Former Adidas Executive, Former Adidas Consultant, And Aspiring Manager All Sentenced To Prison Terms For Their Roles In Defrauding Adidas-Sponsored NCAA Division I Universities

  Robert S. Khuzami, the Attorney for the United States, Acting Under Authority Conferred by 28 U.S.C. § 515, announced today that former Adidas director of global sports marketing for basketball, JAMES GATTO, a/k/a “Jim,” was sentenced to nine months in prison, former Adidas consultant MERL CODE was sentenced six months in prison, and sports business manager CHRISTIAN DAWKINS was sentenced to six months in prison, after having been found guilty in October 2018 by a federal jury of wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy charges.  The defendants were sentenced in Manhattan federal court by U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan, who also presided over the jury trial.

Attorney for the United States Robert Khuzami said:  “The sentences imposed today only begin to reflect the magnitude of the harm these defendants caused through a scheme that not only defrauded multiple public universities but upended the lives of young student-athletes and corrupted a game cherished by so many.  Today’s sentences send a clear message to those who might be similarly tempted to corrupt collegiate athletics for their own personal gain that defrauding schools in connection with athletic scholarships is not just a rules violation but a crime, one that will result in a prison term.”

According to the allegations contained in the Complaint, Indictment, Superseding Indictment, evidence presented during the trial, and statements made in Manhattan federal court: 

Overview of the Scheme

GATTO, CODE, and DAWKINS, including with the assistance of Thomas Gassnola, a former Adidas consultant, and Munish Sood, a financial adviser, brokered and facilitated payments funded by Adidas to the families of high school and college-aged basketball players in connection with decisions by those players to commit to Adidas-sponsored schools and a promise that the players also would retain the services of DAWKINS and sign lucrative endorsement deals with Adidas upon turning professional.  The payments, which the defendants took great lengths to conceal from the victim-universities, served to defraud the relevant universities in several ways.  

First, because the illicit payments to the families of student-athletes rendered those student-athletes ineligible to participate in collegiate athletics, scheme participants conspired to conceal these payments from the universities, thereby causing them to provide or agree to provide athletic-based scholarships and financial aid under false and fraudulent pretenses.  Indeed, the defendants and their co-conspirators, who included the families of the student-athletes and, in certain instances, one or more corrupt coaches at the universities, knew that, for the scheme to succeed and the athletic scholarships to be awarded, the illicit payments had to be concealed from the universities, and that certifications would be submitted to the universities falsely representing that the student-athletes were eligible to compete in Division I athletics.

Second, the scheme participants further defrauded the universities by depriving the universities of significant and necessary information regarding the non-compliance with NCAA rules by the relevant student-athletes and their families, and, in some cases, by certain corrupt coaches involved in the scheme.  In doing so, the scheme participants interfered with the universities’ ability to control their assets and created a risk of tangible economic harm to the universities, including, among other things, decision-making about the distribution of their limited athletic scholarships; the possible disgorgement of certain profit-sharing by the NCAA; monetary fines; restrictions on athlete recruitment and the distribution of athletic scholarships; and the potential ineligibility of the universities’ basketball teams to compete in NCAA programs generally, and the ineligibility of certain student-athletes in particular.

The University of Louisville Scheme

Beginning in approximately May 2017, GATTO, CODE, DAWKINS, and others worked together to illicitly funnel approximately $100,000 from Adidas to the father of Brian Bowen, then a top-rated high school basketball player, in connection with Bowen’s commitment to play at the University of Louisville, a school whose athletic programs are sponsored by Adidas.  Because the payments to the family of Bowen were both in violation of NCAA rules and illegal, the defendants took steps to conceal them from the University, including funneling the money indirectly through an amateur team affiliated with CODE and a corporation controlled by DAWKINS.  The payments were all funded by Adidas pursuant to phony invoices approved by GATTO, and the first installment was delivered to Bowen’s father in cash in July 2017 in a parking lot in New Jersey.

The University of Kansas Scheme

Between 2016 and 2017, GATTO and Gassnola worked together to funnel approximately $90,000 from Adidas to the family of Billy Preston, then a high school basketball player, in connection with Preston’s commitment to play at the University of Kansas, a university whose athletic programs are sponsored by Adidas.  To conceal the payments from the University, GATTO routed the money to Billy Preston’s family indirectly, through an Adidas-sponsored amateur team affiliated with Gassnola, and pursuant to sham invoices approved by GATTO.

