information that they had. The illegal that killed Blake was on ICE’s Most Wanted, and then when Biden got in office, he scrubbed the list. The illegal that killed Blake was taken off, but he is back on the list. He's up there as ICE, Most Wanted.”   

“We, for 20 years, have been watching an illegal alien whom slaughtered our child roam from sanctuary city to sanctuary city, and warned ahead of time to prevent ICE from arresting him,” Tony said.  

“Contact VOICE and they will help you,” Judy said in the video to other Angel Families. “And don't stop fighting. Just don't give up. You're not alone in this, even though many times you will feel like you are you are not alone.”

Watch a portion of the Zieto's testimony here: https://youtu.be/v2wgHEL8K_Q

For any tips or additional information on Maltos-Chacon’s whereabouts, please contact the ICE Tip Line at 866-347-2423. 

Leader of Multi-Million Dollar International Money Laundering and Drug Trafficking Ring Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison

 

Monica Dominguez Torres has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for leading a transnational criminal organization that operated methamphetamine conversion laboratories in the Atlanta area and laundered millions of dollars of drug proceeds to Mexico.

“This case highlights the evolving nature of drug trafficking organizations which is combining large-scale methamphetamine conversion with complex asset accumulation,” said Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division. “Our agents followed the drugs and the money, leading to the seizure of millions in assets tied directly to criminal activity.”

“Dominguez Torres once operated a prolific criminal operation and lived a lavish lifestyle paid for by drug trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. “Now, thanks to the diligent work of our Homeland Security Task Force, Dominguez Torres’s operation has been demolished, and she will spend the next two decades in prison paying for her crimes.”

“We followed the money, and it led us straight to the heart of this criminal operation. HSI doesn’t just chase shadows—we dismantle cartels and protect the homeland, one takedown at a time,” said Steven N. Schrank, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Georgia and Alabama. “Our success is built on strong partnerships and combining our unique capabilities with those of our federal, state, and local allies. Together, we deliver results that keep our communities safe.”

“Methamphetamine conversion laboratories present an immediate and significant threat to communities across the United States,” said Special Agent in Charge Demetrius Hardeman of IRS Criminal Investigation, Atlanta Field Office. “These clandestine operations endanger the public through toxic chemicals, fire hazards, and their ties to transnational criminal networks. The sentencing of Monica Dominguez Torres underscores that individuals who engage in this level of criminal activity will be held fully accountable. IRS Criminal Investigation, in coordination with our federal, state, and local partners, remains committed to conducting rigorous, collaborative investigations to dismantle these organizations.”

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the charges, and other information presented in court: Monica Dominguez Torres’s organization operated methamphetamine conversion laboratories where liquid methamphetamine, obtained from sources in Mexico, was converted into hundreds of kilograms of crystal methamphetamine to be sold in the Atlanta area and elsewhere. Dominguez Torres and her associates used residences in the Atlanta area to collect and count millions of dollars in cash from these drug sales. The proceeds were laundered and sent to coconspirators in Mexico. 

As part of the criminal operation, Dominguez Torres and her associates purchased millions of dollars’ worth of real estate, vehicles, and luxury goods – all designed to conceal the illicit source of their wealth. The investigation revealed that Dominguez Torres purchased five separate residences, including a seven-bedroom waterfront home in Jonesboro, Georgia. Three of these residences were purchased with bulk cash brought directly to the transaction. Dominguez Torres and others also purchased nine luxury vehicles worth approximately $780,000. Dominguez Torres also spent lavishly on high-end goods, including nearly $400,000 at Louis Vuitton and more than $425,000 at Burberry over roughly four and a half years. 

During the investigation, agents seized nearly $3.6 million in cash from Dominguez Torres’s residences, stash locations, and associates. When agents arrested Dominguez Torres at her Conyers, Georgia home in February 2024, they seized more than $1.7 million in cash, five firearms, and three vehicles.

