Mayor Mamdani Appoints Jennifer Jones Austin as CCRB Chair

 

Renowned social justice leader will strengthen police accountability and advance the Mamdani administration’s whole-of-government approach to public safety 

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani today announced the appointment of Jennifer Jones Austin as Chair of the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB), the nation’s largest independent police oversight entity. As Chair, Jones Austin will advance the Mamdani administration’s whole-of-government approach to public safety by strengthening accountability, building public trust and ensuring every New Yorker is treated with dignity.  

  

The appointment marks the first time the CCRB has had a permanent chair since 2020.  

  

Interim Chair Sherene Crawford, Esq., will continue to serve as a member of the CCRB Board.  

  

“Jennifer Jones Austin has spent her career standing with New Yorkers who are too often shut out of the halls of power. She understands that public safety and accountability go hand in hand, and that trust must be earned through action. Jennifer will lead the CCRB with integrity, compassion and an unwavering commitment to justice. I am grateful she has answered the call to serve our city,” said Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani. “I also want to thank Sherene Crawford for her steady leadership during this period of transition. Because of her service, the Board continued its essential work without interruption.”  

  

“I am honored to serve as Chair of the New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board. Trust between government and the communities we serve lay at the heart of public safety.  It is our responsibility as public servants to deepen trust by promoting transparency and integrity through our every action,” said Chair Jennifer Jones Austin. “As Chair, I will work to advance CCRB’s critical mission of accountability and look forward to the work ahead.” 

  

“Jennifer Jones Austin has dedicated her career to advancing fairness, accountability, and opportunity for New Yorkers, and I am proud to join Mayor Mamdani in appointing her as Chair of the Civilian Complaint Review Board. She brings decades of respected public service, deep experience building consensus, and an unwavering commitment to strengthening trust between government and the communities it serves. I look forward to working with Jennifer to support the CCRB’s critical mission of ensuring independent oversight, promoting transparency and helping build a stronger relationship between the NYPD and the people of New York City,” said Speaker Julie Menin. 

  

About Jennifer Jones Austin:   

  

Jennifer Jones Austin is a fourth-generation faith and social justice leader who has dedicated her career to advancing equity and expanding opportunity for New Yorkers.  

  

As CEO and Executive Director of Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies (FPWA), an anti-poverty policy and advocacy organization representing 170 member agencies and faith partners, Jones Austin has led successful efforts to strengthen the social safety net and advance policies that empower disenfranchised and marginalized communities. Her work has focused on the intersection of race, poverty, law and public policy. 

  

Jones Austin previously chaired the New York City Racial Justice Commission, the first municipal racial justice commission of its kind in the nation and served as Chair of the New York City Board of Correction, where she oversaw the rulemaking process that ended solitary confinement in New York City jails. 

  

She currently serves as Vice Chair of the National Action Network board and has held leadership roles on numerous public and nonprofit commissions, including the New York State 400 Years of African American History Commission, Fordham University’s Feerick Center for Social Justice Advisory Board, Harvard University’s Center for Law, Brain and Behavior Advisory Board and the COVID-19 “Roll Up Your Sleeves” Task Force. She was also a Visiting Scholar at New York University’s Silver School of Social Work and Scholar in Residence at Alliance University's Center for Racial Reconciliation (CRR).  

  

Jones Austin served as co-chair of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s transition team and advised the City’s universal prekindergarten expansion and NYPD Reform and Reinvention Collaborative. 

  

She is the author of Consider it Pure Joy and editor of God in the Ghetto: A Prophetic World Revisited. 

  

Jones Austin earned a juris doctor from Fordham University School of Law, a Master of Science in management and policy from New York University’s Robert F. Wagner School of Public Service and a Bachelor of Science from Rutgers University. 

Housing Lottery Launches for 1405 Boston Road in Morrisania, The Bronx

 

The affordable housing lottery has launched for The Frederick Shack, a six-story residential building at 1405 Boston Road in Morrisania, The Bronx. Designed by Monica Lopez Architect and developed by Frederick Shack of Urban Pathways Inc., the structure yields 79 residences. Available on New York State Housing Search are nine units for residents at 30 to 60 percent of the area median income (AMI), ranging in eligible income from $28,000 to $71,280.