In addition, in the summer of 2017, GATTO and Gassnola agreed to funnel money to the legal guardian of Silvio De Sousa, then a high school basketball player, in connection with De Sousa’s commitment to play at the University of Kansas.  In one instance, GATTO and Gassnola were intercepted over a wiretap discussing a $20,000 payment to the legal guardian.

The North Carolina State University Scheme

In approximately November 2015, GATTO and Gassnola agreed to funnel approximately $40,000 from Adidas to the family of Dennis Smith Jr., then a high school basketball player, in order to stop Smith Jr. from de-committing from North Carolina State University, a university whose athletic programs are sponsored by Adidas.  Gassnola flew to North Carolina to personally deliver the money in cash to a basketball coach at North Carolina State University, who then routed the money to Smith Jr.’s family.  After Gassnola made the payment, GATTO reimbursed Gassnola via his Adidas-sponsored amateur team.

In addition to the prison sentences, Judge Kaplan ordered CODE, 45, of Greer, South Carolina, and DAWKINS, 26, of Atlanta, Georgia, to each pay restitution to the University of Louisville in the amount of $28,261.  The court reserved the decision on the restitution for GATTO, 48, of Wilsonville, Oregon, and set a conference for April 9, 2019, at 10 a.m.  Each of the three defendants was sentenced to two years of supervised release. 

Gassnola and Sood have previously pled guilty and are awaiting sentence. 

Mr. Khuzami thanked the FBI and the Special Agents of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of New York for their tireless efforts during the investigation and prosecution of this case.

Attorney General James Announces Arrest And Indictment Of Former Employee Of Two Brooklyn Based Hospitals For Allegedly Stealing Over $550,000

Wendell Lewis Used His Position In The Payroll Departments Of Interfaith Medical Center And New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital To Steal Over $550,000

  Attorney General Letitia James today announced felony charges against Wendell Lewis, 32, of Brooklyn, NY, for allegedly stealing over $550,000 from Interfaith Medical Center (“Interfaith”), a Brooklyn not-for-profit community-based hospital that recently came out of bankruptcy, and New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital (“BMH”). The Attorney General's office alleges that Lewis, while working in the payroll department of the two hospitals between 2015 and 2018, engaged in a scheme to fraudulently direct funds from the hospitals to bank accounts set-up by Lewis using the personal identification of other individuals. In 2012, Lewis was convicted of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree for committing similar conduct when he worked in the payroll department at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center in Brooklyn.   

The defendant is charged with two counts of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree (a Class C felony), four counts of Money Laundering in the Second Degree (a Class C felony), two counts of Identity Theft in the First Degree (a class D felony), and two counts of Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree (a Class E felony). If convicted, Lewis faces a maximum of 7 1/2 to 15 years in prison.   

“Stealing from our hospitals is unconscionable, but allegedly stealing from those hospitals that support our most underserved communities is especially egregious,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “My office will continue to root out this fraudulent behavior, and use our powers to protect our most vulnerable citizens.” 

According to the Attorney General's filings and statements made by prosecutors, Lewis was an employee in the payroll department of BMH from 2015 to 2016. After Lewis’s termination in 2016 for reasons unrelated to the alleged theft, Lewis was hired by Interfaith, where he remained until Interfaith discovered the theft in 2018. As an employee in the payroll departments of BMH and Interfaith, Lewis had the ability to redirect the direct deposits of the hospitals salaried employees. In order for Lewis to conceal the alleged scheme, Lewis would among other techniques, add former employees of the hospitals back on to the payroll and direct their previous salaries to bank accounts he controlled, but that were in the names of other persons. After funding the fraudulent accounts, Lewis would then reverse the fraudulent payments to make them appear as if no monies were withdrawn from the hospital and to prevent IRS Form W-2s from being generated at year end. In an effort to remain undetected by the hospitals, Lewis would allegedly make the unauthorized entries to the payroll system by logging into the hospital’s computer system using the username of other employees in the payroll department.    

Between 2015 and 2018, Lewis allegedly used 14 fraudulent bank accounts in the names of other persons to steal over $550,000 from the hospitals.  After the transfer of the stolen monies to the Lewis controlled bank accounts, Lewis used the debit cards associated with those accounts to withdrawal over $546,000 in cash from ATM machines throughout New York City.  During this same period, Lewis deposited over $175,000 in cash into his personal bank accounts.  

