Real Estate Businessman And Lawyer Arrested In Connection With Campaign Finance Scheme

 

 Damian Williams, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and Daniel G. Cort, Acting Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging GERALD MIGDOL with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme to misrepresent and conceal the sources of political campaign contributions.  MIGDOL was arrested this morning and will be presented before United States Magistrate Judge Ona T. Wang later today.  The case is assigned to United States District Judge J. Paul Oetken.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Free and fair elections are the foundation of our democracy, and campaign finance regulations are one way communities seek to ensure everyone plays by the same rules.  As alleged, Gerald Migdol and others tried to divert taxpayer dollars from New York City’s matching funds program to a particular candidate based on fraudulent campaign contributions.  My Office remains vigilant against such attempts to defraud the public.”

FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “Public programs, such as the one Migdol allegedly defrauded, exist to provide support for New Yorkers who want to represent their city in elections, but find themselves without the means to do so. Illegally subverting the requirements to be eligible for these funds so that the candidate of your choice receives more than their fair share is a federal offense, as highlighted by today’s charges.”

Acting DOI Commissioner Daniel G. Cort said: “Obtaining fraudulent donations for a political candidate that will ultimately be used to secure matching funds undermines the fair and honest public financing of elections. DOI thanks its partners on this matter, the office of the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.”

According to the allegations in the Indictment and information in the public record[1]:

From at least in or about October 2019, through at least in or about January 2021, GERALD MIGDOL orchestrated and participated in a scheme to misrepresent and conceal sources of contributions made during the 2021 election cycle to the campaign of a candidate for New York City Comptroller (“Candidate-1”), fraudulently attempting to procure public funds for Candidate-1 from the campaign finance program overseen by the New York City Campaign Finance Board (“CFB”).  That campaign finance program included, among other things, a “matching funds program” that provided eligible candidates with public funds based on the number and amount of certain donor contributions.  According to the CFB, “[b]y matching their contributions with public funds, the [p]rogram empowers New Yorkers in every neighborhood to make their voices heard in city elections” and “[b]y encouraging candidates to raise small-dollar contributions from average New Yorkers, the program increases engagement between voters and those who seek to represent them.”[2]

Candidates running for the office of New York City Comptroller were eligible to participate in the matching funds program if they met certain criteria, and eligible candidates could receive up to approximately $3.4 million in public matching funds based on qualifying contributions.  Candidate-1 filed a certification with the CFB in or about September 2019, becoming a candidate for the office of the New York City Comptroller and opting in to the CFB’s matching funds program.  Thereafter, MIGDOL and others conspired to obtain fraudulent contributions for Candidate-1 that would be used, among other things, to seek public matching funds from the CFB.  A number of those contributions were “nominee contributions,” in which money was given to Candidate-1’s campaign under one contributor’s name, but in reality the money for the contribution came from, or was reimbursed by, another person.  Other contributions obtained at MIGDOL’s direction were fraudulently made in the names of individuals who, in fact, had never authorized those contributions.

Through these and other efforts, MIGDOL and others involved in the scheme procured nominee and other fraudulent contributions for Candidate-1’s campaign, which in turn were submitted to the CFB by Candidate-1’s campaign in connection with requests for at least tens of thousands of dollars in additional public matching funds.

MIGDOL, 71, of New York, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison.  The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress, and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI and DOI.  This case is being handled by the Office’s Public Corruption Unit.  Assistant United States Attorneys Jarrod L. Schaeffer, David Abramowitz, Tara La Morte, and Alison Moe are in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

[2] https://www.nyccfb.info/program/benefits.

Governor Hochul Announces Availability of $2 Million to Boost Addiction Services in Fight Against Opioid Crisis

 

Providers Can Receive up to $200,000 to Establish Mobile Medication Units to Provide Addiction Medicine Services

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that New York State has secured $2 million in federal funding through the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant program to aid addiction service providers in the fight against the opioid crisis. The funding will be used to establish Mobile Medication Units (MMUs) to dispense medications to treat substance use disorder, including methadone and buprenorphine. This follows the rules issued by the federal DEA to allow these units to be operated by existing Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) Providers. These will be the first MMUs in New York State.