Green features include rooftop solar panels, Energy Star appliances, and adherence to Enterprise Green Communities standards. Amenities include a shared laundry room, recreation room, landscaped backyard, common kitchen, security office, and admin/social services offices. Rent includes electricity, which includes heat and hot water.

At 30 percent of the AMI, there are six studios with a monthly rent of $700 for incomes ranging from $28,000 to $35,640.

At 60 percent of the AMI, there are three studios with a monthly rent of $1,401 for incomes ranging from $56,040 to $71,280.

Prospective renters must meet income and household size requirements to apply for these apartments. Request an application at marketinginfo@shfinc.org. Applications must be postmarked or submitted online no later than August 17, 2026.

VCJC News & Notes 7/31/2026

Van Cortlandt Jewish Center

News and Notes

Things to see below

The survey of your preferences for our events - please fill in (#2)

VCJC Merch - our very own branded merchandise (#5)

The links to our new social media accounts - please follow us (#6)

Our request for a Google review (#7)

Reminders

1. Shabbos schedule
   
   
   Shabbos information is, as always, available on our website, both in the information sidebar and the events calendar.
   Here are the times you need:  
   Shabbos Candles Friday 7/31/26 @ 7:54 pm
   Shabbos/Shavuos Ends Saturday 8/1/26 @ 8:57 pm

   If you require an aliyah or would like to lead services, read from the torah or haftorah please speak to one of the gabbaim.

   
   

   Come join us for services and stay to enjoy the kiddush and the company.
   

   
   

2. What works for you?
   Please Help Us Plan for Events
   We have created a survey, Van Cortlandt Jewish Center Community Event Planning Survey, to help us set the direction for our activities.  We’d really appreciate your taking a few minutes to fill it in. Here’s the link: SURVEY
   
   

3. The VCJC Chavurah
   The VCJC Chavurah meets every Tuesday Night at 7:30PM.  All are welcome to join us as we continue to learn together.

   No cost to attend and no prior experience is needed.

   If you are interested in learning torah with a group of fellow members of your community, but want more details, contact the VCJC office at 718-884-6105 or info@vcjewishcenter.org, or speak to Stuart Harris or Matthew Hartstein after davening on Shabbat morning.
   
   

4. Shabbos parsha

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   Parashat Eikev

   This week’s Torah portion is Parashat Eikev (read on 1 August 2026).

   In Eikev (“As a Result”), Moses recounts events that happened in the desert, including the manna, the golden calf, and Aaron’s death. Moses describes the blessings God will bestow upon the Israelites if they follow God’s law and the punishments they will encounter if they disobey. [1]

   
   

5. VCJC Merch!

   We now have merchandise available with the VCJC logo and, in some cases, sayings.  We have shirts, hats, mugs, refrigerator magnets, and tote bags. These are provided through a Print On Demand (POD) model - so you pick what you like and order it.  It is then made to order and shipped directly to you.
   You can see an overview and some additional information on our VCJC Shop page.  You can go directly to the store itself to see all the things available, select sizes and colors, and get ready to flaunt your association with VCJC.

   
   

   
   

6. VCJC is now active on social media - follow us!
   We have launched both a Facebook page and an Instagram page.  Both have a nice amount of content already and we are planning both regular posts and a greater variety going forward.  Please take a look and follow us!

   
   

7. You can do it! Give VCJC a boost!  Leave a (positive) review for us on Google
   -->You can do this!  We know you can! YES, YOU!

   The VCJC is working to build and grow for its next century in Van Cortlandt Village.  If you have had a good experience with us or recognize our value to the community, please consider telling the world about it.  Go to our Google Business Profile and leave a review.  Thanks!  

Please help with information about buildings

As part of rebuilding the membership and congregation, the Board of Trustees would like your help. There are a lot of either new or renovated buildings being put up in our catchment area. We would like to seek the cooperation of the owners / developers of those properties in publicizing these opportunities to live near an orthodox synagogue.  If you are aware of any of these buildings, please provide what information you can about them.  This could include the address, any contact information that might be posted, and any information about the building itself (size, type, etc.). Additionally, if you are aware of vacancies in existing buildings or of houses for sale, please let us know about that as well.