A review of Lewis’s personal bank accounts revealed that Lewis used the stolen funds in part to live a lavish lifestyle, including taking multiple trips to the Caribbean, going on shopping sprees at high end stores, and dining at some of New York City’s prime restaurants. 

Lewis was arraigned today on the indictment before Supreme Court Judge Danny K. Chun in Kings County. Bail was set at $100,000 bond over $50,000 cash and the case was adjourned to May 1, 2019. 

The charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.  

Attorney General James thanks the State Department of Financial Services (“DFS”) Acting Superintendent Linda A. Lacewell for assistance with this matter. The Attorney General’s office also thanks DFS Investigator Albert Flowers for his assistance. 

Chief Of Patrol on the Police-involved Shooting in the 28 Precinct, Manhattan.

March 5, 2019

The information that I'm about to provide to you is preliminary and is subject to change pending the investigation by the Force Investigation Division. Earlier this evening at 5:48 p.m., uniformed officers from the 28th Precinct responded to a report of a man with a gun inside of 234 West 114th Street. Upon arrival, the officers encountered an eyewitness who stated that there was a male with a gun on the 4th floor hallway and provided a description. The officers proceeded to the 4th floor and encountered the male, fitting the description, upon exiting the elevator.

The officers demanded that the male take his hands out of his pocket. The subject refused to comply with the officer's directives. Suddenly, the subject stated that he had a gun, taking a shooting stance and pointed an object at the officers. One of the initial responding officers discharged their firearm, which struck the suspect in the hip. The officers immediately requested EMS, who responded to the scene and transported the 34-year-old suspect to Saint Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center and is in stable condition. The officers were also transported to Saint Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center for a medical evaluation. The incident was captured on the officers' body worn cameras and will be reviewed by the Force Investigation Division.

Remarks as prepared for Chief of Patrol Rodney Harrison, with Deputy Chief Martine Materasso, Commanding Officer, Manhattan North Detectives and Deputy Inspector Christopher McIntosh, Commanding Officer, 28th Precinct.

NYC & Company declares 2019 the "Year of Pride"

NYC & COMPANY ANNOUNCES KEY EVENTS TO CELEBRATE THE YEAR OF PRIDE

—New York City highlights LGBTQ cultural extravaganza across all five boroughs—  

—NYC to host WorldPride in June, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising—

NYC & Company, New York City’s official destination marketing organization, has declared 2019 as the Year of Pride. NYC is the leading LGBTQ destination in the US year after year and welcomes visitors of all genders, all ages and from all parts of the US and the world.

NYC is offering a collection of Pride activities and events to enjoy before, after and during WorldPride and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising in June, a pivotal moment in LGBTQ history.

“We have declared 2019 the Year of Pride, to not only celebrate WorldPride and Stonewall 50 but to acknowledge the perpetual spirit of New York City’s vibrant LGBTQ community,” said Fred Dixon, president and CEO of NYC & Company. “In addition to the iconic events in June, the City is brimming with a yearlong roster of cultural activity.”

WorldPride will take place in NYC—the first time the global event will be held in the US—from June 25–30, with an anticipated 4 million visitors. On June 28, 1969, riots broke out in response to a police raid at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, which is now the country’s first national monument dedicated to LGBTQ rights. This June and throughout 2019, NYC celebrates Pride. Below is a sampling of exhibitions, activities and events throughout the year that embody NYC’s welcoming spirit.

Arts & Culture:

Andy Warhol—From A to B and Back Again – through March 31

The Whitney Museum of American Art

Last chance to see the first comprehensive retrospective of Warhol’s work organized by an American institution since 1989, and the largest monographic exhibition to date at the Whitney’s new location.

Love & Resistance: Stonewall 50 – through July 14

New York Public Library, Bryant Park, Manhattan

Explore the emergence of the LGBTQ civil rights movement during the 1960s and ’70s through photographs from pioneering journalists Tobin Lahusen and Diana Davies, that sit alongside the library’s vast archives from LGBTQ history.

Implicit Tensions: Mapplethorpe Now – through January 5, 2020

Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum

This multiphase retrospective features Robert Mapplethorpe’s collages and photographs, as well as the work of contemporary artists who reference the artist.