"Fighting the opioid crisis is a personal battle for me, and we will continue to do all that we can to boost resources and services for those struggling with addiction," Governor Hochul said. "These first-of-their-kind Mobile Medication Units in New York State will bring this important service directly to New Yorkers in need and allow them to receive critical services to support them on their road to recovery." 

Providers that currently operate OASAS-certified OTP programs are eligible to receive funding and will be awarded up to $200,000 to be used to purchase and retrofit an MMU. These mobile units will offer services that include admission assessments and medication induction, medication administration and observation, toxicology tests, and other medical services. 

These mobile units can help people facing barriers to treatment, including geographic proximity to OTP facilities and transportation issues, and increase the availability of medication assisted treatment for addiction. They will supplement already existing mobile services throughout New York State offered by other OASAS-certified providers, including assessment, counseling, medications other than methadone for addiction treatment, telepractice, and transportation services.

Funding will be awarded through an RFA process administered by the New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS). The RFA is available to view here. 

Applications are due on December 6th.

44 Days and Counting

 

Things could be worse. I could be sitting in the White House now like this guy.

U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Two Iranian Nationals For Cyber-Enabled Disinformation And Threat Campaign Designed To Interfere With The 2020 U.S. Presidential Election

 

Conspirators Crafted Unique Messaging Themes For Each Side of the U.S. Political Spectrum to Capitalize on the Perceived Fears of the Targeted Audiences

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Bryan Vorndran, the Assistant Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cyber Division (“FBI”), and Matthew G. Olsen, Assistant Attorney General for National Security, announced today the unsealing of an indictment charging Iranian citizens and residents Seyyed Mohammad Hosein and MUSA KAZEMI (سید محمد حسین موسی کاظمی), a/k/a “Mohammad Hosein Musa Kazem,” a/k/a “Hosein Zamani,” and SAJJAD KASHIAN (سجاد کاشیان), a/k/a “Kiarash Nabavi,”for their involvement in a cyber-enabled campaign to intimidate and influence American voters, and otherwise undermine voter confidence and sow discord, in connection with the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.  As part of this campaign, the conspirators obtained confidential United States voter information from at least one state election website, sent threatening email messages to intimidate voters, created and disseminated a video containing disinformation pertaining to purported but non-existent voting vulnerabilities, attempted to access, without authorization, several states’ voting-related websites, and successfully gained unauthorized access to a U.S. media company’s computer network that, if not for successful FBI and victim company efforts to mitigate, would have provided the conspirators another vehicle for further disseminating false claims after the election.  The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said:  “As alleged, Kazemi and Kashian were part of a coordinated conspiracy in which Iranian hackers sought to undermine faith and confidence in the U.S. Presidential elections.  Working with others, Kazemi and Kashian accessed voter information from at least one state’s voter database, threatened U.S. voters via email, and even disseminated a fictitious video that purported to depict actors fabricating overseas ballots.  The United States will never tolerate any foreign actors’ attempts to undermine our free and democratic elections.  As a result of the charges unsealed today, and the concurrent efforts of our U.S. government partners, Kazemi and Kashian will forever look over their shoulders as we strive to bring them to justice.”

Assistant Director of the FBI’s Cyber Division Bryan Vorndran.said:  “The FBI remains committed to countering malicious cyber activity targeting our democratic process. Working rapidly with our private sector and U.S. government partners and ahead of the election, we were able to disrupt and mitigate this malicious activity – and then to enable today’s joint, sequenced operations against the adversary. Today’s announcement shows what we can accomplish as a community and a country when we work together, and the FBI will continue to do its part to keep our democracy safe.”

Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen said:  “The Department is committed to using all tools at its disposal, including criminal charges, to expose and disrupt malign foreign influence efforts and bring the responsible actors to justice. The indictment reveals that Iranian actors sought to sow discord by targeting Republicans with messages claiming voter fraud, and Democrats with ‘false flag’ threats from the Proud Boys.  Its detailed allegations provide unadulterated facts that will help further inoculate the U.S. public, regardless of political affiliation, from future tailored and targeted disinformation campaigns.”