Our mailing address is:
Van Cortlandt Jewish Center
3880 Sedgwick Ave
Bronx, NY 10463

 

Department of Justice Files First Case in U.S. Alien Terrorist Removal Court to Deport Afghan Alien Who Supported Her Family’s Plans for Election-Day Shooting

 

The Justice Department has filed the first-ever case in the U.S. Alien Terrorist Removal Court (ATRC), seeking to remove Nazira Haji Zada, 47, residing in Fort Worth, Texas. Zada, the matriarch of an alien Afghan family, is being removed for her role in a plot to commit an ISIS-inspired mass shooting on Election Day in 2024 for which her son, Abdullah Haji Zada, and son-in-law, Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, were previously arrested and convicted. The application to remove Nazira Haji Zada was filed on July 15. Zada was arrested earlier this week and appeared before the ATRC’s Chief Judge Joan N. Ericksen in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, July 30, at 11:00 a.m.

“Congress created the Alien Terrorist Removal Court three decades ago to remove from the United States alien terrorists who never should have been here in the first place,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The allegations in this case show the matriarch of an ISIS-sympathizing family aiding in a plot to launch a mass casualty attack on American voters on Election Day. The Department’s application in this court makes clear that terrorists have no place in the United States of America.”

“This is a historic step asking this court for the first time to remove an individual from the United States who supported a plot by ISIS-sympathizing family members to commit an act of terrorism in America,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “No one should be allowed to come into our country and then betray it. The FBI and our Justice Department partners will not hesitate to use all available resources to protect the American people.” 

“The ATRC embodies the recognition that the government should not have to choose between allowing a dangerous alien to remain in the United States and disclosing sensitive classified information in a traditional removal proceeding,” said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg. “We will use all the tools at our disposal, including this court, to remove foreign nationals who betray our values and exploit our goodwill by supporting ISIS and terrorist plots.”

Tawhedi and Abdullah Haji Zada were arrested on Oct. 7, 2024, after purchasing the firearms and ammunition to be used in the Election Day attack from an undercover FBI employee. Nazira’s son Abdullah, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, entered his guilty plea as an adult and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. As part of the plea agreement, Abdullah stipulated to the entry of a judicial order of removal from the United States to Afghanistan following his term of incarceration. Abdullah acknowledged that the order of removal would terminate his lawful permanent resident status. Abdullah also waived his right to appeal the conviction except in limited circumstances or seek any form of appeal or relief from his removal and deportation, including but not limited to, seeking asylum. 

Tawhedi, 28, pled guilty on June 13, 2025 to two terrorism-related offenses: conspiring and attempting to provide material support and resources to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization, and receiving, attempting to receive, and conspiring to receive firearms and ammunition in furtherance of a federal crime of terrorism, and is awaiting sentencing. 

According to court documents, Tawhedi admitted that between June 2024 and October 2024, he conspired with at least one other individual to purchase two AK-47 rifles, 500 rounds of ammunition, and 10 magazines, with the intent to carry out a mass-casualty attack on or around Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024, on behalf of ISIS. According to a criminal complaint affidavit filed in the case, Tawhedi communicated with an ISIS facilitator about his plan to purchase firearms for use in the terror plot, including asking the individual whether 500 rounds of ammunition would be sufficient.

According to the criminal complaint, to raise funds for their attack, in 2024, the family also started selling off their property, including furniture, computers, a mobile phone, and the family’s two vehicles. Nazia signed a contract to sell the family house. The family also purchased one-way airfare for Nazira to take the children (but not Abdullah and Tawhedi) to Kabul, Afghanistan shortly before the planned Election Day shooting. 

The ATRC is a specialized federal court, which Congress established in 1996. The court has jurisdiction to remove alien terrorists swiftly from the United States, when the government establishes by a preponderance of the evidence that an alien is a terrorist. See Title Eight, United States Code, Sections 1227(a)(4)(B), 1531(1), and 1534(g). The Court is comprised of U.S. federal district court judges confirmed to the judiciary pursuant to Article III of the United States Constitution, and are then appointed to the ATRC by the Chief Justice of the United States. See Title 8, United States Code, Sections 1531 to 1537. 

The court allows the government to use classified information, where disclosing that information to the public would pose risks to national security. The statutory provisions that establish the court provide paid counsel to the aliens if necessary and also permit either party to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. 