On the (Queer) Waterfront – March 5 through July 7

Brooklyn Historical Society, Brooklyn

Learn about the largely forgotten LGBTQ communities that thrived along Brooklyn’s waterfront in the 1800s and through WWII, highlighting both the changes and continuities in the ideas and experiences of sexuality in Brooklyn.

Lincoln Kirstein’s Modern – March 17 through June 15

Museum of Modern Art & PS1, Manhattan & Queens

Best known for establishing the New York City Ballet, Kirstein was also a key figure in MoMA’s early history. Bringing together some 300 rare artworks alongside materials drawn from the museum’s archives, the exhibition illuminates Kirstein’s influence on MoMA’s collecting, exhibition and publication history, and his position at the center of a New York network of queer artists, intimates and collaborators.

Art After Stonewall, 1969–1989

NYU’s Grey Art Gallery, Manhattan – April 24 through July 20 

Leslie-Lohman Museum, Manhattan – April 24 through July 21

Presented in two parts, this will be the first major exhibition to highlight the impact of the LGBTQ civil rights movement on the art world. Over 150 works of art and materials from artists including Nan Goldin, Holly Hughes, Robert Mapplethorpe, Tim Miller, Catherine Opie and Andy Warhol will be on view, paired with that of artists who interacted with queer subculture.

Nobody Promised You Tomorrow: Art 50 Years After Stonewall -

May 3 through December 8

Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn

Borrowing its title from the rallying words of transgender artist and activist Marsha P. Johnson, Nobody Promised You Tomorrow aims to expand understanding of the Stonewall Uprising beyond the image of protesters in the streets to consider the everyday acts that reinforce such public activism.

Camp: Notes on Fashion – May 9 through September 8

The Met Fifth Avenue, Manhattan

The Costume Institute’s spring 2019 exhibition will explore the origins of the camp aesthetic featuring nearly 200 objects, including womenswear and menswear, as well as sculptures, paintings and drawings dating from the 17th century to the present. The exhibition is inspired by writer Susan Sontag’s 1964 essay “Notes on Camp.”

Stonewall 50 Exhibitions – May 24 through September 22

New-York Historical Society, Manhattan

Letting Loose and Fighting Back: LGBTQ Nightlife Before and After Stonewall will explore the history of LGBTQ bars, clubs and nightlife in NYC during the second half of the 20th century. By the Force of Our Presence: Highlights from the Lesbian Herstory Archives will examine lesbian lives both pre- and post-Stonewall. Special graphic installation, Say It Loud, Out and Proud: Fifty Years of Pride, will feature imagery from five decades of NYC Pride marches.

Music of Conscience Series – May 30 and June 1

New York Philharmonic, Manhattan

Experience John Corigliano’s Symphony No. 1, the New York composer’s “personal response to the AIDS crisis,” inspired by the AIDS Memorial Quilt. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center created its own Quilt Project, and a portion of that quilt—inscribed by visitors to Central Park in June 1988—will be on display in the lobby of David Geffen Hall.

PRIDE – June 6 through November

Museum of the City of New York, Manhattan

Examine NYC through the lens of photographer Fred W. McDarrah, who created an encyclopedic archive of culture and politics for The Village Voice; from the Beats of the 1950s to the counterculture of the ’60s to the Stonewall Uprising and major political events of the early 1970s. The exhibition features images of cultural icons such as Allen Ginsberg and Bob Dylan, with attention to gay liberation, anti–Vietnam War marches and the women’s movement.

Walt Whitman: Bard of Democracy – June 7 through September 15

The Morgan Library & Museum

Experience Whitman’s writing that earned him a global audience, including “O Captain! My Captain!” Additionally, view documents from Oscar Wilde, Hart Crane, Federico García Lorca and Allen Ginsberg, which trace the writer’s influence on the 20th century.

Pride Auction – June 20

Swann Auction Galleries

A unique and landmark event, featuring work from artists and writers including James Baldwin, Tom of Finland, Gertrude Stein, Alice Walker, Robert Mapplethorpe and more.

NYC LGBT Historic Sites Project – Year-round

Citywide

The recently launched project is the first initiative to document historic and cultural sites associated with the LGBTQ community in all five boroughs. Sites illustrate the richness of the City’s LGBTQ history and the community’s influence on America.