On April 22, 2026, Monica Dominguez Torres, 37, of Michoacán, Mexico, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May to 20 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. As part of her sentence, Dominguez Torres was ordered to forfeit $1,750.961.00, four houses, a Cadillac Escalade, and a firearm. Nine other members of Dominguez Torres’s criminal organization including several members of her immediate family were charged as a result of the multi-year investigation. Federal agents with the DEA, HSI, and IRS partnered to conduct a thorough investigation of Dominguez Torres’s operation that resulted in these federal charges and seizures. 

In addition to Dominguez Torres’s sentence, the following co-defendants have been sentenced for their roles in the money laundering conspiracy:

• Juan Contreras Pavon, 32, of Jonesboro, Georgia, a bulk-cash money launderer, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
• Dominguez Torres’s husband, Bladimir Hernandez, 37, of Atlanta, Georgia, a money launderer, was sentenced to four years in prison, followed by a year of supervised release.
• Dominguez Torres’s son, Luis Contreras Dominguez, 23, of Riverdale, Georgia, a money launderer, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison, followed by a year of supervised release. 
• Dominguez Torres’s nephew, Louis Joshua Dominguez, 24, of Stockbridge, Georgia, a money launderer, was sentenced to three months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release.

Five other defendants are awaiting trial. 

This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations, with valuable assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, Georgia State Patrol, the Cobb County Sheriff’s Office, and the Paulding County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. DeGenova and Nicholas L. Evert are prosecuting the case.

This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. The Atlanta Wilhelm HSTF comprises agents and officers from ATF, CGIS, DEA, FBI, ICE-HSI, IRS-CI, DOL-OIG, DSS, USMS, USPIS, and USSS, as well as numerous state and local agencies, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia.

Jay Bryant Pleads Guilty as Accomplice to the Murder of Run-Dmc’s Jason Mizell, Also Known as “Jam Master Jay”

 

Defendant Convicted for His Role in Opening Locked Door for Killers to Enter Music Studio in Queens and Execute the Famed D.J.

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Jay Bryant, also known as “Bradshaw Dewitt,” “Jason Robinson,” “Morgan Bryant,” “Deshawn Sadler,” “Jay Sadler” and “Big Jay” pleaded guilty to the October 30, 2002, firearm-related murder of Jason Mizell, also known as “Jam Master Jay,” a member of the famed hip hop group Run-DMC.  The plea proceeding was held before United States Magistrate Judge Peggy Cross-Goldenberg. When sentenced, Bryant faces a mandatory minimum term of 15 years in prison and up to 20 years in prison.  This sentence also applies to separate narcotics trafficking and firearms charges to which Bryant already pleaded guilty and that were accepted by United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan on December 2, 2023.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Division (ATF New York), and Jessica S. Tish, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD) announced the guilty plea.

“More than two decades after the cold-blooded, execution-style killing of Mr. Mizell, an exhaustive investigation revealed Bryant’s role and today he finally admitted his guilt,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “The prosecutors in our Office and our law enforcement partners never give up, no matter how long it takes, in the pursuit of justice for the victim and the victim’s family.”

Mr. Nocella expressed his appreciation to the NYPD Intelligence Division, Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Queens County District Attorney’s Office, Columbia Borough Police Department in Pennsylvania, and the Dominican Republic National Police for their work on the case.

“Justice in the murder of Jam Master Jay has been pursued with determination and resolve for more than two decades. The defendant’s role in facilitating access for the killers was integral to this crime,” stated ATF New York Special Agent in Charge DiGirolamo. “Today’s guilty plea reflects the dedication of law enforcement and prosecutors who never stopped working to bring accountability for the victim and his family.  We are grateful for the partnership of ATF NY’s Joint Firearms Task Force–Long Island, ATF Philadelphia Allentown Office, NYPD, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.”

“The defendant’s guilty plea reflects the relentless work of NYPD detectives to hold criminals accountable, no matter how much time has passed,” stated NYPD Commissioner Tisch.  “Jason Mizell was brutally murdered over 20 years ago, but thanks to our investigators, along with our partners at the ATF and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, this case was never forgotten, and those who are responsible are now being held accountable.” 