This removal proceeding reflects the coordinated efforts of multiple federal agencies, including the Department of Justice’s National Security Division, the FBI, and the U.S. Marshals Service, as well as the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

For more information on the ATRC and to view court documents visit: https://www.atrc.uscourts.gov/

Attorney General James Announces Conviction and Sentencing of Florida Man for Investment Fraud Scheme Targeting the Haitian Community

 

Former Nassau County Resident Marc Henry Menard Stole over $600,000 and Used Investors’ Money for Lavish Trips, Luxury Vehicles, and Expensive Purchases from Gucci and Louis Vuitton

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the conviction and sentencing of Marc Henry Menard, formerly of Mineola, New York, for operating a three-year securities fraud scheme that targeted the Haitian community in New York, Florida, and Georgia, and stole more than $600,000 from 11 investors. Menard, who is not registered to offer or sell securities, solicited unsuspecting individuals to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars, claiming that he was a highly successful trader and could generate returns of up to 20 percent per month. Instead, Menard transferred investors’ money into his own personal trading account, where he sustained staggering losses from high-risk trading. Menard also used his investors’ money to pay his personal expenses, make expensive purchases on travel and luxury goods, including from Gucci and Louis Vuitton, and repay prior investors. In April, Menard pleaded guilty in Nassau County Supreme Court to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, and Securities Fraud. He was sentenced to five years’ probation and was banned from participating in the securities industry for five years.

“Marc Henry Menard lied to hard-working New Yorkers and stole hundreds of thousands of dollars to treat himself to lavish trips and luxury purchases,” said Attorney General James. “Thank you to my partners in law enforcement for helping to end this fraud and bring Menard to justice. I encourage all New Yorkers to take caution when making investments and report any suspicious offers to my office.”

This sentencing is the result of an investigation led by the Office of the Attorney General’s (OAG) Criminal Enforcement and Financial Crimes Bureau (CEFC), which revealed that beginning in July 2020 and continuing through June 2023, Menard solicited members of the Haitian community to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into his company, Marcotech, LLC. Menard targeted Haitians in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, and Queens counties, as well as Florida and Georgia. He promised investors monthly returns of between 12 and 20 percent and promised higher percentages if they recruited additional individuals to invest. In order to solicit investments, Menard told investors that he was an experienced and highly successful trader of stocks and cryptocurrencies. 

After soliciting investments, Menard deposited a portion of investors’ money into his own personal trading accounts. He then used these funds to engage in risky trading options including high-risk day trading and options trading, which resulted in losses totaling over $670,000 between July 2021 and October 2022. Menard also used hundreds of thousands of dollars from investors to repay prior investors, and for personal expenditures. Menard spent over $100,000 on trips to Turkey, Puerto Rico, and Disney World, a 2021 Mercedes Benz and a 2022 BMW, and purchases at luxury retailers such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci.  

To further his scheme, Menard showed investors a fake ATM receipt that reflected a bank account balance of over $8 million, and a fake trading screen showing a net account value of over $1 million. Menard’s investors relied on these false statements, believing they were earning significant profits, and continued to invest. The OAG’s investigation revealed between July 2021 and October 2022, the highest net value of Menard’s trading account was $240,000 and the highest balance of Menard’s bank account was $301,000.

On April 17, 2026, Menard pleaded guilty in Nassau County Supreme Court to Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree, and Securities Fraud. Today, he was sentenced to five years of probation and was banned from participating in the securities industry for five years. Menard also admitted to the amounts he owes investors, totaling $385,271, and judgments were entered against him in favor of his victims. 

Attorney General James recommends that New Yorkers take basic steps to avoid becoming the victim of investment fraud schemes. These include:

• In general, do not wire money, send cryptocurrency, or give cash to people you don’t know and haven’t vetted because these transactions are irreversible;
• Be suspicious of individuals you encounter who pressure you to withdraw from retirement accounts (even at a penalty), to borrow money from friends/relatives, or to apply for loans from a bank;
• Beware of individuals who promise you higher profits if you agree to recruit others invest;
• Never rush into any investment. Be skeptical if the individual insists that you must invest money within a very short time frame, claiming you will lose out on the opportunity;
• Verify that the person offering the investment is properly registered. You can check investment professional registration at FINRA’s BrokerCheck;
• Before investing, consult a trusted legal professional or financial advisor who can advise you if the investment is proper;
• Trust your instincts and think twice before investing. If the investment opportunity seems too good to be true, it probably is; and
• If you suspect fraud, report the individual to law enforcement. Save all communications so that you can provide them to law enforcement if needed.