Alice Austen House Museum – Year-round

Staten Island

Take the free Staten Island ferry to visit the Alice Austen House, named by the National Register of Historic Places as the “national site of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) history.” Austen was a turn-of-the-century lesbian photographer who lived with her female companion for many years in her home that boasts views of the Manhattan skyline.

Lesbian Herstory Archives – Year-round

Brooklyn

View the largest collection of materials by and about lesbians and their communities. Part library, part museum, the LHA is a communal place to browse photographs or files, read a book, watch a video, listen to a CD or LP, do research or volunteer. Group tours can also be arranged.

50th Anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising – Year-round

The Jewish Museum, Manhattan

The museum will pay tribute through a year of programming, while highlighting LGBTQ works of art from the museum’s collectionthat explore themes of gender and identity.

Borough Parades:

Staten Island PrideFest – May 10–19

PrideFest will celebrate 15 years with a full week of events in May, including a 5K fun run, a Sober Coffee House and a Youth Prom. The week ends with an afternoon festival at Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden featuring live music, drag performers, food trucks and craft vendors.

Harlem Pride – May 31 through June 29

The 10th anniversary of Harlem Pride in 2019 is also the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance. The monthlong celebrations will consist of performances, discussions and ceremonies at iconic locations including the Apollo Theater.

Queens Pride – June 2

Pride month kicks off in the heart of Queens with this annual parade down 27th Avenue in Jackson Heights, followed by an afternoon street festival in the neighborhood that features music, drag performances and local cuisine.  

Brooklyn Twilight Pride Parade – June 8

Brooklyn puts its own twist on Pride with a nontraditional march starting at dusk through the streets of Park Slope. Following the march, a Pride street fair will take place with food, crafts and entertainment.

1 Bronx Festival – June 23

The march will take place preceding the annual 1 Bronx Festival that promotes inclusion, community and dialogue. Pride events throughout the festival inspire, educate and celebrate the diverse Bronx community.

Furthermore, visit New York City’s historic LGBTQ landmarks, including: Bethesda Fountain; Christopher Park; Julius; The Langston Hughes House; The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center; The Leslie-Lohman Museum of Gay and Lesbian Art; New York City AIDS Memorial; Stonewall Inn.

For more information on NYC’s Year of Pride celebrations, visit 

nycgo.com/year-of-pride.

For information on WorldPride–specific events, visit nycgo.com/worldpride.

For all things LGBTQ in NYC, visit nycgo.com/lgbtq. 

About NYC & Company:

NYC & Company is the official destination marketing organization and convention & visitors bureau for the City of New York, dedicated to maximizing travel and tourism opportunities throughout the five boroughs, building economic prosperity and spreading the positive image of New York City worldwide. For the official source on all there is to see and do in New York City, go to nycgo.com.

Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. - Bronx LGBT Career Fair

WOMEN.NYC: DE BLASIO ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES FOUR NEW MONUMENTS HONORING FEMALE LEADERS AS A PART OF SHE BUILT NYC INITIATIVE

With this announcement, there will be a She Built NYC monument in all five boroughs

  Today, First Lady Chirlane McCray and former Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen announced the next four monuments as a part of She Built NYC, an initiative to honor the trailblazing women who have helped shape New York City while addressing the absence of female statues in our public realm. These four women have made extraordinary contributions to society and were nominated by the public as part of an open call conducted last year. The monuments—which include Billie Holiday, Elizabeth Jennings Graham, Dr. Helen Rodríguez Trías, and Katherine Walker—mark a critical step towards creating a more dynamic, diverse, and inclusive collection of permanent public artwork across all five boroughs.

“We cannot tell the story of New York City without recognizing the invaluable contributions of the women who helped build and shape it,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray. “Public monuments should tell the full history and inspire us to realize our potential – not question our worth. In honoring these four trailblazers today, New Yorkers will have the opportunity to see powerful women who made history receive the recognition they deserve.”

“When we launched She Built NYC, we promised this would not be a ‘one and done,’” said former Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen. “Today’s announcement marks real action by the City of New York to ensure that our public realm exemplifies the diverse and accomplished women who make this city so great.”

