Thursday, August 18, 2016
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
The Punisher Comes to NYCC
October 6 - 9, 2016 | Javits Center
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Friends of Van Cortlandt Park - Hike, Eat and Drink with Friends- Hike-toberfest 2016
Get Your Tickets Now for
Hike-toberfest 2016
Saturday October 1st from 2pm to 7pm
Hike, Eat, Drink & Celebrate with Friends during our new fun fundraiser for the hiking trails of Van Cortlandt Park.
Come see why VCP is Where NYC Hikes.
Hikes start at 2pm: Hikers will have the option to go on a 4-5 mile hike throughout the park OR a 2 mile leisurely nature hike. Both hikes will be led by Friends of Van Cortlandt Park Staff and take about 2 hours. All registered participants will receive a VCP Where NYC Hikes t-shirts.
Oktoberfest is from 4-7pm: Attendees will receive a VCP Where NYC Mug, eat German Food by Loreleye Restaurant & Biergarten and enjoy local brews from the Bronx Brewery, Chelsea Craft Brewing Company, Gun Hill Brewing Company and Jonas Bronck Beer Co. served by the Bronx Beer Hall. Special thank you to all the breweries for donating! Yard games will be setup to challenge your friends as you hang out on the Van Cortlandt House Museum Lawn.
You can join us for just the Hike or the Oktoberfest or the entire Hike-toberfest Event! Purchase your tickets in advance for a discount!
Hikes will start at and Oktoberfest will be held on the grounds of the Van Cortlandt House Museum- enter the Park at Broadway and W. 246th Street.
FERNANDO FERRER ENDORSES MARISOL ALCANTARA FOR STATE SENATE OF ADRIANO ESPAILLAT
Ferrer describes Alcantara’s integrity and character as key factors to having earned his support
Today Former Bronx Borough President and 2005 Democratic Nominee for Mayor, Fernando Ferrer announced his support for Marisol Alcantara in the race for New York’s 31st State Senate District. Drawing comparisons to his own historical runs for office, Ferrer cited the importance of electing the first Dominican woman to the State Senate. In his endorsement of Marisol, Ferrer pointed to the temperament and judgement Marisol has displayed her entire life in building coalitions. "I am supporting Marisol because of her contributions as a leader in this community. Those contributions have had a positive impact on the residents of the district, families, mothers, children - that is who this election is about.
"For me, this endorsement is a recognition of the values that Marisol brings to the table - a woman who didn't just show up in this community, but has been here fighting the important battles. With regard to others, as President John F. Kennedy said many years ago: "Forgive your enemies, but don't forget their names."
In accepting Fernando Ferrer’s endorsement Marisol Alcantara said, “Fernando Ferrer means so much to the people of the City of New York. Public service is an honor and privilege that I take seriously. I am honored to have earned Freddy’s endorsement, and will work hard every day to make the people of this District proud. Freddy will be a resource for me on so many issues and I am thankful for his trust and friendship.”
Fernando Ferrer is another endorsement this week alone as Alcantara continues to build momentum. In addition to Fernando Ferrer, she was endorsed by the Democratic nominee for Congress, and current Senator Adriano Espaillat and City Councilmember Ydanis Rodriguez. Yesterday Alcantara was endorsed by the Transport Workers Union Local 100.
Should I resign from the City Council if I used My Influence to Get a Moving Violation Quashed
Hi - My name is Vanessa Gibson, and I chair the City Council Public Safety Committee. Yes it is against the law to talk on your cell phone while driving. The Daily News reports that in 2014 I was given such a ticket for driving and talking on my cell phone. They also say that I used my influence in the council and got the ticket quashed. That moving violation is five points on a license.
Others who were in politics have had their careers ended for doing similar things, should I resign?
Affordable Housing Yes, But Not in My Council District
Hi my name is Ydanis Rodriguez - I am the City Council Transportation Committee Chair. We in the City Council voted for the mayor's Affordable Housing plan citywide. Yes I want more affordable housing, but not in my district. Put it somewhere else in the city. I am good friends with the speaker, so it won't be built in my council district.
Tuesday, August 16, 2016
Derek Galanis Pleads Guilty In Manhattan Federal Court To Securities Fraud
Preet Bharara, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DEREK GALANIS pled guilty today to manipulating the market for Gerova Financial Group, Ltd. (“Gerova”), a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange, and to defrauding the shareholders of that company. GALANIS pled guilty to conspiracy to commit securities fraud and securities fraud before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kevin Nathaniel Fox.
U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “As he admitted in his guilty plea today, Derek Galanis conspired to have Gerova issue more than $70 million worth of shares for no legitimate business purpose and to hide Jason Galanis’s control of those shares. Galanis and his co-conspirators then artificially manipulated Gerova’s stock price so that they could secretly cash out for massive profits. Derek Galanis is the fourth person to plead guilty in this stock fraud scheme that left many victim investors holding worthless shares.”
