NYC Council Holds Hearing on Legislation to Protect New Yorkers from Dynamic and Surveillance Pricing

 

Bills would ban grocery price increases within 24-hour period and prohibit businesses from using consumers’ personal data to set individual prices

The New York City Council held a hearing on two consumer protection bills aimed at restricting practices driven by emerging technology and data collection known as dynamic and surveillance pricing. The legislation, sponsored by Speaker Julie Menin and Majority Leader Shaun Abreu, would establish guardrails around dynamic pricing in grocery stores and a prohibition on businesses using consumer personal data to set individual prices, making New York the first city in the nation with such protections.

As digital price tags and algorithmic pricing systems become more common, consumers and industry experts have raised concerns around dynamic pricing, the practice of frequent price changes based on demand or market conditions, and surveillance pricing, a practice of using personal data collected about consumers to tailor prices to individuals.

The Council’s legislation takes a proactive approach to establishing consumer protections before these practices become widespread, while still allowing businesses flexibility to respond to legitimate market forces and operational costs. Importantly, the bills do not prohibit discounts or promotions, preserving common-sense pricing practices such as loyalty rewards, membership programs, senior and military discounts, coupons, and other benefits available through uniform eligibility criteria.

“New Yorkers deserve transparency and fairness when purchasing essential goods, and the Council will make New York the first city in the country to take a strong stand against predatory surveillance and exploitative dynamic pricing practices,” said Speaker Julie Menin. “As a regulatory attorney and the former Commissioner of the Department of Consumer Affairs, I take consumer protection extremely seriously. These bills establish clear, commonsense guardrails to ensure companies cannot use personal data to manipulate prices or undermine public trust. At a time of rising costs and deep affordability challenges, we need to pursue every solution to protect consumers and keep prices fair. These protections will be backed by the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection’s robust enforcement authority, ensuring New Yorkers have a local watchdog dedicated to holding bad actors accountable and protecting consumers in an increasingly digital marketplace.”

“My office led a broad coalition of unions, advocates, community leaders, and families in the fight to pass legislation in Albany to ban surveillance pricing and keep costs down,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James. “New Yorkers facing a rising cost of living should not have to deal with companies using their personal data to charge them the highest possible price, and I applaud Speaker Menin and the New York City Council for taking action to protect New York City from surveillance pricing.”

The first bill, sponsored by Speaker Menin, would prohibit businesses from engaging in surveillance pricing by banning the use of personal data — collected through technology like device tracking, internet browsing history, biometric monitoring, or purchase history — to set individual fee, prices, and discounts for consumers. The legislation excludes loyalty and rewards programs, publicly disclosed discounts, and pricing differences tied to the cost of providing goods or services. The second bill, sponsored by Majority Leader Abreu, would prohibit grocery stores from increasing the price of an item more than once within a 24-hour period. This would allow businesses to make daily adjustments based on market forces, without making more frequent price adjustments that artificially inflate the cost of essential goods.

Two Gainesville Men Indicted for Drug Conspiracy

 

Cleveland Tyrone Ferguson II, 54, and Damien Charles Curtis, 46, of Gainesville, have been indicted in federal court for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine. Additionally, Ferguson has been separately indicted for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, while Curtis has been separately charged with distribution of 500 grams or more of cocaine and possession with the intent to distribute 5 grams or more of methamphetamine and crack cocaine. John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida, announced the charges.

Ferguson and Curtis appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Midori A. Lowry for their initial appearance at the United States Courthouse in Gainesville, Florida. Trial is scheduled for July 22, 2026, at 8:30 a.m., in Gainesville before Chief District Court Judge Allen C. Winsor. 

If convicted, Ferguson faces a sentence of at least 10 years’ imprisonment and the possibility of life imprisonment for each charge. Curtis faces between 5 and 40 years’ imprisonment for each charge.            

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Gainesville-Alachua County Drug Task Force, and Alachua County Sheriff’s Office. 

An indictment is merely an allegation by a grand jury that a defendant has committed a violation of federal criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

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.

MISSISSIPPI MACHETE MURDERER: ICE Lodges Detainer for Criminal Illegal Alien Accused of Murdering Roommate with Machete in Mississippi

 

This illegal alien was released into our country by the Biden Administration

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after an illegal alien was indicted by a grand jury in DeSoto County, Mississippi for murder.