The four new monuments will be placed throughout the five boroughs and will honor:

Billie Holiday near Queens Borough Hall (Queens)

Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan Gough, 1915-1959) is one of the most celebrated jazz singers of all time. Her career helped to define the New York “swing sing” jazz scene and to challenge racial barriers.  One of the first black women to sing with a white orchestra, she struck out on her own to win fame with Strange Fruit, a powerful protest song about lynching, named by Time Magazine “the song of the century” (1999). Her career was recognized by four posthumous Grammys and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

       

A monument to Billie Holiday will be built in her home borough near Queens Borough Hall. Holiday lived in Addisleigh Park and later in Flushing.

Elizabeth Jennings Graham in the Vanderbilt Avenue Corridor near Grand Central Terminal (Manhattan)

Elizabeth Jennings Graham (1827–1901) challenged racial segregation a century before the modern Civil Rights movement. On July 16, 1854, the 27-year-old schoolteacher boarded a streetcar that did not accept African-Americans as passengers. When the conductor confronted her, she refused to leave until forcibly removed by the police. Graham used her education and connections in New York’s middle-class black community to publish an account of the incident and sue the Third Avenue Railroad Company, the conductor, and the driver. The judge ruled in her favor, holding that “a colored person… had the same rights as others.” In addition to winning $225 in damages, Jennings’s case took the first step toward ending transit segregation in New York. By 1860 all of the city's streetcar lines were open to African-Americans. In her later years, Jennings continued to teach, helping to found the first kindergarten in the city for black children.

A monument to Elizabeth Jennings Graham next to Grand Central Terminal, the city’s most iconic transit hub, highlights the interconnected history of civil rights and transportation in New York as well as the historic role of this important activist.

Dr. Helen Rodríguez Trías at St. Mary’s Park (Bronx)

Dr. Helen Rodríguez Trías (1929-2001) was a pioneer in pediatrics and public health. Over the course of her career, Dr. Rodríguez Trías focused on issues including reproductive rights and HIV/AIDS care and prevention; she did this work on behalf of women and children, especially those in poor and minority communities. She became the medical director of the New York State Department of Health’s AIDS Institute and the first Latinx director of the American Public Health Association (APHA).  Dr. Rodríguez Trías was a recipient of the Presidential Citizens Medal. Among her greatest legacies are shaping regulations that govern informed content for sterilizations and empowering low-income and minority women through the women’s health movement.

  

A monument to Dr. Rodriguez Trías in St. Mary’s Park, which is near Lincoln Hospital (today known as NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln), is fitting; Dr. Rodríguez Trías was the head of the hospital’s pediatrics department and advocated for better medical care for the communities of color that the institution served.

Katherine Walker at the Staten Island Ferry Landing (Staten Island)

Katherine Walker (1838-1941), the keeper of the Robbins Reef Lighthouse for nearly three decades, is credited with saving the lives of at least 50 people and maintaining the light that guided countless ships to safe passage through Kill Van Kull,  the shipping channel between Staten Island and Bayonne, New Jersey. One of the few female lighthouse keepers in American history, she broke barriers in a male-dominated field and raised her two children at the lighthouse, rowing them back and forth to attend school on Staten Island. Walker’s story sheds light on the largely untold history of women working in New York City’s thriving marine ecosystem. Her efforts contributed to the infrastructure of the shipping industry, which was the lifeblood of the city’s economy for centuries.

A monument to Katherine Walker at the Staten Island ferry landing celebrates her impact on the borough and on maritime life of the city.

"It's long past time we honor the great women who helped shape this city," said women.nyc Executive Director Faye Penn. "We are tremendously proud to be recognizing this diverse and dynamic set of women with monuments celebrating their accomplishments and thank the public for answering the call to help make us a fairer city for all women."

“The people and groups we celebrate in our public art should reflect the rich diversity and cultural history that has made New York City such an extraordinary place,” said Cultural Affairs Commissioner Tom Finkelpearl. “By honoring these four remarkable women New Yorkers, She Built NYC is taking important steps toward a fuller telling of our city’s dynamic story through public monuments. We look forward to the upcoming community engagement and artist selection processes, bringing New Yorkers together to help preserve these legacies and what they represent for generations to come.”

The four new monuments will be commissioned through the Department of Cultural Affairs’ Percent for Art process, which requires that one percent of the budget for eligible City-funded construction projects be spent on public artwork. This inclusive process builds community engagement and input into the artist selection and artwork design process. The construction of these monuments will be funded through the $10 million the Department of Cultural Affairs has committed over the next four years to commissioning new permanent public monuments and commemorations. 