As alleged in court filings, between the 1990s and 2002, separate from his music career, Mizell was involved in arranging for the sale of kilogram-quantities of cocaine in the Eastern District of New York and elsewhere.  In August 2002, Mizell acquired approximately 10 kilograms of cocaine on consignment from a supplier.  The cocaine was intended to be distributed in Maryland by co-defendants Karl Jordan, Jr., Ronald Washington, and other co-conspirators.  A dispute between Washington and one of the co-conspirators in Baltimore resulted in Mizell cutting Washington and Jordan out of the Maryland drug deal worth almost $200,000.  Following this betrayal, Washington and Jordan continued in the larger narcotics conspiracy until they ultimately cut out Jason Mizell by murdering him on October 30, 2002.

On October 30, 2002, Mizell was present at his recording studio, “24/7,” located on Merrick Boulevard in Jamaica, Queens.  At approximately 7:30 p.m., Bryant entered the building containing the recording studio and opened a locked fire escape exit door to allow Jordan and Washington to enter the building without being seen by Mizell.  Jordan and Washington entered the recording studio, armed with firearms.  Washington pointed his firearm at an individual and demanded she lay on the floor, and Jordan approached Mizell and fired two shots at close range, striking Mizell once in the head and killing him.  The second shot struck another individual in the leg.

Suspect in White House Correspondents’ Dinner Shooting Charged with Attempt to Assassinate the President

 

Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was arraigned today in U.S. District Court on charges stemming from the April 25, 2026, shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, announced the Department of Justice.

Allen is charged by complaint with one count of attempt to assassinate the President of the United States, transportation of a firearm & ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence. 

"Cole Allen now faces the full weight of federal justice,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “This alleged assassin was stopped because of the courage and professionalism of law enforcement officers who responded without hesitation by doing their jobs. Because of them, the President of the United States, administration officials and all attendees at the dinner were safe. Make no mistake: deranged attacks on our elected officials will never go unpunished."

“The evidence is abundantly clear: Cole Tomas Allen traveled to Washington D.C. for the purpose of assassinating President Trump and targeting members of the Trump administration, “said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Thanks to the heroic actions of our brave law enforcement partners who acted quickly and professionally, Allen did not succeed - and now, he will be held fully accountable. This FBI and our interagency partners have worked around the clock over the past two days investigating this case, and today’s charges are the first step in justice being served and providing answers to the American people.”

“Cole Allen traveled across the country with deadly weapons and a plan to assassinate the President of the United States,” said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro for the District of Columbia. “The swift and courageous response of the Secret Service officers prevented unimaginable tragedy. There is no room in this city for political violence.”

"This foiled plot was a brazen attempt to assassinate the president and numerous high-ranking U.S. government officials," said Darren Cox, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. "Violence is never an acceptable means of expressing political dissent. I would like to thank our partners for their assistance in the aftermath of this attack as we work tirelessly to ensure Allen is brought to justice."

According to court documents, on April 6, 2026, Allen made a reservation at the Washington Hilton hotel for three nights, from April 24 to April 26, 2026. Allen traveled by train from his home near Los Angeles to Chicago before boarding a train from Chicago to Washington, D.C. Allen arrived in the District at approximately 1 p.m. on April 24, 2026, and checked into the Washington Hilton later that day.

At approximately 8:40 p.m., Allen approached a security checkpoint on the Terrace Level of the hotel leading to the hotel’s ballroom. Allen ran through the magnetometer holding a long gun. U.S. Secret Service personnel assigned to the checkpoint heard a loud gunshot. A U.S. Secret Service officer, who was wearing a ballistic vest, was shot once in the chest. 

The Secret Service officer drew his service weapon and fired multiple times at Allen, who fell to the ground and suffered minor injuries but was not shot. Officers subsequently arrested Allen, who was in possession of a 12-gauge pump action shotgun and a Rock Island Armory 1911 .38 caliber pistol. 