Maberic Reyes-Reyes

On June 11, 2026, the DeSoto County District Attorney’s office announced that a grand jury had indicted Maberic Reyes-Reyes, a criminal illegal alien from Honduras, on charges of murder. According to previous reporting, Reyes-Reyes is accused of murdering his roommate in a machete attack in Southaven, Mississippi on January 13, 2026. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer for Reyes-Reyes on January 14.

“This criminal illegal alien is charged in the barbaric murder of his roommate. He violently attacked him with a machete in a brutal killing,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “This illegal alien would never have been in our country in the first place if it weren’t for the reckless open border policies of the Biden Administration. ICE has lodged a detainer and will work with our law enforcement partners in Mississippi to ensure that this criminal illegal alien can never again roam our streets and threaten anyone else.”

Reyes-Reyes illegally entered the United States as a minor in Texas in 2022, and was RELEASED into the country by the Biden Administration.

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Special Juneteenth SummerStage Show

 

Just Announced - Juneteenth at SummerStage Our colleagues at Capital One City Parks Foundation SummerStage are thrilled to co-present a free Juneteenth show with the NYC Commission on Racial Equity! Join us in Central Park THIS FRIDAY for performances by hip-hop icon Ja Rule, legendary DJ Kid Capri, and GRAMMY award-winning singer LeToya Luckett. 

The Juneteenth Celebration on Reparations & Racial Equity will bring together culture, music, civic engagement, and public dialogue around some of the most consequential racial justice initiatives in New York City’s history. The event will feature performances while also serving as a platform to educate New Yorkers about the City’s reparations mandates under Local Laws 91 and 92 and gather community feedback on the City’s Preliminary Racial Equity Plan.

More than a concert, the Juneteenth gathering represents a unique opportunity for New Yorkers to participate directly in shaping the future of racial equity policy, accountability, and reparative justice in New York City. Doors open at 5PM! Learn more here!

For questions or concerns, contact your borough community engagement coordinator:

Robert Madera | Bronx Senior Community Engagement Coordinator

Community Boards: 4, 5, 7, 8

718.430.4667 | Robert.Madera@parks.nyc.gov

Spyridon “Spiro” Hormovas | Bronx Community Engagement Coordinator

Community Boards: 9, 10, 11, 12

718.430.1815 | Spyridon.Hormovas@parks.nyc.gov

Ashley Santos | Bronx Community Engagement Coordinator

Community Boards: 1, 2, 3, 6

718.430.1861 | Ashley.Santos@parks.nyc.gov

DEC FINALIZES REGULATIONS TO INCREASE HARVEST OF ANTLERLESS DEER

 

New Incentive for Hunters Established with Statewide Earn-a-2nd-Buck System

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton announced several changes to deer hunting regulations to increase harvest of antlerless (primarily female) deer and improve DEC’s ability to manage abundant deer populations. 

“Deer populations are growing across much of New York and, in many areas, are increasing to levels that are detrimental to deer, their habitat, and the public,” Commissioner Lefton said. “These regulatory changes are a result of robust public engagement and reflect DEC’s continued commitment to conservation.” 

DEC is adopting several changes to increase opportunity for hunters to access and utilize Deer Management Permits (DMPs, antlerless deer tags) where most needed, including: 

• Adding 10 Wildlife Management Units (WMUs; 3P, 6P, 7F, 7H, 7J, 7R, 8H, 8R, 8S, and 9G) to the nine-day season for antlerless deer in mid-September.
• Designating 23 WMUs as having no DMP quota. Hunters who harvest and report an antlerless deer using a DMP in a WMU with no DMP quota would be eligible to have the DMP automatically replaced. For 2026, WMUs 1C, 3M, 3P, 3R, 3S, 4J, 6P, 7F, 7H, 7J, 7R, 8A, 8C, 8F, 8G, 8H, 8J, 8N, 8R, 8S, 9A, 9F, and 9G will have no DMP quota.
• Modifying the DMP application process by allowing hunters to apply for up to 4 DMPs: 2 in WMUs with a quota and 2 DMPs in WMUs with no quota.
• Allowing unlimited transfer of DMPs between hunters. 