Artist selection for each of these monuments will begin by the end of 2019, with artist selection concluding in the first half of 2020. The monuments will be built throughout 2021 and 2022.

The City will also work with the Museum of the City of New York to identify potential future monuments that honor groups of women. The Museum will use the recommendations of the She Built NYC selection committee, as well as the public nominations list, to research and comment on the appropriateness of various groupings of women from the list. The City will then use this research to inform future She Built NYC monuments.  

The announcement of these four monuments follows the City’s November 2018 announcement of Shirley Chisholm as the first She Built NYC commission. Chisholm, the first black woman to serve in Congress, will be honored with a monument at the Parkside entrance of Prospect Park in Brooklyn adjacent to the congressional district she proudly represented.

She Built NYC started with an open call asking the public to nominate women, groups of women, or events involving women that significantly impacted the history of New York City. Through the women.nyc website, the public submitted nearly 2,000 nominations. Ninety-eight percent of respondents said they would like to see a woman honored who was committed to social reform or justice. The most frequently used word in the submissions was “first,” followed by “leader” and then “advocate.” An advisory panel with individuals representing a broad range of expertise and backgrounds helped refine the public submissions list and provided recommendations to the City.

She Built NYC is an initiative of women.nyc, which was launched in May 2018 by First Lady Chirlane McCray and former Deputy Mayor Alicia Glen to ensure that New York remains the best city in the world for women to succeed.

The launch of She Built NYC followed a report issued by the Mayoral Advisory Commission on City Art, Monuments, and Markers in January 2018, which led Mayor de Blasio to order actions on a number of its recommendations. Most critically, the report called for adding more voices and broader representation to the City’s collection of public art to better reflect its diverse history.

Other efforts underway in response to the Monuments Commission report include “Beyond Sims,” which is commissioning new artwork for the former site of the J. Marion Sims statue along the edge of Central Park in East Harlem. The statue of Sims was removed in April 2018 following years of community advocacy.

Citywide Overall Crime Continues to Decline in February 2019

There were 736 Fewer Index Crimes in February 2019 Compared to February 2018

This February, New York City experienced 10.8% less index crime than in February 2018. Despite that reduction in overall crime, the NYPD will implement a five- point plan that takes aim at the increase in violent crime in several Patrol Boroughs throughout the City. This plan includes:

1. Precision Deployments: Highly-focused distribution of additional uniformed personnel will occur in four initial commands based on a thorough analysis of crime conditions. These conditions will be reassessed each week and adjustments will be made accordingly.
2. Strengthen Gun Prosecutions: Working closely with the Brooklyn District Attorney's Office on ensuring strong gun prosecutions.
3. Expansion of CeaseFire Program: The program in which violent crime is combatted by providing interventions to known gang members will now occur in additional areas of Brooklyn and the Bronx.
4. Launch Re-EntryStat: Re-EntryStat: will marshal the resources of parole, probation, district attorneys and other partner agencies to ensure resources are provided to individuals re-entering the community from the prison system.
5. Domestic Violence Gun Investigations: Intensive investigations by members of the Intelligence Bureau partnered with Domestic Violence Officers in any domestic violence case involving a firearm.

"New York City has seen massive overall reductions over the years and I'm proud of the work our members on the ground do to continually focus – very precisely – on the real drivers of crime," said Police Commissioner James P. O'Neill. "Through the next iteration of Neighborhood Policing, we are bringing together fellow city agencies, elected officials and neighborhood leaders to build trust, strengthen relationships and take action together to further drive down crime and violence."

"With crime at a record low in New York City, there is still more work to do to ensure that every New Yorker feels safe in their neighborhood," said Mayor de Blasio. "I have full confidence that the NYPD will stop this recent surge in its tracks and make our City safer."

“I am committed to expanding the gains in public safety that we achieved over the last few years and to addressing any change in homicides. We will enhance cooperation with the NYPD and expand partnerships with community groups and violence interrupters, among other proactive approaches, to make sure that the historic lows are maintained. I am encouraged by the overall reduction in major crime categories and confident that the steps announced today will help us stem any pockets of violence. I am resolved to continue to keep everyone in Brooklyn safe and strengthen community trust,” said Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez.