Following his arrest, Allen was advised of his Miranda rights and invoked his right to remain silent. Allen was transported to Howard University Hospital for minor injuries and has since been released to law enforcement custody. 

Shortly before 8:40 p.m. on April 25, 2026, Allen sent an email to members of his family and a former employer explaining the actions he was about to take. The email, a copy of which law enforcement has obtained from a recipient, stated: “I wish I could have said anything earlier, but doing so would have made none of this possible. My sincerest apologies for all the trouble I've caused. (scheduled send)-Cole.”  Allen signed his email “Cole ‘coldForce’ ‘Friendly Federal Assassin’ Allen.” 

As part of this investigation, law enforcement reviewed records of firearm transactions from California and federal database sources. These records showed that on Aug.17, 2025, Allen purchased a 12-gauge pump action shotgun from a California firearms dealer. On Oct. 6, 2023, Allen purchased a .38 caliber semi-automatic pistol from another firearms dealer. Based on the serial numbers in the database records, these two firearms are the same two firearms that Allen at the Washington Hilton on April 25, 2026.

This case is being investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the U.S. Secret Service.

Two Chinese Nationals Charged With Methamphetamine Trafficking Crimes For Developing A Mass-Scale Methamphetamine Production Facility

 

Law Enforcement Authorities Seize Tens of Thousands of Pounds of Machinery the Defendants Shipped From China to Europe to Construct an Industrial Methamphetamine Factory While Importing Methamphetamine Precursor Chemicals to the United States

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Special Agent in Charge of the Special Operations Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Cindy Marx, announced today the unsealing of an Indictment charging WENFENG CUI, a/k/a “Vincen,” and FAN PANG, a/k/a “Jerry,” with conspiracy to traffic methamphetamine, conspiracy to import methamphetamine precursor chemicals, and methamphetamine importation related to a nearly year-long effort to research, develop, and put into operation a technologically sophisticated factory to mass produce methamphetamine.  The defendants were arrested in New York City on February 2, 2026, after a meeting in which they provided detailed instructions for the chemical synthesis of the drug, as well as the technological operation of industrial machinery the defendants created to produce it.  Law enforcement authorities later seized shipping containers packed with the equipment at a port in Europe.  Both defendants were previously charged by criminal complaint and presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gabriel W. Gorenstein, who ordered them detained pending trial.  The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Lorna G. Schofield. 

“As alleged, the defendants worked with chemists and engineers to develop and deploy a sophisticated technology for the industrial production of methamphetamine capable of producing 400 kilograms of ‘meth’ every day,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “Their goal was terrifying in its ambition.  The potential harm of this scale of methamphetamine on our streets should give all New Yorkers and all Americans pause.  This Office will find and prosecute not only the dealers distributing poison to New Yorkers, but also the people behind those operations.  Working with our international law enforcement partners, we will bring narcotics traffickers to justice—no matter where they are in the world, and no matter whether they commit their crimes in laboratories or on street corners.” 

“This indictment underscores the evolving threat posed by the synthetic drug market, in particular the increase we are seeing in methamphetamine,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Cindy Marx, Special Operations Division. “The level of technical expertise, industrial-scale machinery, and international reach revealed in this case is a stark reminder that today’s illicit drug trade is driven by innovation and relentless adaptation. The cartels are adapting, and so are we. DEA will continue to leverage its resources to protect our communities from the devastating impact of synthetic drugs.”

According to the allegations contained in the Indictment and other public court filings:[1]

Over the course of approximately eight months, confidential sources acting at the direction of the DEA and posing as narcotics traffickers communicated regularly with CUI and PANG in order to broker chemical agreements.  During one recorded call, CUI said that he could produce customized machinery to produce methamphetamine over the course of several months, and additional machines with subsequently refined designs in as few as 30 days.  CUI said that he could provide training in the assembly, installation, and operation of the equipment once it was produced, and offered ongoing parts and technical support on-site in Central America to a narcotics trafficker who purported to be located in Guatemala.