According to the allegations contained in the Indictment[1] unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:

The 2020 Election Interference Campaign

Starting in approximately August 2020, and proceeding until November 2020, KAZEMI, KASHIAN, and other co-conspirators began a coordinated, four-stage campaign to undermine faith and confidence in the 2020 Presidential Election (the “Election Interference Campaign”) and otherwise sow discord within U.S. society.  The campaign had four components:

1. In September and October 2020, members of the conspiracy conducted reconnaissance on, and attempted to compromise, approximately eleven state voter websites, including state voter registration websites and state voter information websites.  Those efforts resulted in the successful exploitation of a misconfigured computer system of a particular U.S. state (“State-1”), and the resulting unauthorized downloading of more than 100,000 State-1 voters’ information.
2. In October 2020, members of the conspiracy, claiming to be a “group of Proud Boys volunteers,” sent Facebook messages and emails (the “False Election Messages”) to Republican Senators, Republican members of Congress, individuals associated with the Presidential campaign of Donald J. Trump, White House advisors, and members of the media.  The False Election Messages claimed that the Democratic Party was planning to exploit “serious security vulnerabilities” in state voter registration websites to “edit mail-in ballots or even register non-existent voters.”  The False Election Messages were accompanied by a video (the “False Election Video”) which purported, via simulated intrusions and the use of State-1 voter data, to depict an individual affiliated with the Proud Boys hacking into state voter websites and using stolen voter information to create fraudulent absentee ballots through the Federal Voting Assistance Program (“FVAP”) for military and overseas voters.[2] 
3. Also in October 2020, the conspirators engaged in an online voter intimidation campaign involving the dissemination of a threatening message (the “Voter Threat Emails”), purporting to be from the Proud Boys, to tens of thousands of registered voters, including some voters whose information the conspiracy had obtained from State-1’s website.  The emails were sent to registered Democrats, and threatened the recipients with physical injury if they did not change their party affiliation and vote for President Trump.
4. On November 4, 2020, the day after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election, the conspirators sought to leverage earlier September and October 2020 intrusions into an American media company’s (“Media Company-1”) computer networks.  Specifically, on that day, the conspirators attempted to use stolen credentials to again access Media Company-1’s network, which would have provided them another vehicle for further disseminating false claims concerning the election through conspirator-modified or created content.  However, because of an earlier FBI victim notification, Media Company-1 had by that time mitigated the conspirators’ unauthorized access and these log-in attempts failed.

 

Background on Kazemi and Kashian

SEYYED MOHAMMAD HOSEIN MUSA KAZEMI and SAJJAD KASHIAN are experienced Iran-based computer hackers that worked as contractors for an Iran-based company called Eeleyanet Gostar, now known as Emennet Pasargad.  Eeleyanet Gostar purported to provide cybersecurity services within Iran.  Among other things, Eeleyanet Gostar is known to have provided services to the Iranian Government, including to the Guardian Council.

As part of his role in the Election Interference Campaign, KAZEMI compromised computer servers that were used to send the Voter Threat Emails, prepared such emails, and compromised the systems of Media Company-1.  KASHIAN’s role was to manage the conspirators’ computer infrastructure used to carry out the Voter Threat Email campaign, and to purchase social media accounts in furtherance of the Election Interference Campaign.

KAZEMI, 24, and KASHIAN, 27, are both charged with one count of conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; one count of voter intimidation, which carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison; and one count of transmission of interstate threats, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.  KAZEMI is additionally charged with one count of unauthorized computer intrusion, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; and one count of computer fraud: knowingly damaging a protected computer, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison.  The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendants will be determined by the assigned judge.

Concurrent with the unsealing of the indictment, the Department of the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) designated Emennet Pasargad, KAZEMI, KASHIAN, and four other Iranian nationals comprising Emennet Pasargad leadership pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13848, “Imposing Certain Sanctions in the Event of Foreign Interference in a United States Election.”  Additionally, the Department of State’s Rewards for Justice Program, is offering a reward of up to $10 million for information on or about the KAZEMI and KASHIAN’s activities.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI, including the work of the Cleveland FBI Field Office and the FBI Cyber Division.    

The charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.        

[1] As the introductory phrase signifies, the entirety of the text of the Indictment, and the description of the Indictment set forth herein, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

[2]  In actuality, the computer intrusions depicted in the False Election Video were simulated intrusions created by members of the conspiracy using their own server and data obtained during the State-1 exploitation.  Further, the FVAP could not actually be leveraged in the manner implied by the False Election Video.

Governor Hochul Announces 80 Percent of New Yorkers Over 18 Years Old are Fully Vaccinated - NOVEMBER 18, 2021

 

111,847 Vaccine Doses Administered Over Last 24 Hours  

30 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday

New State Website Providing Helpful Info About Child Vaccination 

 Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.  

"I'm proud that we've hit a new milestone of 80 percent of New Yorkers over 18 years old fully vaccinated," Governor Hochul said. "Yet at the same time, the colder weather means more people will be congregating indoors potentially increasing the risk of transmission of COVID-19. So my message as we head into the holiday season is simple: If you feel at risk and want to protect your friends, family and loved ones, get vaccinated or get your booster - and make sure to wear a mask in indoor settings."

 

Today's data is summarized briefly below:

• Test Results Reported - 217,339
• Total Positive - 7,971
• Percent Positive - 3.67%
• 7-Day Average Percent Positive - 3.58%
• Patient Hospitalization - 2,140 (+38)
• Patients Newly Admitted - 347
• Patients in ICU - 420 (+6)
• Patients in ICU with Intubation - 215 (-10)
• Total Discharges - 212,297 (+282)
• New deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 30
• Total deaths reported by healthcare facilities through HERDS - 46,132

The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only.

• Total deaths reported to and compiled by the CDC - 58,751

This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.

• Total vaccine doses administered - 28,739,448
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 24 hours - 111,847
• Total vaccine doses administered over past 7 days - 657,214
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 85.1%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 77.8%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 89.4%
• Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 80.0%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 73.0%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 65.9%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose (CDC) - 76.3%
• Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series (CDC) - 67.8%

NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNAPOLI RELEASES INTERACTIVE MAP OF LOCAL CENSUS RESULTS

 

Report Profiles Demographic Changes

 New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today released a report tracking New York’s local demographic changes based on 2020 Census data and an interactive online map that breaks down population statistics by age, race and ethnicity, along with housing trends, in New York’s cities, counties, towns and villages. DiNapoli’s report provides a snapshot of New York state’s population, which totaled more than 20.2 million in 2020, up 4.1% since 2010.

“The 2020 Census results show that New York state is changing, and this report and online tool provides detailed information about population changes in local communities and what it may mean down the road,” said DiNapoli. “These changes can impact how revenues, such as local sales tax and federal aid, are distributed.”

The state’s overall population growth was largely driven by the New York City metropolitan area. The city experienced its fourth straight decade of population growth and had the sharpest increase at 7.7%. The population in the Mid-Hudson region grew 4.7% to nearly 2.4 million, the largest percentage increase of any region outside of New York City. Long Island, the state’s second-most populated region, increased by 3.1% from 2010 to over 2.9 million people. Conversely, the Southern Tier had the largest percentage decrease at 3%, closely followed by the North Country and Mohawk Valley, with declines of 2.9% and 2.2%, respectively.

Overall, cities outside New York City grew for the first time since 1960, up 2% to total 2.3 million people in 2020, though fewer than half experienced population growth. Towns grew by 1.7%, totaling 9.1 million residents, reflecting the slowest growth in towns in decades. The number of people living in villages also grew, but only by 1.1%, due in part to the dissolution of 22 villages between 2010 and 2020.

