Former New York State Judge and Brooklyn Real Estate Investor Charged with Wire Fraud Conspiracy

 

Sam Sprei and Edward Harold King Allegedly Perpetrated Schemes to Defraud Real Estate Investors of Millions of Dollars

A complaint was unsealed charging Sam Sprei, also known as “Yechiel Sprei,” “Shimon Sprei,” and “Eli Shapiro,” and Edward Harold King, a former Kings County Supreme Court Justice, with wire fraud conspiracy.  Both defendants were arrested this morning and are scheduled to make their initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Clay H. Kaminsky.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Harry T. Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, New York (IRS-CI New York), announced the arrests and charges.

“As alleged, the defendants stole millions of dollars from investors by cynically leveraging King’s position as a sitting judge to lend false legitimacy to supposed investment opportunities,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Today’s arrests demonstrate that this Office will hold accountable those who exploit victims for their own financial gain.  Holding corrupt individuals accountable for the abuse of public trust will always be a priority of our Office.”

“Fraud that hides behind a veneer of legitimacy—especially the authority of a judge—strikes at the heart of public trust,” stated IRS-CI New York Special Agent in Charge Chavis.  “IRS‑CI will relentlessly follow the money, expose deception, and ensure that those who manipulate and mislead investors are brought to justice.  Today’s arrests send a clear message: schemes dressed up as opportunity will not shield wrongdoers from accountability.”

As set forth in court filings, Sprei and King perpetrated numerous schemes to defraud, including multiple schemes to defraud real estate investors in which they solicited the victims’ funds in fictitious investment opportunities, represented to the victims that their invested funds would be returnable on demand if the victims decided to end their involvement in the investments, and then later refused to return the money based on false excuses and converted a significant portion of the victims’ funds for their own use.

For example, in November 2024, Spreipresented two investors (the Investors) with an opportunity to purchase commercial real estate located in Freehold, New Jersey (the Property).  Sprei told the Investors that to take advantage of this opportunity, they would first have to show “proof of liquidity” by depositing funds in escrow. In addition, Sprei told the Investors that King was an independent escrow agent and a New York judge.  Sprei also made numerous misrepresentations designed to deceive the Investors, including that if the Investors decided not to pursue the investment, they could so advise the escrow agent and would receive the full amount deposited within two business days.  Based on these representations from Sprei, the Investors wired a total of $6.5 million to a bank account in King’s name pursuant to written escrow agreements signed by the Investors and King.  In the days immediately following the wire transfers from the Investors to the bank account in King’s name, millions of dollars of the Investors’ funds were withdrawn or transferred to a bank account in Sprei’s name.  When the Investors subsequently wrote to King to request the return of their deposited funds, King provided false excuses as to why he could not return the $6.5 million. Months later, King and Sprei returned to the Investors $1.5 million, representing only a portion of the Investors’ investment.  To date, Sprei and King have not returned any further funds to the Investors.

The charge in the complaint is an allegation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted of wire fraud conspiracy, the defendants face up to 20 years’ imprisonment.

Georgian National Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Soliciting Hate Crimes and Planning Mass Casualty Attack in New York City

 

Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Michail Chkhikvishvili, a Georgian national also known as “Commander Butcher,” was sentenced to 15 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Carol Bagley Amon for soliciting hate crimes and distributing instructions to make bombs and ricin.

Chkhikvishvili is a leader of Maniac Murder Cult, an international racially motivated violent extremist group that is also known as “Maniacs Murder Cult,” “Maniacs: Cult of Killing,” “MKY,” “MMC,” and “MKU.” Chkhikvishvili recruited others to commit violent acts in furtherance of MKY’s ideologies, including planning and soliciting a mass casualty attack in New York City. He was extradited from Moldova to the Eastern District of New York in May 2025 and pleaded guilty in November.

“Chkhikvishvili, a leader of the ‘Maniacs Murder Cult,’ repeatedly called for the murder of innocent civilians, including children, and schemed to attack and terrorize Jewish communities and racial minorities in the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “Chkhikvishvili, for example, tried to recruit a supposed associate to dress up as Santa Claus and pass out poisoned candy to minority children. Today’s sentence takes a monster off our streets and protects our communities at least for a time.”