Additional uniformed personnel will be deployed in the 34th, 43rd, 79th, and 113th Precincts. In each command, eight additional officers will be strategically deployed at high-visibility locations at critical times, based upon continuous CompStat analysis. The Strategic Response Group will also provide an additional layer of resources and visibility in these commands. The Warrants Section, working closely with the Detective Bureau, will focus efforts on apprehending top offenders and violent criminals with open warrants. Each of these commands will be evaluated on a weekly basis.

To combat an increase in homicides centered in Brooklyn, the Department will further enhance its strong working relationship with prosecutors in the office of Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez. Top NYPD executives in partnership with the Mayor's Office of Criminal Justice will work collaboratively to ensure that those who illegally carry or commit crimes with firearms will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

In order to provide young people an alternative to gangs and to prevent retaliatory violence, the CeaseFire program will expand in the 60th and 70th Precincts in Brooklyn as well as Police Service Area (PSA) 1. CeaseFire will also expand to the 43rd and 48th Precincts in the Bronx.

The NYPD is also launching a new program, Re-EntryStat, which will closely monitor and analyze the resources provided to people who are re-entering their communities upon release from prison. The goal will be to ensure that they do not go on to become the victim of a crime or commit crimes.

A review of domestic incidents from the calendar year 2018 shows there were 27 shooting incidents and 19 homicides by gun. As a result, a pilot program was launched in which the Intelligence Bureau and command-level Field Intelligence and Domestic Violence Officers conduct intensive investigations in each domestic violence case where a firearm is used or access to a firearm is suspected. Thus far, 56 firearms have been recovered under this pilot program. In 2019 year-to-date, there has not been a domestic violence homicide by gun.

Key highlights from this month's crime statistics include:

• A -10.8% reduction in index crime in February 2019 (6,056), compared to February 2018 (6,792).
• Transit crime up 5.6% in February 2019 compared to February 2018.
• Housing crime up 4% in February 2019 compared to February 2018.
• Robberies, felony assaults, burglaries, grand larceny and grand larceny auto are all down -8.0%, -9.9%, -16.4%, -12.5% and -3.3% in February 2019 compared to February 2018, respectively.

Statistics on Index Crimes 2018-2019

	Feb. 2019	Feb. 2018	Change	+/-%	Year-to-Date 2019	Year-to-Date 2018	Change	+/-%
Murder	24	16	8	-50.00%	52	38	14	36.80%
Rape	133	122	11	9.00%	285	240	45	18.80%
Robbery	866	941	-75	-8.00%	1801	2088	-287	-7.90%
Felony Assault	1240	1376	-136	-9.90%	2682	2913	-230	-7.90%
Burglary	715	855	-140	-16.40%	1616	1860	-244	-13.10%
Grand Larceny	2754	3147	-393	-12.50%	6085	6543	-458	-7.00%
G.L.A.	324	335	-11	-3.30%	673	748	-75	-10.00%
TOTAL	6056	6792	-736	-10.80%	13195	14430	-1235	-8.60%

Additional Statistics on Crimes 2017-2018

	Feb. 2019	Feb. 2018	Change	+/-%	Year-to-Date 2019	Year-to-Date 2018	Change	+/-%
Transit	189	179	10	5.60%	387	378	9	-2.40%
Housing	341	328	13	4.00%	705	729	-24	-3.30%
Shooting Incidents	42	36	6	16.70%	93	95	-2	-2.10%

February Rape Breakdowns

CompStat Year	Count	Occurred Same Year	Occurred Previous Year	Occurred 2 Years Prior	Occurred 3 Years Prior	Occurred 4 Years Prior	Occurred 5+ Years Prior
2019	133	96	24	1	3	1	8
2018	122	83	17	7	1	1	13
2017	88	66	14	2	0	1	5
2016	109	79	16	4	2	1	7
2015	80	56	14	2	1	2	5
2014	89	65	12	5	3	0	4

Note: All crime statistics are preliminary and subject to further analysis, revisions, or change.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The 43rd precinct has been designated by the NYPD as one of the four precincts where crime has spiked the most. Eight officers will be reassigned to the 43rd precinct from other Bronx precincts. 

By doing that the NYPD will only move crime from one precinct to other Bronx precincts. The real problem is that the manpower at the precinct level has not kept up with the attrition level. Any new officers are replacing officers who have retired or were reassigned to other duties. There has been nio net gain in officers at the precinct level, and according to several precinct commanders there has been a decrease in the number of officers at the precinct level.