Friday, April 12, 2019
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
Former Director Of Financial Aid At New York Graduate School And Two Former Students Sentenced To Prison For Bribery And Kickback Scheme
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that MELANIE WILLIAMS-BETHEA, the former director of financial aid at Teachers College, Columbia University, and two former Teachers College students, MAWULI HORMEKU and CARMEN CANTY, were sentenced to prison terms for their respective roles in illicitly obtaining hundreds of thousands of dollars from Teachers College through a years-long bribery and kickback scheme. WILLIAMS-BETHEA was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alison J. Nathan, who previously sentenced HORMEKU and CANTY. The defendants received the following sentences:
| MELANIE WILLIAMS-BETHEA | 40 months in prison |
| MAWULI HORMEKU | 12 months and one day in prison |
| CARMEN CANTY | 3 months in prison |
WILLIAMS-BETHEA pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery on October 17, 2018; HORMEKU pled guilty to committing bribery on July 26, 2018; and CANTY pled guilty to committing bribery on July 31, 2018. Two additional students who participated in the scheme, ANNICE KPANA and KYLA THOMAS, also have pled guilty and are scheduled to be sentenced later this month.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “These defendants exploited and stole from an institution of higher learning, taking money that was intended to help provide opportunities for individuals training to teach future generations. They cumulatively pocketed more than $2 million, and their prison sentences reflect the significant harm caused by their conduct.”
According to the Indictment, other filings in Manhattan federal court, and evidence presented in court at the sentencings:
From 2008 through 2017, the defendants engaged in bribery and kickback schemes resulting in the loss of more than $2 million from Teachers College. WILLIAMS-BETHEA, who was employed by Teachers College as the director of financial aid during the relevant time period, perpetrated the scheme by approving aid payments to HORMEKU, CANTY, KPANA, and THOMAS (collectively, the “Students”) far in excess of their actual need, and then obtaining portions of the unjustified aid allotments she approved as kickback payments from the Students.
Specifically, WILLIAMS-BETHEA approved excessive “cost of attendance” figures for the Students that did not comport with their actual needs or costs of living, which had the effect of increasing the amount of financial aid they were eligible to receive, and by then approving stipends for the Students up to – and at times exceeding – these inflated amounts. To facilitate some of the stipends, WILLIAMS-BETHEA created fraudulent stipend request forms for financial awards to the Students, which gave the appearance that professors or other administrators had requested stipends, when in fact they had not, and then approved the fraudulently requested stipends herself.
After WILLIAMS-BETHEA facilitated these awards of unjustified financial aid, HORMEKU, CANTY, KPANA, and THOMAS paid WILLIAMS-BETHEA nearly $1 million in kickbacks.
In addition to the prison terms, Judge Nathan ordered WILLIAMS-BETHEA, 49, to pay restitution and forfeiture in the amount of $2,067,349; ordered HORMEKU, 39, to pay restitution and forfeiture in the amount of $620,010; and ordered CANTY, 40, to pay restitution and forfeiture in the amount of $166,105.
Mr. Berman praised the investigative work of the Department of Education, Office of the Inspector General in this investigation.
Attorney General James Issues Consumer Alert On Frequent Tax Season Scams Ahead Of Tax Day
AG Provides Tips To Avoid Scams This Tax Season, Urges New Yorkers To Report Potential Fraud To AG’s Office
Ahead of this year’s annual Tax Day, Attorney General Letitia James provided taxpayers with tips to help avoid fraudulent tax schemes. The Attorney General also urged New Yorkers to stay vigilant and report any suspected scams intended to steal personal and financial information from consumers to the Attorney General’s Office.
“Tax season is ripe with opportunity for scammers to prey on hardworking New Yorkers,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “These bad actors use a wide range of tactics to illegally cheat residents out of their money, including individuals who impersonate the IRS and businesses that bait-and-switch their tax preparation services. Armed with the tips and resources provided by my office, I urge New Yorkers to remain vigilant as they prepare to file their taxes and encourage them to notify my office if they encounter any tax scams.”