“The defendant plotted abhorrent acts of antisemitic and racially motivated violence,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Individuals who plan and encourage this violence will not find refuge in the dark corners of the Internet. Together, with our law enforcement partners, we will relentlessly pursue these criminals, and hold them accountable.”

“The defendant is a hate-mongering menace who intended to hurt and kill children in the Jewish community and in other minority communities in New York City,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. for the Eastern District of New York. “Thanks to our incredible law enforcement partners, he did not succeed and will now face justice for his cowardly acts. Today’s sentence sends a strong message to hateful extremists, wherever you are, who seek to spread fear through unspeakable violence: we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law.”

“The defendant recruited others to commit violent attacks against the Jewish community and racial minorities, and he will now pay a steep price for his crimes,” said Assistant Director Donald Holstead of the FBI’s Counterterrorism Division. “His twisted plans included poisoning children with candy around the holidays, but that plot was stopped thanks to the good work of the FBI and our law enforcement partners. The defendant was extradited from Moldova, showing once again that those who try to harm our citizens will not be able to hide overseas from the FBI and Justice Department prosecutors. We will spare no effort to make sure these criminals face justice.”

“As a leader of the white supremacist group ‘Maniac Murder Cult,’ this defendant concocted hate-fueled, mass-casualty plans and inspired others to commit attacks based on his vile rhetoric,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch. “This violent extremist’s intentions were clear: harm and kill as many Jews and racial groups as possible. But thanks to the work of our NYPD investigators, along with the FBI and the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, he is now off our streets and being held accountable for his hateful crimes.”

Mr. Nocella praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which consists of investigators and analysts from the FBI, the New York City Police Department, and over 50 other federal, state, and local agencies, as well as the Department of State, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, and the government of Moldova for their crucial assistance in securing Chkhikvishvili’s arrest and extradition.

Maniac Murder Cult adheres to Neo-Nazi ideology and promotes violence against racial minorities, the Jewish community and other groups it deems “undesirables.” Since approximately September 2021, Chkhikvishvili has distributed a manifesto titled the “Hater’s Handbook” to MKY members and others. The Hater’s Handbook encourages people to commit acts of mass violence, including school shootings, and includes Chkhikvishvili’s assertion that he has “murdered for the white race.”

In June 2022, Chkhikvishvili traveled to Brooklyn, New York. Beginning as early as July 2022, Chkhikvishvili repeatedly encouraged others, primarily via Telegram, to commit violent hate crimes and other acts of violence on behalf of MKY. This included soliciting acts of mass violence in New York from an individual who, unbeknownst to Chkhikvishvili, was an undercover FBI employee (the UC).

Beginning in approximately November 2023, Chkhikvishvili solicited the UC to commit violent crimes, such as bombings and arsons, for the purpose of harming racial minorities, Jewish individuals and others. In November 2023, Chkhikvishvili began planning a mass casualty attack in New York City to take place on New Year’s Eve. The scheme involved having an individual dress up as Santa Claus and hand out candy laced with poison to racial minorities. In January 2024, the scheme evolved and Chkhikvishvili specifically directed the UC to target the Jewish community, Jewish schools, and Jewish children in Brooklyn with poison. Chkhikvishvili sent detailed manuals about creating and mixing lethal poisons and gases, including ricin. 

Chkhikvishvili has incited multiple attacks and killings around the world:

• In January 2025, a 17-year-old student killed one individual and injured another before dying by suicide inside Antioch High School in Nashville, Tennessee. The attacker livestreamed part of the attack. Prior to the attack, in an audio recording posted online and attributed to him, the attacker claimed he was taking action on behalf of Maniac Murder Cult. The attacker’s manifesto explicitly mentioned Chkhikvishvili.
• In August 2024, an individual livestreamed himself stabbing five people outside a mosque in Eskisehir, Turkey, while wearing a tactical vest bearing Nazi symbols. A manifesto attributed to the attacker included explicit references to Chkhikvishvili and his violent statements. Before the attack, the attacker also distributed a link to the Hater’s Handbook and other violent propaganda.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew D. Reich and Ellen H. Sise for the Eastern District of New York are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Trial Attorney Justin Sher of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, Special Agent Kristoffer Borch from the Eastern District of New York’s Criminal Investigations Unit, and Paralegal Specialists Rebecca Roth and Wayne Colon. The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division also provided assistance.