DEC is creating an incentive for hunters to harvest antlerless deer by establishing a statewide Earn-a-2nd-Buck System. Under the new system, all hunters will receive a first Antlered Deer Tag which can be used during any season (with appropriate privileges) except the September antlerless season. Hunters who harvest and report an antlerless deer using a DMP, Bow/Muzzleloader Antlerless Deer Tag, or Deer Management Assistance Program Tag will be eligible to receive a second Antlered Deer Tag, which can also be used during those same seasons. 

To facilitate the new Earn-a-2nd-Buck System, DEC is reclassifying the former Regular Season Deer Tag as an Antlered Deer Tag and the former Bow/Muzzleloader Either-Sex Deer Tag as a Bow/Muzzleloader Antlerless Deer Tag. Hunters who purchase bowhunting and muzzleloading privileges would receive a Bow/Muzzleloader Antlerless Deer Tag for each privilege. 

The changes were first proposed by DEC based on input from New York deer hunters and professional deer managers across the Northeast through focus groups and surveys administered by DEC. Additionally, DEC reviewed more than 1,000 public comments on the regulatory proposal announced in March 2026, many of which recognized the need to increase antlerless harvest to mitigate negative deer impacts to ecosystems and the public. The public also expressed concern over the potential for overharvest of deer in some areas and encouraged DEC to implement methods to validate the antlerless deer harvested under the Earn-a-2nd-Buck System. 

DEC closely monitors harvest success and has processes in place to reduce antlerless harvest should the new regulations be more successful than anticipated. DEC will also establish safeguards to minimize risk by monitoring fraudulent harvest reports. DEC will require report attestations, conduct law enforcement field checks, and require hunters to provide proof of their antlerless deer harvest within seven days if requested by DEC. Proof may include a photograph, the deer’s head, or contact information for where the deer was processed. 

DEC strives to manage deer populations at levels that are in balance with available habitat and in alignment with public desires by encouraging and empowering hunters to harvest antlerless deer, the primary component of the deer population that drives population growth. DEC assesses public desires for deer population size and deer impacts to forests to determine deer population objectives for each area of the state. Refer to DEC’s Management Plan for White-Tailed Deer in New York State for more information. 

The full text of the adopted regulation and a summary of DEC’s response to the common suggestions and concerns raised during the public comment period will be available on DEC’s website at time of publishing in State Register, Wednesday, July 1. Answers to commonly asked questions are available in the “Antlerless Deer Hunting Q & A” on DEC’s website. 

The regulations finalized today are separate from the statutory changes proposed in the State Legislature granting DEC new authority to issue DMPs in Northern Zone WMUs. If that bill is adopted, DEC would monitor outcomes associated with the new Earn-a-2nd Buck regulation before considering whether future DMP issuance is appropriate to achieve population management objectives. No DMPs would be issued in these units during the 2026 season.

Arkansas Pathology Laboratory and Its Owners Pay $30M to Settle Allegations of Kickbacks and Unnecessary Medical Testing

 

Advanced Pathology Solutions PLLC (formerly known as Advanced Pathology Solutions LLC), an anatomic pathology laboratory headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas, and its management services organization, APS MSO LLC (together, “APS”), along with current and former owners Kevin Hannah, Donell Burkett, and Daniel Hunter Pledger have agreed to pay a total of $30 million to the United States to resolve allegations that APS and its owners furnished unlawful kickbacks and ordered medically unnecessary pathology testing services.

“Healthcare referrals must be based on the best decision for patients, not the influence of kickbacks,” said Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “This settlement demonstrates the Department’s commitment to hold accountable both corporations and individuals who profit from improper kickback arrangements and who burden federal healthcare programs with claims for medically unnecessary services.”

“Fraud against the taxpayer is rampant and insidious and when discovered must be held accountable. Engineering kickbacks to result in unnecessary medical testing which is then paid for by the United States taxpayer is unacceptable and once discovered as with APS, will result in lengthy investigation and review, and ultimately a significant settlement amount as demonstrated by this settlement,” said U.S. Attorney Jonathan D. Ross for the Eastern District of Arkansas. “Our office will continue to work with Main Justice to detect and deter any similar schemes and then hold the wrongdoers accountable under the law.”

“Any entity that participates in health care and reaps illicit profits by taking advantage of and violating the trust given by Medicare and Medicaid programs must be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Troy Rivetti for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “This settlement is notice that such illegal conduct simply will not be tolerated.”