Scams that New Yorkers should be on the lookout for include, but are not limited to:
- Scammers who impersonate U.S. Treasury Department, the IRS, the Taxpayer Advocate Service, or other government officials and call taxpayers in an attempt to collect phony tax debts;
- Scammers who claim consumers owe past tax debts and insist that consumers pay using a prepaid credit card or gift card;
- Tax preparation businesses that advertise low fees to get the customer in the door, then increase the final fee by hundreds of dollars claiming the tax return was more complicated than anticipated;
- Taxpayers receiving an unexpectedly large “tax refund” from the IRS, which they then must return because it was stolen from another individual.
In order to help New Yorkers avoid tax scams, Attorney General James offers the following tips:
- If you owe money, you will receive a legitimate notice in writing that identifies the agency and the reason you owe money;
- Do not give out personal information, including your Social Security number, bank account information, or other payment information, to telephone callers;
- Legitimate government organizations will never threaten arrest or deportation for failure to pay a debt;
- Legitimate government agencies will never insist that consumers pay a debt only via a pre-paid credit card, gift card, or wire transfer.
The following suggestions will help consumers file their tax returns safely and keep more of their return:
- Only use established and recognizable companies for tax-preparation services;
- Check the tax preparer's qualifications and history through the Better Business Bureau;
- Ask for a written estimate of all fees. Avoid those who base their fees on a percentage of your refund;
- Avoid tax preparers that promise cash for preparing the return, but in fact merely offer a discount on inflated fees;
- Make sure the tax preparer is accessible, even after the April due date;
- Never sign a blank return;
- Review entire return before signing;
- Make sure the preparer signs the tax form and includes a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN);
- Consult New York's “Consumer Bill of Rights Regarding Tax Preparers.”
In addition to being vigilant consumers, New Yorkers should report potential scams to the Office of the Attorney General by submitting a complaint online or calling the consumer hotline at 1-800-771-7755. Scams should also be reported to the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 800-366-4484.
Consumers can avoid the costs of refund anticipation loans and checks by filing their return electronically and having refunds either mailed or directly deposited into their own bank account.
The Attorney General reminds New Yorkers that there are Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites where consumers can get their tax returns prepared free of charge.
Attorney General James Announces Criminal Convictions of Six Defendants Charged in New York City Insurance Fraud Ring Take Down
Brooklyn-Based Fraud Ring Stole Over $120K from Insurance Carriers by Submitting Fake Accident Claims for High-End Vehicles
Attorney General Letitia James today announced the convictions of six individuals for their participation in a sophisticated auto insurance fraud scheme, in which the defendants cheated insurance carriers out of over $120,000 by submitting fake property damage claims for high-end vehicles.
“This scheme was a brazen attempt to game the insurance system for profit,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “When individuals organize to commit insurance fraud, all New York consumers pay the cost. My office remains committed to rooting out fraud of any kind, and this is no exception.”
The following defendants pleaded guilty in Kings County Supreme Court for their roles in the scheme:
- Carlington Haye, age 37, of Kings County, New York
- Keon Cole, age 35, of Kings County, New York
- Theresa King, age 28, of Kings County, New York
- Mkada Beach, age 38, of Kings County, New York
- Dexter Karl, age 29, of Kings County, New York
- Omari Brown., age 24, of Kings County, New York
According to the Attorney General’s indictment and statements made by prosecutors, between January 2014 and September 2015, members of this insurance fraud ring conspired to submit 11 fake property damage claims, which included multiple false representations, including the manner in which car accidents and purported damages occurred. The defendants also resubmitted claims for the same vehicles with pre-existing damages multiple times. In order to maximize insurance payments, the defendants utilized high-end vehicles, including a Lexus, BMW, Audi, Mercedes, and a Bentley. In furtherance of their scheme, the defendants also used the stolen identity of a United States service member in three of the fake claims.
The defendants received payments ranging from $5,000 to over $20,000 for their fake property damage claims, and cashed insurance checks at two Pay-O-Matic check cashing branches in Kings County, New York. In total, the defendants fraudulently obtained a total of over $120,000 in insurance payments for their counterfeit claims.
The Attorney General’s 42-count indictment, filed in Kings County Supreme Court on June 2, 2017, charged the defendants with Insurance Fraud in the Second Degree (a class C felony), Insurance Fraud in the Third Degree (a class D felony), Identity Theft in First Degree (a class D felony), Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (a class D felony), Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree (a class E felony), Scheme to Defraud in the First Degree (a class E felony) and Conspiracy in the Fifth Degree (a class A misdemeanor).