Defendant Extradited From Dominican Republic To Face Charges For Using Manhattan Apartment To Operate Industrial-Scale Pill Pressing Operation

 

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”), Michael Alfonso, and Special Agent in Charge of the New York Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”), Farhana Islam, announced the unsealing of a Complaint charging RUDDY CENIT-THEN with conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.  CENIT-THEN was presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah Netburn and ordered detained pending trial.

“New Yorkers want us to send a message:  New York will not be a safe haven for any level of drug distribution, much less fentanyl and methamphetamine pill factories,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “As alleged, Ruddy Cenit-Then conspired with others to operate a pill mill out of a 20th-floor Manhattan apartment, right next to thousands of innocent New Yorkers just going about their lives.  That conduct will never be tolerated by this Office.  I am deeply grateful for the efforts of our law enforcement partners and the career prosecutors of this Office as we work to keep methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other deadly and debilitating narcotics off our streets.”

“Ruddy Cenit-Then now stands accused of using a Manhattan apartment as the base for a clandestine pill-pressing factory to produce narcotics-laced tablets on an industrial scale,” said HSI Special Agent in Charge Michael Alfonso.  “Pumping these toxic pills into our communities drives overdoses, fuels crime, and erodes the safety and stability of our families and local businesses.  HSI New York, together with our Homeland Security Task Force partners, will continue to utilize every lawful tool at our disposal to dismantle these operations and protect our neighborhoods from this deadly trade.”

“The DEA and our law enforcement partners remain steadfast in holding accountable those individuals responsible for pushing fentanyl and methamphetamine into our neighborhoods,” stated DEA New York Enforcement Division Special Agent in Charge Farhana Islam. “Ruddy Cenit-Then, who is charged with operating an industrial-scale pill press operation in Washington Heights and sought refuge in the Dominican Republic, thought he was safe from the reach of the DEA and our partners. Today he learned that our global footprint remains strong and wide, and that we are committed to holding traffickers accountable both here at home and abroad.”

According to the allegations contained in the Complaint:[1]

On July 24, 2025, pursuant to a judicially authorized warrant, law enforcement officers searched an apartment in the Washington Heights neighborhood in Manhattan that appeared to be used by CENIT-THEN.  Inside the apartment, law enforcement officers found evidence that CENIT-THEN was using the apartment to run a clandestine, industrial-scale pill pressing operation.  Hidden behind panels inside a closet, law enforcement found, among other things, an industrial-scale pill press and approximately 37 pounds of a white crystal substance contained in a series of Ziplock bags for which field tests positively indicated the presence of methamphetamine.  The pill press, drugs, and other items found behind the hidden panels are pictured below in Image 1, and the hidden panels are pictured below in Image 2.

                                                                                                                                                                 Image 1

                                              Image 2

                                                                                                                                                              RUDDY CENIT-THEN, 46, of the Dominican Republic, is charged with one count of conspiring to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.

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

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of HSI New York and the Homeland Security Task Force, DEA Group D-25, the New York State Police, the New York City Police Department, and the Kings County District Attorney’s Office.  Mr. Clayton also thanked the DEA Chemist Team for its processing of the scene and the U.S Marshals Service for the arrest of CENIT-THEN.  The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with Dominican authorities in securing CENIT-THEN’s arrest and extradition.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Narcotics Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Getzel Berger, Katherine Cheng, and Joseph H. Rosenberg are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. 

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

RONX MAN SENTENCED TO 15 YEARS IN PRISON FOR DAYTIME SHOOTING ON CROWDED STREET THAT INJURED TWO WOMEN

 

One Victim Suffered Devastating Injuries

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark announced that a Bronx man was sentenced to 15 years in prison after being found guilty of Attempted Murder and Assault for shooting two women, seriously injuring one of them. 

District Attorney Clark said, “This defendant opened fire on a crowded Bronx sidewalk in the middle of the afternoon. His intended target was hit twice, suffering grievous injuries. Another victim was hit in the leg. With this lengthy prison sentence justice has been served. I hope this sentence will give the two victims and their families peace of mind.” 