Attorney General James encourages anyone who may have been a victim of this type of scam to report it to OAG by filing a complaint online or calling 1-800-771-7755. Any identifying information provided to OAG will be protected according to law and policies on the safeguarding of identifying information.

Attorney General James thanks the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and its Criminal Prosecution Assistance Group for their invaluable assistance in this investigation. Attorney General James also thanks the Sunrise Police Department, the Broward County State Attorney’s Office in the State of Florida, and the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office for their assistance.

Cole Manor Motel Fentanyl Dealer Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison

 

Earnest Ray Miller a.k.a. “Q”, a 54-year-old Dallas man, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison on drug and gun charges on July 24.

Miller is a multi-convicted felon who operated a drug distribution business out of the Cole Manor Motel previously located near Dallas Love Field. The hotel was demolished on June 17, following the federal criminal investigation and a criminal nuisance lawsuit filed by the City of Dallas after the joint investigation revealed that the motel had become a notorious hub for drug trafficking, violent crime and prostitution.

“Drug trafficking and its frequent companion, drug-related violence, threaten the health and safety of every single one of us,” said Joseph B. Tucker, Special Agent in Charge of DEA’s Dallas Field Division. “Mr. Miller’s sentence of 25 years holds him directly responsible for his intended actions and has undoubtedly saved lives, with a weapon off the streets and drugs that will never find a life to destroy.”

According to court documents, Drug Enforcement Administration agents began investigating drug dealing activity at the Cole Manor Motel, formerly located at 7002 Harry Hines Boulevard in Dallas in December 2024. Miller admitted that the Cole Manor Motel was a location where people habitually went to engage in criminal activity to include the distribution and purchase of controlled substances, unlawful possession of firearms, assaults, prostitution, and other crimes. 

Miller admitted that during the drug conspiracy he utilized multiple rooms within the motel, to cut, package, and distribute quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, marijuana, and other controlled substances to numerous customers daily. “Rules” were sometimes posted inside motel rooms that customers were expected to abide by.

Court records further revealed that on Feb.19, 2025, law enforcement agents executed search warrants at multiple Cole Manor Motel rooms. In one of Miller’s rooms, agents recovered digital scales, baggies, and distribution quantities of fentanyl and methamphetamine as well as $19,372 in drug proceeds and multiple firearms. 

In October 2025, Miller pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance (fentanyl) and one count of possessing a firearm by a convicted felon. United States Federal District Judge Karen Gren Scholer sentenced him to 300 months in prison. The Drug Enforcement Administration Dallas Field Division conducted the investigation. 

Cole Manor Motel

Motel Sign before it was demolished

Drugs and weapons recovered during investigation

Cash and weapons recovered during the investigation

ICE Asks South Carolina to Not Release Illegal Alien Charged in Fatal Hit-and-Run that Killed a Teenager

 

This twice-deported illegal alien had a prior conviction for driving under the influence

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the following statement after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) lodged a detainer asking South Carolina officials to not release an illegal alien who has been charged in the fatal hit-and-run that killed a 17-year-old skateboarder.

According to local reporting, the crash took place on July 22 in Greenville. The teenager, Jose Martinez, was riding his skateboard when he was struck by a car which then fled the scene. The following day, police arrested Nemecio Aguilar-Hernandez, a criminal illegal alien from Mexico, and charged him with hit-and-run involving death and driving under suspension. ICE lodged a detainer with Greenville County on July 26.

Nemecio Aguilar-Hernandez

Aguilar-Hernandez has a criminal history that includes two prior arrests for driving under the influence of liquor in 2009 and 2010, and a conviction for driving under the influence of liquor in 2012.

“This criminal illegal alien hit a 17-year-old skateboarder with his car and fled the scene of the accident,” said Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “This illegal alien should have NEVER been in our country. He had already been deported from our country TWICE in the past and has a prior conviction for driving under the influence. DHS is asking officials in South Carolina to not release this illegal alien from jail and to cooperate with ICE so that we can remove him from our country.”

Aguilar-Hernandez first illegally entered the United States at an unknown date and location, and was deported in 2010. He then illegally re-entered the country – a felony – at an unknown date and location, and was deported again in 2012. He illegally entered the country for a third time at an unknown date and location.