All six defendants charged pleaded guilty to criminal charges. Defendant Teresa King pleaded guilty to Insurance Fraud in the Fourth Degree, a Class E felony, and was sentenced to 1 year in jail. Defendant Carlington Haye pleaded guilty to Insurance Fraud in the Second Degree, a Class C felony, as part of the plea will serve 90 days in jail, will be sentenced to 5 years’ probation, and must pay over $120,000 in restitution. Defendant Keon Cole pleaded guilty to Insurance Fraud in the Third Degree, a Class D felony, and was sentenced to 30 days in jail, 5 years’ probation, and ordered to pay over $50,000 in restitution. Defendant Mkada Beach pleaded guilty to Insurance Fraud in the Fourth Degree and was sentenced to 5 years’ probation. Defendant Dexter Karl pleaded guilty to Insurance Fraud in the Fifth Degree, a Class A misdemeanor, and was sentenced to a conditional discharged and ordered to pay over $6,000 in restitution. Defendant Omari Brown pleaded guilty to Attempted Petit Larceny, a Class B misdemeanor, and was sentenced to a conditional discharge and also ordered to pay over $9,000 in restitution.
These convictions are the culmination of a long-term investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s Insurance Fraud Unit. Attorney General James thanks the National Insurance Crime Bureau, New York State Department of Financial Services, New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, New York City Police Department, New York City Department of Finance Office of the City Register, and the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles for their invaluable assistance in this case. The Attorney General also thanks State Farm Insurance Co., GEICO Insurance Co., Nationwide Insurance Co., United Services Automobile Association, and Progressive Insurance for their valuable assistance.
MAYOR DE BLASIO AND TEAMSTERS LOCAL 237 SECURE FAIR WAGES, NEW SCHEDULES FOR APPROXIMATELY 1,000 NYCHA MAINTENANCE WORKERS
Contract follows de Blasio Administration’s commitment to provide services for NYCHA residents seven days a week and establishes fair pay for staff
Mayor Bill de Blasio and Greg Floyd, President of Teamsters Local 237, announced today that the City of New York has reached a tentative contract agreement with Teamsters Local 237 that would benefit more than 1,300 maintenance workers citywide – including approximately 1,000 New York City Housing Authority maintenance workers – and nearly 400,000 NYCHA residents. Under this agreement, NYCHA maintenance workers will perform basic repairs seven days a week as part of their regularly scheduled work week for the first time in NYCHA history – a groundbreaking change that will overhaul how the Authority addresses its residents’ needs.
The 48-month and 16-day agreement covers approximately 1,000 NYCHA maintenance workers, as well as about 350 maintenance workers at various other City agencies. Previously, the only schedule for maintenance workers at NYCHA developments was Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The new agreement adds three possible schedules that expand coverage to Saturdays and Sundays until 7:00 p.m.
“With expanded work hours, our maintenance workers are going to help improve the lives of nearly 400,000 NYCHA residents by offering basic repairs faster and more frequently,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Combined with December’s agreement that expanded the work hours for building caretakers and supervisors, NYCHA residents will begin to see better maintained buildings and experience an overall better quality of life. Maintenance workers also will receive wage increases that are fair to workers and New York City taxpayers.”
“We’re taking a major step forward in providing services that will improve the lives of NYCHA residents,” said Renee Campion, Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office of Labor Relations. “This agreement will expedite repairs more frequently. Together, we were able to address both the needs of the workers and the needs of New York City taxpayers. I want to thank Teamsters Local 237 President Greg Floyd for working on this agreement and maintaining a respectful labor dynamic.”
“Having maintenance workers onsite at our developments all week long will ensure public housing residents receive the repairs they need and deserve,” said NYCHA Interim Chair and CEO Kathryn Garcia. “This agreement highlights how labor management cooperation can be a win for our employees and a win for our residents. With our partners at Local 237, NYCHA will continue to move forward to maintain affordable housing for all New Yorkers.”
“Our maintenance staff being on the ground seven days a week is a critical part of how the Authority will effectively preserve public housing and be the better landlord that our residents deserve,” said NYCHA General Manager Vito Mustaciuolo. “We thank Local 237, NYCHA’s Human Resources team, and the Office of Labor Relations for their commitment to both our residents and our hardworking staff.”