District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Carlos Rivera, 66, of East 178th Street, Bronx, was sentenced on May 11, 2026, to 15 years in prison and five years post release supervision by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Verena Powell. Rivera was convicted by a jury of Attempted Murder in the first-degree, first-degree Assault, second-degree Assault, and second-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon on March 6, 2026. 

According to the facts brought out at trial, at approximately 1:48 p.m. on May 3, 2023, the defendant and Erica DiSalvio got into an argument inside the TD Bank located at 148 E Fordham Road. Rivera exited the bank and waited for DiSalvio. When she exited the bank, Rivera pointed a firearm at her and fired two shots, striking her twice. The bullets hit her in the pelvic area, right chest, and right arm. A bystander who was on the street, was hit in the leg. Both women were taken to St. Barnabas Hospital. DiSalvio suffered serious injuries which required reconstructive surgery. To this day she experiences pain in her arm and leg.

District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Officer Johnmicheal Medina of the 46th Precinct, NYPD Detective Joseph Uvenio of the Crime Scene Unit and NYPD Sgt. Katherine Torres of the 43rd Detective Squad for their work in the investigation. 

Mayor Mamdani, NYC Tourism + Conventions and Team Wonder Launch New Initiatives to Help New Yorkers and Visitors Explore the Five Boroughs During the 2026 FIFA World Cup™, Including “NYC Neighborhood Passport”

 

“NYC Neighborhood Passport” will encourage participants to explore neighborhoods across New York City and collect artist-designed stamps  

  

New events calendar and digital map will help New Yorkers and visitors find free and low-cost events across the five boroughs 

  

Effort builds on administration’s commitment to make the World Cup affordable for New Yorkers 

Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup™, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, NYC Tourism + Conventions and Team Wonder today unveiled a series of new initiatives to help New Yorkers and visitors alike explore the five boroughs and find free and low-cost ways to celebrate the world’s biggest sporting event.  

  

As part of the initiative, Mayor Mamdani and Team Wonder, with support from the New York Community Trust, will launch the “NYC Neighborhood Passport,” a citywide program encouraging people to explore New York City’s immigrant communities, cultural institutions, small businesses and community events throughout the tournament. 

  

Participants will be able to collect stamps from hundreds of community organizations and public events across the five boroughs while also sharing stories about what the World Cup means to them as part of a nationwide storytelling initiative.  

  

Mayor Mamdani and NYC Tourism + Conventions will also launch a new events calendar and interactive digital map on nyctourism.com to help New Yorkers and visitors discover free and low-cost programming, local promotions and neighborhood events throughout the tournament. Developed alongside the FIFA World Cup 2026™ New York New Jersey Host Committee, the platform will help drive visitors to local businesses, cultural institutions and community events across all five boroughs.  

  

These initiatives build on the Mamdani administration’s broader effort to ensure every New Yorker can take part in the 2026 FIFA World Cup™, including plans for free official NYNJ fan events in every borough, World Cup field days for students at 50 public schools and investments in public spaces across the city ahead of the tournament.  

The ‘NYC Neighborhood Passport’ will encourage participants to explore neighborhoods across New York City and collect artist-designed stamps. Credit: Team Wonder. 

“The World Cup isn’t just coming to MetLife Stadium. It’s coming to Corona and Flatbush, Astoria and Sunset Park, and every neighborhood that makes New York the most diverse, dynamic city in the world,” said Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani. “Whether you’re arriving at JFK for the first time or you’ve lived in the five boroughs your whole life, we want every New Yorker and every visitor to experience the full breadth of this city during the World Cup. The NYC Neighborhood Passport, events calendar and digital map will help people discover fun, free and accessible ways to explore New York through the world’s game.” 

  

“This World Cup, people should get to scavenge for fun passport stamps, not be forced to scavenge for affordable ways to join the celebration. With these new initiatives, we'll make it easy for New Yorkers and visitors alike to explore the five boroughs, find free watch parties, visit small businesses, and enjoy the historic tournament coming to our community,” said World Cup Czar Maya Handa. “Thank you to all of our partners across the public and private sector who are making these initiatives — as well as the lifetime memories they will create — possible.” 