During a June 5, 2025, meeting, CUI said that he had many repeat customers who purchased hundreds of kilograms of precursor chemical from which methamphetamine could be synthesized from CUI and PANG.

During a June 17, 2025, meeting, CUI said, in sum and substance, that prototype machinery was already working.  PANG said that a completed machine could be ready by July and would produce as much as 800 kilograms of methamphetamine per production cycle.  During the meeting, CUI and PANG also offered to facilitate the sale of a sample of approximately forty kilograms of methylamine hydrochloride, a List I chemical used in the synthesis of methamphetamine.  CUI offered to deliver the chemical from China to New York in exchange for $4,000.  After the meeting, on or about June 18, 2025, CUI sent a confidential source screenshots of the chemical compositions of controlled substances his synthesis techniques could produce, including the CAS Registry number for methamphetamine. In August 2025, the defendant directed the shipment of methamphetamine precursor chemicals to New York.

In the course of developing the technology, CUI produced and disseminated detailed blueprints and schematics, technical specifications, equipment lists, and instruction manuals for both the assembly of the machinery into an industrial laboratory and the operational synthesis of methamphetamine using the machinery.  For example, CUI provided: a spreadsheet identifying dozens of necessary component parts, including stainless steel reactors, condensers, storage tanks, valves, explosion-proof pumps, refrigeration and hydrogenation systems, cylinders, centrifuges, and compressors; a detailed, nearly 5,000-word instruction manual for synthesizing meth using the technology, specifying, among other things, chemical proportions, pressure levels, and temperature controls; a flowchart visualizing the steps of production; and renderings of the laboratory assembly:

In January 2026, CUI sent a confidential source multiple photos and videos of the machinery as it neared completion, including the below:

After completing fabrication in December 2025, CUI and PANG directed the shipment of the full-scale methamphetamine production factory to a port in a European country.  According to freight records, the laboratory equipment—weighing more than 21,120 kilograms and measuring nearly 200 cubic meters—was packed into multiple shipping containers and dispatched from a port in Shanghai.  CUI sent a confidential source photographs of workers loading the equipment into shipping containers.  Standing next to the machine, CUI’s workers boasted that the technology—a “complete set of automated equipment”—represented the “future of the global chemical industry”:

In February 2026, law enforcement officials in a European country seized multiple shipping containers containing the machinery, including the components pictured below:

CUI, 41, and PANG, 26, both citizens of the People’s Republic of China, are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; one count of conspiracy to import methamphetamine precursor chemical with intent to manufacture narcotics, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and one count of importation of methamphetamine precursor chemical, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by a judge.

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the DEA’s Special Operations Division Bilateral Investigations Unit.  Mr. Clayton also thanked the Polish Provincial Police of Wroclaw and the Lower Silesian Branch of the National Prosecutors Office, and the German Zentrale Kriminalinspektion (“ZKI”) Osnabrück.

The case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan T. Nees is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment and the description of the Indictment set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

Governor Hochul Announces Nearly $45 Million to Create and Improve More Than 420 Rental Homes

Includes $24 Million in Funding for Vacant Rental Program to Transform Uninhabitable Apartments into 291 Affordable Homes

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $44.7 million in funding has been awarded across three New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) programs to create and rehabilitate more than 420 rental homes. The investment includes $24 million for 291 homes as part of HCR’s Vacant Rental Program, which transforms vacant and uninhabitable apartments into affordable homes.

“New York is committed to using all tools in its toolbox when it comes to housing affordability,” Governor Hochul said. “The Vacant Rental Program is a great example of how we can transform underutilized spaces to create homes that hundreds of households in communities across New York will be able to afford.”