According to the allegations contained in the Indictment filed against DEREK GALANIS and his co-conspirators, and statements made in related court filings and proceedings[1]:
The Gerova Scheme
From 2009 to 2011, DEREK GALANIS, along with his co-conspirators Jason Galanis, John Galanis, Jared Galanis, Gary Hirst, Ymer Shahini, and Gavin Hamels, engaged in a scheme to defraud the shareholders of Gerova, and the investing public, by effecting securities transactions in Gerova stock for the purpose of conferring millions of dollars of undisclosed remuneration on the co-conspirators, without adequate disclosure of Jason Galanis’s role in directing the transactions or the benefits received by Jason Galanis and his co-conspirators.
As a part of the scheme to defraud, Jason Galanis obtained sufficient control over Gerova so as to be able to cause Gerova to enter into transactions of his design, and for his benefit, including the issuance of Gerova stock. Jason Galanis obtained this control without causing himself to be identified as an officer or director of Gerova in order to appear to abide by an SEC-imposed bar that forbade him from holding such positions at publicly traded companies. Among other means and methods, Jason Galanis, with the assistance of Hirst, caused over five million shares of Gerova stock, which represented nearly half the company’s public float and which were intended for Jason Galanis’s ultimate benefit, to be issued to and held in the name of Ymer Shahini, who knowingly served as a foreign nominee for Jason Galanis. DEREK GALANIS, a longstanding friend of Shahini’s, recruited Shahini to the scheme, telling Shahini in an email, “All we need is a foreign national we trust which is where you come in my friend.” DEREK GALANIS, Jason Galanis, John Galanis, Jared Galanis, Hirst, and Shahini understood that the purpose of the stock grant to Shahini was to disguise Jason Galanis’s ownership interest in the stock, and to evade the SEC’s regulations for issuing unregistered shares of stock.
At the same time, and as a further part of the scheme to defraud, John Galanis and Jared Galanis, with DEREK GALANIS’s knowledge, opened and managed brokerage accounts in the name of Shahini (the “Shahini Accounts”), effected the sale of Gerova stock from the Shahini Accounts through manipulative trading, and received and concealed the proceeds, knowing that this activity was designed to conceal from the investing public Jason Galanis’s ownership of and control over the Gerova stock. In total, DEREK GALANIS and his co-conspirators sold nearly $20 million worth of Gerova shares from the Shahini Accounts for their own benefit.
In contrast, unsuspecting Gerova shareholders were left with a worthless investment. More specifically, in March 2011 the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) halted trading of Gerova and in April 2011 Gerova asked the NYSE to delist its securities. By November 2, 2011, Gerova’s stock price had bottomed out at $0.00 per share.
DEREK GALANIS, 44, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense; and one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
Jason Galanis, 46, pled guilty on July 21, 2016, to two counts of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, each carrying a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense; one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense; and one count of investment adviser fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
John Galanis, 73, pled guilty on July 20, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense; and one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
Gavin Hamels, 40, pled guilty on March 22, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense; one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense; and one count of investment adviser fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense.
The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentences for the defendants will be determined by the judge.
Trial against defendants Gary Hirst and Jared Galanis is scheduled for September 12, 2016, on charges of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, securities fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and wire fraud, and with regard to Jared Galanis, on charges of investment adviser fraud and misprision of a felony. Defendant Ymer Shahini remains a fugitive. The allegations contained in the Indictment as to those defendants are merely accusations, and they are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Mr. Bharara praised the work of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and thanked the SEC.
The charges were brought in connection with the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force. The task force was established to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. attorneys’ offices, and state and local partners, it is the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants. For more information on the task force, please visit www.StopFraud.gov.
This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Blais, Aimee Hector, and Rebecca Mermelstein are in charge of the prosecution.
[1] As for the defendants who have not pled guilty (Gary Hirst, Jared Galanis, and Ymer Shahini), the charges described herein constitute only allegations.
Assemblyman Mark Gjonaj - Another Chance - Resolve Outstanding Warrants and Clearing Your Record
Another Chance
Resolving Outstanding Warrants
Clear Your Record
Saturday, September 17, 2016
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Mount Hope Community Center
55 E 175th Street, Bronx, NY 10453
Warrants for Quality of Life Summonses Including:
Consumption of Alcohol in Public
Disorderly Conduct
Unlawful Possession of Marijuana
Trespassing, Loitering, Littering,
Riding a Bicycle on the Sidewalk, Unleashed Dog, Spitting, Making Unreasonable Noise, Being in the Public Park after Closing
And Much More
In collaboration with the Office of Court Administration, The Legal Aid Society, NYPD, and the Mount Hope Housing Company Inc. For more information: 718-590-2272.
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