  

“New York City’s diversity is our greatest strength, and the FIFA World Cup presents an extraordinary opportunity to showcase the people, neighborhoods, and cultural institutions that make the five boroughs unlike anywhere else in the world,” said NYC Tourism President and CEO Julie Coker. “NYC Tourism is proud to lead the development of this citywide events calendar and mapping experience with Neurun, helping New Yorkers and visitors alike discover free and affordable programming, support local businesses, and explore communities across all five boroughs throughout the tournament. From iconic attractions to neighborhood celebrations, these tools will help ensure the excitement and economic impact of the World Cup are felt in every corner of our city.” 

  

“The World Cup is an opportunity to showcase New York City on the global stage while highlighting the communities, cultures, and small businesses that define our region,” said Alex Lasry, CEO of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ New York New Jersey Host Committee. “These initiatives will help connect fans and visitors to neighborhoods across all five boroughs while creating meaningful opportunities for local organizations and businesses to be part of the biggest sporting event in history. We’re proud to support efforts that encourage people to explore the city, engage with local communities, and experience the authentic energy that makes New York unlike anywhere else in the world.” 

  

“Ask any soccer fan about the World Cup, and you'll hear stories that span generations, bridge borders, and inspire dreams,” said Betsy MacLean, Partner at Team Wonder. “This summer, we have the chance to lean into the joy, belonging, and solidarity of it all -- to celebrate immigrant communities, explore the magic of NYC neighborhoods, connect with each other, and lead with love on a global stage.” 

  

Beginning June 11, NYC Neighborhood Passport booklets will be available at every public library branch across the five boroughs and at select events. Participants will be able to collect stamps from hundreds of cultural institutions, community organizations and public events. 

  

Each stamp has been designed by New York City-based artists with roots in India, Colombia, Iran, Korea, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Vietnam, Ghana, Mexico and Argentina, reflecting both the countries participating in the World Cup and the cultural diversity of New York City.

 

Stamps will be distributed across designated locations throughout the city, encouraging participants to explore dance performances, film screenings, art exhibits, book talks, block parties and more across all five boroughs in order to collect every stamp. Locations were also selected to highlight immigrant communities, including Little Senegal, Little Colombia, Little India and others. 

 

Stamps will be available at participating organizations, including: 

  

• 651 ARTS 

• American Museum of Natural History 

• BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn 

• Bronx Children's Museum 

• Bronx River Art Center 

• Brooklyn Public Library 

• Carnegie Hall 

• Cypress Hills Fulton Business Improvement District 

• El Museo del Barrio 

• En Garde Arts 

• Fifth Avenue Committee 

• Fourth Arts Block (FABnyc) 

• Franklin Furnace 

• Gotham Football Club 

• Historic Richmond Town 

• I AM CARIBBEING/Little Caribbean NYC 

• International Center of Photography 

• Jamaica Center for Arts and Learning 

• Juneteenth NYC 

• Kensington Cultural Council 

• King Manor Museum 

• Korean Community Services 

• LA VICTORIA FOUNDATION 

• Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art 

• Lewis Latimer House 

• Make the Road NY 

• Mark Morris Dance Group 

• Mexican Coalition 

• MOCADA 

• Museum of Chinese in America 

• Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust 

• New Victory Theater 

• New York African Chorus Ensemble, Inc 

• New York Botanical Garden 

• New York Hall of Science 

• New York Public Library 

• NONGKI NYC 

• Project New Yorker 

• Prospect Park Alliance 

• Queens Botanical Garden 

• Queens County Farm Museum 

• Queens Museum 

• Queens Public Library 

• Queens Theatre 

• Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden 

• Spanish Theatre Repertory Company, Ltd. (aka Repertorio Español) 

• Staten Island Children's Museum 

• Staten Island Museum 

• Street Lab 

• Sundog Theatre 

• The Bronx Museum 

• The Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Educational Center 

• The Haitian Americans United For Progress, Inc. 