The Vacant Rental Program was created as part of the FY25 Enacted Budget to support renovations of buildings with up to five vacant and distressed rental units into viable affordable housing for low- and moderate-income tenants in communities outside of New York City. The funding was awarded to 19 non-profits and local governments to assist property owners with the renovations.

Property owners that provide apartments for households earning up to 80 percent of the Area Median Income will receive up to $50,000 in subsidy per unit, and up to $75,000 per unit for apartments for households earning up to 60 percent of the Area Median Income. Today’s announcement is the final round of funding for the program during Fiscal Year 2026 – an earlier investment of $16.2 million was awarded during the previous fiscal year.

The awarded partners are:

• $300,000 to Allegany County Community Opportunities and Rural Development for four units across Allegany County.
• $1.57 million to Affordable Housing Partnership of the Capital Region for 19 units across Albany County.
• $1 million to Albany County Rural Housing Alliance for 12 units across Albany County.
• $2.3 million to Broadway Fillmore Neighborhood Housing Services for 28 units in the city of Buffalo.
• $1.11 million to Broome County Land Bank Corporation for 14 units across Broome County.
• $2.3 million to Buffalo Urban Renewal Agency for 28 units across the city of Buffalo.
• $1 million to Chautauqua Home Rehabilitation and Improvement Corporation for 12 units across Chautauqua County.
• $654,000 to the City of Elmira for eight units across Elmira.
• $645,000 to the City of Glens Falls for eight units across Warren County.
• $300,000 to the City of Jamestown for four units across Jamestown.
• $750,000 to Development Chenango Corporation for nine units across Chenango County.
• $2.3 million to East Buffalo Development Corporation for 28 units across East Buffalo.
• $2.3 million to Home HeadQuarters for 28 units across the city of Syracuse.
• $300,000 to Onondaga County for four units across Onondaga County.
• $300,000 to Ontario County Economic Development Corporation for four units across Ontario County.
• $1.7 million to Oswego Housing Development Corporation for 21 units across Oswego County.
• $1.9 million to PRIDE of Ticonderoga (d.b.a. North Country Rural Development Coalition) for 23 units across Warren, Washington, Essex, Hamilton, and Clinton Counties.
• $2.3 million to RUPCO for 28 units across Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Ulster, Westchester, and Sullivan Counties.
• $750,000 to Tioga County Property Development Corporation for nine units across Tioga County.

The investment also includes $10.7 million for 62 homes as part of HCR’s Small Rental Development Initiative, which supports the creation and preservation of multifamily rental developments with five to 20 apartments. Funding is awarded to non-profit organizations that own, develop, and manage small rental development housing. The homes will be affordable to households earning up to 80 percent of the Area Median Income.

The awarded partners are:

• $1.6 million to Shore/iCare for 19 Greenridge Avenue, a six-unit building in the city of White Plains.
• $1.3 million to Sisters of Charity for 200 Tremper Avenue, a six-unit building in the city of Kingston.
• $2.5 million to Nazareth Housing for 406 E 184th Street, a 20-unit building in the Bronx.
• $833,669 to Blue Mountain for 7 Katonah Avenue, a 4-unit affordable building in Katonah, Town of Bedford.
• $2.5 million to FAC Inc. for 573 Warren Street, a 16-unit building in Brooklyn.
• $1.9 million to RUPCO for The Wellington, a 10-unit building in Pine Hill, Town of Shandaken.

More than $10 million was also awarded for three projects as part of HCR’s Small Buildings Participation Loan Program, which assists in financing buildings with between five and 50 units. All of the projects will be affordable to households earning up to 80 percent of the Area Median Income.

The awarded projects are:

• $2 million for Church House on Seneca, which will transform a former church complex in the city of Buffalo into 15 homes.
• $4.8 million for Salina 1st, a new 32-unit building in the city of Syracuse.
• $3.3 million for renovations at 40-42 South Street, a 22-unit building in the city of Auburn.

The Vacant Rental Program, Small Rental Development Initiative, and Small Buildings Participation Loan Program are part of Governor Hochul’s $25 billion five-year Housing Plan, which is on track to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide. 