This agreement covers a period from December 17, 2017 through January 1, 2022, and includes wage increases of 2.00 percent, 2.25 percent and 3.00 percent that conform with recent agreements reached by District Council 37 and the United Federation of Teachers for the 2017-2021 round of bargaining.
The gross cost of this agreement is $42.2 million, some of which is offset by $8.5 million in healthcare savings for a net cost of $33.7 million. This agreement will not require any additional funds to be added to the financial plan.
NYCHA maintenance workers are responsible for the routine operation and repair of buildings, public spaces and NYCHA apartments, such as fixing leaky faucets, doors, lights and windows, among other repairs. This agreement comes after the Administration’s first work rule agreement with Teamsters Local 237, which was reached in December 2018 and implemented alternate work schedules for more than 2,700 NYCHA caretakers that expanded coverage to early mornings and Saturdays and Sundays until 7:00 p.m. Under the new agreement, both currently employed and newly hired Maintenance Workers at NYCHA developments can be assigned to one of four schedules:
- Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with a Sunday replacing Thursday approximately every three weeks
- 8:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. four days a week, with every other Saturday included in the workweek
- 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. four days a week, with every other Saturday included in the workweek
As part of the agreement, current Maintenance Workers at NYCHA developments who are assigned to the new schedules will receive a one-time $1,500 bonus. All employees will continue to receive a 25 percent differential for working on Saturday as part of their regular workweek and a 50 percent differential for working on Sunday as part of their regular workweek.
The agreement also establishes the creation of a labor-management committee to discuss promotional opportunities for maintenance workers to prevailing wage titles.
Teamsters Local 237 membership must still ratify the agreement. This settlement continues the Administration’s promise to restore a productive relationship with the City’s workforce, all of whom were not under contract at the beginning of the Mayor’s first term.
Teamsters Local 237 Maintenance Workers will receive the following compounded wage increases:
- January 17, 2018: 2.00 percent
- December 7, 2018: 2.25 percent
- March 17, 2020: 3.00 percent
Nine Bills Move Through Committee during Fifth Meeting of the Senate Health Committee
The Senate Health Committee, chaired by State Senator Gustavo Rivera, moved through committee the nine bills that were included on today's Committee agenda.
"At a time when we are immersed in a necessary conversation about the importance of consent, we voted for measures that ensure New York's healthcare practices respect a patient's autonomy because no one should be subjected to an unauthorized medical examinations. We also took another decisive step in our effort to reduce New York's alarming maternal mortality rate, especially among black mothers, by passing a bill that would require hospitals to set protocols to identify and treat obstetric hemorrhage, one of the leading causes of deaths during birth. Further, we voted to ensure that mothers have a safe, private, and comfortable places to breastfeed their children at our airports. As I said before, my colleagues and I are committed to passing common-sense measures that safeguard and improve the health of New Yorkers," said State Senator Gustavo Rivera.
During today's meeting, committee members voted for the following bills in the following categories:
Ensuring Ethical Medical Examinations through Informed Consent:
- S1092B (Persaud) - Bill to amend the education law, in relation to including in the definition of professional misconduct performing a pelvic examination without consent on an anesthetized or unconscious person.
- S1693 (Krueger) - Bill to prohibit the making and/or broadcasting of visual images of individuals undergoing medical treatment without prior written consent.
- S3353 (Ramos) - Bill to inform consent for procedures in the course of education or training.
Protecting the Health of Expectant Mothers, Ensuring the Privacy of New Mothers and Providing Information about Menstrual Disorders:
- S4498A (Rivera) - Bill to establish obstetric hemorrhage protocols and provide the repeal of certain provisions upon the expiration thereof.
- S1016 (Serino) - Bill to amend the public health law, in relation to informational materials concerning menstrual disorders.
- S1544 (Kennedy) - Bill to facilitate the financing and effectuation of air terminals by the Port of New York Authority, in relation to requiring certain lactation accommodations in airports.
Other bills that passed committee:
- S474 (Carlucci) - Bill to amend the public health law, in relation to central venous lines.
- S4181 (Salazar) - Bill to require that information be made available to parents regarding window blind safety.
- S4811 (Rivera) - Bill to establish an office of the state medical indemnity fund ombudsman and a medical indemnity fund advisory panel.