Other findings in the report:

• Nearly all the state’s largest cities outside New York City (11 out of 12) experienced growth between 2010 and 2020, increasing by a total of 4%. Mount Vernon’s population grew the fastest at 9.8%. Buffalo added the most people (17,039) – an increase of 6.5% – after losing more than half its population from 1950 to 2010. Yonkers grew by 8%, passing Rochester as the state’s third largest city. Almost all of the state’s smallest cities (10 out of 12) shrank, declining by 3.9%.
• The share of the population reported as white decreased in all classes of local governments. In cities outside of New York City, this group decreased by nearly 12% between 2010 and 2020 and now accounts for just under 51% of the aggregate population.
• Outside of New York City, the number of Black people increased in all classes of local government, with towns experiencing the largest increase, at 9.3 percent. People that identify as Hispanic or Latino increased by almost 28% in cities and villages and 38% in towns. The Asian American population also had significant double-digit growth in all classes of local government.
• The number of occupied housing units in cities outside of New York City grew 3.7% from 2010 to 2020, faster than in towns or villages, but this class also saw a 2% increase in vacant units, so overall city vacancy rates stayed fairly constant.

DiNapoli’s online interactive tool also includes data for New York City as a whole and each of its five counties (Bronx, Kings, New York, Richmond and Queens).

Online Dashboard

Local Government 2020 Census Interactive Dashboard

Report

2020 Census: Municipal Population Shifts in New York State

Former London And Miami Art Dealer Pleads Guilty To Defrauding Art Buyers And Financers Of More Than $86 Million

 

 Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that INIGO PHILBRICK, an art dealer specializing in post-war and contemporary fine art with galleries in London, United Kingdom, and Miami, Florida, pled guilty today before United States District Judge Sidney H. Stein to one count of wire fraud for perpetrating a multi-year scheme to defraud various individuals and entities in order to finance his art business.  In total, PHILBRICK fraudulently obtained more than $86 million as a result of the scheme.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “Inigo Philbrick was a serial swindler who took advantage of the lack of transparency in the art market to defraud art collectors, investors, and lenders of more than $86 million to finance his art business and his lifestyle.  Philbrick has now admitted his guilt and awaits sentencing for perpetrating this extensive fraud.” 

According to the allegations in the Complaint, Indictment, and statements made in court:

From approximately 2016 through 2019, to finance his art business, PHILBRICK engaged in a scheme to defraud multiple individuals and entities in the art market located in the New York metropolitan area and abroad. PHILBRICK made material misrepresentations and omissions to art collectors, investors, and lenders to access valuable art and obtain sales proceeds, funding, and loans (the “Fraud Scheme”).  PHILBRICK knowingly misrepresented the ownership of certain artworks, for example, by selling a total of more than 100 percent ownership in an artwork to multiple individuals and entities without their knowledge; and by selling artworks and/or using artworks as collateral on loans without the knowledge of co-owners, and without disclosing the ownership interests of third parties to buyers and lenders. PHILBRICK furnished fraudulent contracts and records to investors to artificially inflate the artworks’ value and conceal his scheme, including a contract that listed a stolen identity as the seller.

Over the years, PHILBRICK obtained over $86 million in loans and sale proceeds in connection with the Fraud Scheme.  Artworks about which PHILBRICK made these fraudulent misrepresentations in furtherance of the Fraud Scheme include, among others, a 1982 painting by the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat titled “Humidity,” a 2010 untitled painting by the artist Christopher Wool, and an untitled 2012 painting by the artist Rudolf Stingel depicting the artist Pablo Picasso.  

By in or about the fall of 2019, PHILBRICK’s Fraud Scheme began to come to light as various investors and lenders learned about the fraudulent records PHILBRICK had provided and the material misrepresentations and omissions he had made.  By in or about mid-October, a lender officially notified PHILBRICK that he was in default of approximately a $14 million loan, and by November 2019, various investors had filed civil lawsuits in multiple jurisdictions regarding PHILBRICK’s Fraud Scheme in connection with various artworks.  At around the same time, PHILBRICK’s art galleries in Miami and London closed, and PHILBRICK stopped responding to legal process.  PHILBRICK fled the United States shortly before public reporting began about the lawsuits.  A fugitive, PHILBRICK resided in Vanuatu from approximately October 2019 until he was arrested there on June 11, 2020, in connection with this case.   