“Kickbacks and medically unnecessary testing don’t just violate the law — they endanger patients and drain critical federal health care funds,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Scott J. Lampert of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “Schemes like this erode trust in the health care system and divert resources away from those who truly need care. HHS‑OIG will move swiftly and aggressively with our law enforcement partners to uncover these abuses and hold every responsible party accountable.”

The settlement resolves allegations made by the United States in a complaint filed on April 8, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas. In its complaint, the United States alleged that, from 2015 through July 2022, APS and its owners violated the False Claims Act (FCA) by providing unlawful kickbacks to gastroenterology practices to induce the referral of pathology testing to APS resulting in false claims to federal healthcare programs. The government’s complaint focused on a business model developed by APS and its owners, in which APS set up and managed limited-purpose laboratories (known as “lean labs”) in gastroenterology practices nationwide that enabled the practices to bill for preparing and staining biopsy specimen slides. The complaint alleged that in exchange for various benefits furnished by APS, the gastroenterology practices agreed to exclusively refer their patients to APS by shipping their patients’ slides to APS’s lab in North Little Rock for pathologist interpretation and review. The United States alleged that the arrangements between APS and the gastroenterology practices were improper financial relationships through which APS provided kickbacks to induce the practices to steer their patients to APS.

The United States further alleged that APS and its owners submitted and caused the submission of claims to federal healthcare programs for unnecessary testing. Specifically, APS directed lean lab personnel to automatically order certain special tests (called “special stains”) before a pathologist reviewed a routine test (a hematoxylin and eosin stain) to determine whether additional testing was necessary. By following the special stain protocol, APS and the lean labs ordered special stains that were not medically reasonable and necessary and were ineligible for Medicare coverage or reimbursement. In many cases, APS would also order additional “confirmatory” immunohistochemical testing on patient samples it received from the lean labs, which was also not medically necessary.

In addition to resolving the allegations in the United States’ complaint, the settlement announced today also resolves allegations that from Nov. 1, 2018, to Nov. 30, 2020, APS and CEO Kevin Hannah knowingly and willfully provided unlawful kickbacks to an individual named Richard Sorgnard in the form of volume-based commission payments to induce the referral of patients to APS for epidermal nerve fiber density (“ENFD”) testing. Sorgnard, who previously entered into a settlement with the government to resolve related claims, encouraged medical providers and practices to order ENFD testing from APS for their patients, and in exchange, APS paid Sorgnard 4% of all payments APS collected for ENFD testing referred. The United States contends that this arrangement violated the Anti-Kickback Statute and resulted in false claims under the FCA.

In connection with the settlement, APS entered into a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement (CIA) with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The CIA requires APS to implement numerous auditing and accountability provisions, including implementation of a robust compliance program, new training and education requirements, and a review of physician referral relationships.

The complaint follows three lawsuits that were originally filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the FCA. Under the FCA, private parties can file an action on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of the recovery. The FCA permits the United States to intervene in and take over the action, as it has done here. If a defendant is found liable for violating the FCA, the United States may recover three times the amount of its losses plus applicable penalties.

The Justice Department’s Civil Division, Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Arkansas are handling the matter. The consolidated cases are captioned United States ex rel. Watkins v. Advanced Pathology Solutions, No. 4:20-cv-1110 (E.D. Ark.); United States ex rel. Aucoin v. Advanced Pathology Solutions, No. 4:21-cv-277 (E.D. Ark.); and United States ex rel. Paulsen v. Advanced Pathology Solutions, LLC, No. 3:22-cv-00652-JPG (E.D. Ark.). This settlement follows a $4.75 million settlement reached earlier this year with Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates, a gastroenterology practice and former client of APS.

The matter was handled by Fraud Section Attorneys Evan Ballan, Jeff McSorley, and Kelley Hauser of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamie Goss Dempsey for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul Skirtich for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

The investigation and prosecution of this matter illustrates the government’s emphasis on combating healthcare fraud. One of the most powerful tools in this effort is the FCA. Tips and complaints from all sources about potential fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement, can be reported to HHS at 800-HHS-TIPS (800-447-8477).