DE BLASIO ADMINISTRATION’S HEALTH DEPARTMENT DECLARES PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY DUE TO MEASLES CRISIS
The de Blasio Administration today declared a public health emergency in select zip codes in Williamsburg, following a measles outbreak affecting the Orthodox Jewish community. As part of the declaration, unvaccinated individuals living in those ZIP codes who may have been exposed to measles will be required to receive the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine in order to protect others in the community and help curtail the ongoing outbreak.
Under the mandatory vaccinations, members of the City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene will check the vaccination records of any individual who may have been in contact with infected patients. Those who have not received the MMR vaccine or do not have evidence of immunity may be given a violation and could be fined $1,000.
“There’s no question that vaccines are safe, effective and life-saving,” said Mayor de Blasio. “I urge everyone, especially those in affected areas, to get their MMR vaccines to protect their children, families and communities.”
“Measles is a dangerous, potentially deadly disease that can easily be prevented with vaccine,” said Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Dr. Herminia Palacio. “When people choose not to get their children vaccinated, they are putting their children and others – such as pregnant women, people on chemotherapy, and the elderly – at risk of contracting measles. The City has worked aggressively to end this outbreak, and today’s declaration of a public health emergency and new vaccine mandate, in combination with the blanket Commissioner’s Orders for yeshivas, ensures we are using every tool to protect New Yorkers.”
“As a pediatrician, I know the MMR vaccine is safe and effective. This outbreak is being fueled by a small group of anti-vaxxers in these neighborhoods. They have been spreading dangerous misinformation based on fake science,” said Health Commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot. “We stand with the majority of people in this community who have worked hard to protect their children and those at risk. We’ve seen a large increase in the number of people vaccinated in these neighborhoods, but as Passover approaches, we need to do all we can to ensure more people get the vaccine.”
This public health emergency declaration comes after the NYC Health Department issued Commissioner's Orders last week to all yeshivas and day care programs serving the Orthodox Jewish community in Williamsburg, doubling down on their order to exclude unvaccinated students or face violations and possible closure, first announced in December. Now any school out of compliance will immediately be issued a violation and could be subject to closure.
To date, 285 cases have been confirmed since the beginning of the outbreak in October, with many of these new cases being confirmed in the last two months. The vast majority of cases are children under 18 years of age (246 cases), and 39 cases are adults. Most of these measles cases were unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated individuals. There have been no deaths associated with this outbreak, although there have been complications, including 21 hospitalizations and five admissions to the intensive care unit.
Measles is a highly contagious disease and can cause severe complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain), and death. Measles is easily preventable with the safe and effective MMR vaccine. Newborns, pregnant individuals, and those with weakened immune systems cannot get vaccinated, so it is important that everyone around them be vaccinated in order to protect them from contracting the virus and prevent severe complications in these susceptible populations.
While the MMR vaccine is the safest and most effective method of prevent measles, it is only 97 percent effective, so population-wide immunity is a key component to protecting our most at risk New Yorkers from measles. Pregnant women — even if they have received the MMR vaccine — are still at risk of complications including birth defects or loss of pregnancy.
In February, the Department expanded vaccination recommendations for providers serving the Orthodox Jewish community to include an early, extra dose of the MMR vaccine for children between the ages of 6 months to 11 months who live in Williamsburg and Borough Park.
Precautions New Yorkers Should Take
· Measles can be prevented through vaccinations. New Yorkers should call 311 to access a list of facilities that can provide MMR at low or no cost.
· There are large outbreaks of measles in Europe and Israel, as well as in countries in South America, Africa, and Asia. New Yorkers should make sure they have been vaccinated with MMR vaccine before traveling to Europe or Israel. Infants ages 6 to 11 months should also be vaccinated prior to international travel.
· New Yorkers who believe they were exposed to measles or who have symptoms of measles should contact their health care provider before seeking care to prevent exposure to other patients.
· For more information, New Yorkers can visit the Health Department’s Measlespage.
Next Croton FMC Meeting - Thursday May 2, 2019
The next Croton FMC meeting will be held on May 2, 2019 at 6:30pm. Please note the location is: Mosholu Montefiore Community Center at 3450 DeKalb Avenue, basement.
Agenda will follow.
If you have any questions, please call.
Effie Ardizzone | Bronx Borough Coordinator | NYC Environmental Protection
Bureau of Public Affairs & Communications
(O) 718-595-3493 | (M) 646-438-0773