Mayor Mamdani, Governor Hochul and FIFA World Cup 2026 ™ NYNJ Host Committee Announce Free Fan Events Across Five Boroughs

 

City expands World Cup programming with free events in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and Staten Island  

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and the FIFA World Cup 2026 ™ New York New Jersey Host Committee today announced a free, citywide slate of Official NYNJ Fan Events across all five boroughs, bringing live match viewings, cultural programming, local businesses and interactive experiences directly to New Yorkers at no cost.  

  

All together, these five FIFA World Cup 2026 ™ Fan Events in New York City will be one of the largest free fan events in the country.   

  

“When I think back on my first World Cup, some of my most meaningful memories weren’t in the stadium, they were in the fan zones, surrounded by thousands of people brought together by a pure love of the game,” said Mayor Mamdani. “That’s what we’re building here: a World Cup that belongs to New Yorkers. By bringing these free fan events to every borough, we’re making sure everyone can be part of that joy.”   

  

“New Yorkers are ready to welcome fans from across the world for the 2026 World Cup and we’re making sure everyone who calls this city home is part of this historic event,” said Governor Hochul. “These free fan events across all five boroughs bring the excitement of the game to every New Yorker in every community — supporting our small businesses and bringing New Yorkers together.”  

  

“The World Cup is an opportunity to celebrate all of the diverse cultures and people that call New York City home,” said Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su. “In the past, host cities have been criticized for failing to ensure their own workers and residents benefit and get to participate in the opportunities this global game presents. Under Mayor Mamdani, we are charting a new model where New Yorkers across the five boroughs are prioritized with free events, activations, and celebrations like these.”  

  

“These free fan events show our commitment to making New York City the best host city in North America,” said World Cup Czar Maya Handa. “By expanding free programming across all five boroughs, we are ensuring that local restaurants and small businesses share in the benefits of the World Cup.”  

  

“These events are about welcoming the world to New York New Jersey and showcasing the very best of our region,” said Alex Lasry, CEO of the NYNJ 2026 World Cup Host Committee. “As the sports and entertainment capital of the world, we’re creating fan experiences that are affordable, accessible, and authentically New York New Jersey—for visitors and, just as importantly, for the residents who call this region home. We’re grateful to Governor Hochul and Mayor Mamdani for their leadership and partnership in bringing these experiences to life.”    

 

Staten Island University Hospital Community Park, where the announcement took place, received a new LED scoreboard, funded through the Economic Development Corporation and a donation from the FIFA New York New Jersey Host Committee. The collaborative effort between the City and the Host Committee not only readies the Stadium to host FIFA Fan Fest watch parties this summer but will also serve as a permanent critical equipment upgrade for baseball seasons well beyond the end of the 2026 World Cup.   

  

Free Official NYNJ Fan Events Across the Five Boroughs  

  

QUEENS | NYNJ World Cup 26 Queens Group Stage HQ | USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, Flushing Meadows | June 11–27 | Daily programming and match viewings  

  

MANHATTAN | NYNJ World Cup 26 & Telemundo Fan Village at Rockefeller Center | Rockefeller Center | July 6–19 | Daily programming; extended hours during Finals Week  

  

THE BRONX | NYNJ World Cup 26 Bronx Fan Zone | Bronx Terminal Market | June 13–14 | Matchday programming and local cultural programming  

  

BROOKLYN | Brooklyn Fan Zone | Brooklyn Bridge Park | June 13 - July 19 | Daily Programming and match viewings  

  

STATEN ISLAND | NYNJ World Cup 26 Staten Island Fan Zone | Staten Island University Hospital Community Park | June 29–July 2 | Daily programming and evening match viewings  

  

Together, these events form a 39-day, citywide celebration – spreading economic opportunity and World Cup energy across every corner of the city, not just its busiest destinations.    

Additional details on programming, partners and talent will be announced in the coming weeks. For more information, visit nynjfwc26.com.  

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