This year the Administration launched the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division to enhance the Administration’s war on fraud, waste, and abuse in federal programs. When unscrupulous actors exploit these programs for their own financial gain, they defraud the government, harm the people these programs are designed to aid and protect, and undermine American businesses that play by the rules. The Civil Division’s FCA enforcement plays a critical role in combatting such fraudulent schemes, recovering billions of dollars for the American taxpayers, and holding wrongdoers accountable. FCA matters will continue to be on the forefront of the battle against fraud, and the Civil Division’s FCA work will support and advance the mission of the Task Force to Eliminate Fraud and the National Fraud Enforcement Division.

The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

BRONX MAN SENTENCED TO 25 YEARS TO LIFE IN PRISON FOR MURDER OF FORMER INTIMATE PARTNER

 

Defendant Stabbed Mother of His Child 17 Times in Front of Young Kids  

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison after being convicted by a jury of the brutal murder of his ex-partner in front of his two sons aged two and five years old. 

District Attorney Clark said, “This defendant committed an especially horrific crime. The victim, a 23-year-old mother, had left him a few weeks before because she had suffered years of emotional and physical abuse at his hands. He stabbed her 17 times in front of their children. They lost their mother and have endured untold trauma. Now he has been held accountable.” 

District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Shaheene Ahmad, 38, of the Bronx, was sentenced on June 16, 2026, to 25 years to life in prison by Bronx Supreme Court Justice Audrey Stone. He was convicted by a jury of second-degree Murder and two counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child. 

According to the investigation, on September 14, 2023, the defendant killed Zariuah Hayes, 23, at the end of a birthday celebration for their 2-year-old boy. He stabbed her 17 times in front of the toddler and his own son, the 5-year-old. Sixteen of her wounds were to her face and neck.

District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detective Faton Alikaj from Bronx Homicide and NYPD Detective Alfonso Larue of the 49th Precinct for their work in the investigation, and Police Officers Dominick Huegas, Jean Martinez, David Carlo and Juan Olivera, and Sergeant Michael Hines of the 49th Precinct who responded to the incident and rescued the children.

U.S. Coast Guard’s Operation Pacific Viper Hits Milestone of 225,000 Pounds of Cocaine Seized

 

The total amount of cocaine seized through Operation Pacific Viper is equivalent to more than 93 million deadly doses

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that the U.S. Coast Guard’s Operation Pacific Viper has surpassed more than 225,000 pounds of cocaine seized in the Eastern Pacific Ocean since the operation first began in August of 2025.

The milestone was reached after a recent interdiction of 7,707 pounds of cocaine by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) Bear. While on patrol in the Eastern Pacific this past weekend, USCGC Bear and an embarked helicopter crew detected and disabled two drug smuggling vessels, ultimately leading to a significant drug seizure and the apprehension of six suspected narco-terrorists. This operation underscores the Coast Guard’s ongoing commitment to disrupting and dismantling foreign drug trafficking networks and cartels in Latin America.

“Operation Pacific Viper stands as a decisive force against narco-terrorists, sending an unmistakable message that we will not allow them to profit off the poisoning of our people,” said DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin. “The U.S. Coast Guard has prevented more than 225,000 pounds of cocaine from reaching American communities since our operation began. Under President Trump, we are dismantling drug cartels and saving American lives.”

“We own the sea,” said Admiral Kevin Lunday, Commandant of the Coast Guard. “Our forces conducting Operation Pacific Viper continue to defeat the cartels and stop the flow of deadly drugs to the United States.”

With 1.2 grams of cocaine being a potentially deadly dose, the total amount seized through Operation Pacific Viper equates to more than 93 million potentially deadly doses kept off of American streets. Eighty percent of all seizures of U.S.-bound narcotics occur at sea, underscoring the impact of Coast Guard maritime interdiction efforts.

Since its inception, Operation Pacific Viper has accelerated counter-drug operations in the Eastern Pacific, a primary corridor for narcotics smuggling from Central and South America. The Coast Guard has surged cutters, aircraft, and tactical teams to interdict, seize, and disrupt the flow of cocaine and other illicit drugs. These efforts are a critical component of the broader American strategy to combat narco-terrorism and dismantle transnational criminal organizations. The Coast Guard’s interdiction of 225,000 pounds of cocaine through Operation Pacific Viper highlights the effectiveness of aggressive, sustained counter-narcotics operations along maritime smuggling routes in the Eastern Pacific.