• The Laundromat Project 

• The Morgan Library and Museum 

• The Museum of the City of New York 

• The New York Historical 

• The Public Theater 

• Wave Hill 

• West Indian American Day Carnival Association 

  

For a full and updated list of participating organizations and stamp locations, visit team-wonder.com/alreadyhome  

  

The Mamdani administration and Team Wonder are also launching the NYC Neighborhood Passport alongside “Already Home,” a nationwide storytelling campaign inviting soccer fans and nonfans alike to share what the World Cup means to them. Participants will be encouraged to submit video or audio recordings of their World Cup stories, which will become part of a national collection spanning cities including Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Seattle, Albuquerque and El Paso. 

  

On May 27, NYC Tourism + Conventions will also launch a new World Cup events calendar through its World Cup hub at nyctourism.com. Built by Neurun, the platform will feature events, special offers and promotions from businesses and organizations across all five boroughs, helping New Yorkers and visitors discover neighborhoods, cultures and communities. 

  

Businesses and organizations across New York City will be able welcome to submit events and promotions for consideration free of charge.  

  

As part of Small Business Month, Mayor Mamdani and the Department of Small Business Services (SBS) are expanding outreach efforts to help local businesses prepare for the influx of visitors expected during the World Cup. Through promotion of the NYC World Cup 2026 Business Tool Kit, the City is helping entrepreneurs take advantage of increased tourism and foot traffic.  

  

To date, SBS has reached more than 56,000 New Yorkers and will continue outreach through its “Mobie” (Mobile Outreach Unit) tours, targeted email campaigns, social media outreach and industry roundtables.  

  

Upcoming SBS outreach events include:  

  

• May 13 – Jackson Heights, Queens 

• May 15 – 161st Street, Bronx  

• May 19 – Little Haiti, Brooklyn
• May 19 – Sunset Park, Brooklyn

• May 20 – Port Richmond, Staten Island  

• May 26 – Koreatown, Manhattan 

• June 4 – Little Senegal, Manhattan 

  

“New York City is home to the world's most diverse, international, and vibrant arts and cultural organizations in the world - and they are celebrating the World Cup!” said NYC Cultural Affairs Commissioner Diya Vij. “With hundreds of programs from cultural organizations participating in the map and Neighborhood Passport, every New Yorker - soccer fan or not - will have the opportunity to experience and engage with the intersection of culture and sports, marking this exciting global moment for our city.” 

  

“New York City was built by immigrants and the NYC Neighborhood Passport is a celebration of the communities that continue to shape the heart and soul of our city,” said Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Faiza Ali. “As the World Cup brings people from around the globe to New York, this initiative encourages everyone to explore our immigrant neighborhoods, support local businesses, and experience the languages, cultures and traditions that make New York City unlike anywhere else in the world. We hope this passport inspires New Yorkers and visitors alike to walk these streets, connect across communities, and experience the richness and diversity that define our city.”  

  

“Hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ is a tremendous opportunity that will attract visitors from around the world and encourage New Yorkers to take advantage of all that our city has to offer,” said New York City Economic Development Corporation Interim President & CEO Jeanny Pak. “NYCEDC looks forward to activating several of our assets to ensure a historic summer for New York City. We encourage visitors and residents to explore new neighborhoods across the five boroughs, visit iconic cultural institutions, support small businesses, and participate in the administration’s free and low-cost offerings that will enhance the World Cup experience, making it affordable and accessible to all.”  

  

“The 2026 FIFA World Cup™ will not only showcase New York City on the world stage, but also the people, neighborhoods, and public spaces that make our city so vibrant and unique,” said NYC Parks Tricia Shimamura. “NYC Parks is excited to bring New Yorkers together through free programming across the five boroughs, including soccer clinics, a soccer film festival, and fan zones in some of our incredible parks. We are proud to work alongside our fellow city agencies and partners to create welcoming public spaces and experiences that celebrate our diversity, connect communities, and ensure every New Yorker can take part in this historic moment.” 

  

“The World Cup is an opportunity to celebrate all the diverse neighborhoods and cultural institutions New York City has to offer.  And there's no better way to explore our city than on a bicycle; I encourage locals and visitors alike to hop on a bike or take advantage of our great public transit to visit the five boroughs and fill their NYC Neighborhood Passport — you’ve gotta stamp ‘em all!” said New York City Department for Transportation Commissioner Mike Flynn.