PHILBRICK, 34, a U.S. citizen previously residing in London, United Kingdom, pled guilty to one count of wire fraud, which carries a maximum prison term of 20 years.  The statutory maximum sentence is prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by a judge.  PHILBRICK is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Stein on March 18, 2022 at 12:00 p.m.

Mr. Williams praised the investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Art Crime Team.

Join Senator Biaggi For A Food And Health Empowerment Fair on 11/20/21

 

Dear Community, 

Hope you are all doing well and staying safe. I would like to remind you all about our Food and Health Empowerment Fair this Saturday hosted by myself and Councilmember-Elect Marjorie Velázquez. The event will take place Saturday, November 20th from 12-5 PM at the Huntington Free Library located at 9 Westchester Square, Bronx, NY 10461.

The Fair will feature a panel discussion of elected officials and community leaders to discuss government and community-based solutions to combat food insecurity in the Bronx, followed by a food justice resource fair and turkey and produce distribution. We hope to bring the community together as we approach the holiday season, host an educational conversation regarding the issue of food insecurity, promote local food resources, and provide turkeys and grocery items to meet the needs during the November holiday season.

I’m excited to announce our panelists for our food insecurity panel discussion. These panelists offer a range of perspectives on combating food insecurity, and have expertise in developing government and community-based solutions. 

Our panelists are as follows: 

• Moderator: Jonathan Cetnarski from the Sylvia Center: Jonathan is the Executive Director for The Sylvia Center, a NYC based food justice non-profit. He has more than 20 years of experience transforming businesses, building resiliency and driving growth. Before The Sylvia Center, Jonathan was CEO and President of Natural Gourmet Institute, a nationally accredited, plant-based culinary school which educated chefs on the connection between food and health. 
• State Senator Alessandra Biaggi: Alessandra Biaggi is a two-term New York State Senator in her home district, NY-34. Senator Biaggi seeks to change the way business is done in Albany, and tirelessly fights to make New York’s government work for the people, not the powerful. She has led the charge in New York to pass legislation that strengthens protections for survivors and holds employers accountable for addressing sexual misconduct. 
• Councilmember-Elect Marjorie Velázquez: Marjorie is the Councilmember-Elect for District 13. She previously served as treasurer and currently serves on the executive board as Municipal Services Committee chair for the Bronx Community Board 10 to provide a much needed voice to the community on issues ranging from transportation to parks services and other quality of life issues. Since 2014, Marjorie has also been elected as the Democratic District Leader and an executive board member of the Chippewa Democratic Club, both in the 82nd Assembly District. 
• Elizabeth Peralta-Foxwell from Feed Forward: Elizabeth has deep roots within the food and community development scene. She is one of the founders of Feed Forward, a company focused on creating a better food future. Peralta-Foxwell grew up food insecure which is why this is more than a mission but a lifelong battle for good. She previously served as the Executive Director of the National Supermarket Association (NSA), where she served to protect the interest of over 500 supermarket owners in the tri-state area. 
• Phillip Grant from Hunts Point Produce Market: Phillip is the Chief Executive Officer of the Hunts Point Produce Market. Phillip leads a team of approximately 110 staff that support the day-to-day operations of the largest wholesale produce market in the nation. The Hunts Point Produce Market is committed to serving the NYC region—and that includes giving back. In 2019, more than 6 million pounds of food made its way to neighbors in NYC and Westchester. 
• Deepti Sharma from FoodtoEat: A lifelong entrepreneur, Deepti is the CEO and Founder of FoodtoEat, a community-minded catering concierge service. She started FoodtoEat in 2011 to connect immigrant, women and minority-owned food vendors to opportunities for growth— ultimately helping them strengthen their own business skills. FoodtoEat helps businesses feed employees great food and build stronger & more diverse work cultures. 
• Jessica Altagracia Woolford from Kingsbridge Unidos: Jessica is a local organizer, who was born and raised in Kingsbridge, and now lives in Riverdale. At the height of the pandemic, Jess started Kingsbridge Unidos: a volunteer-run, mutual aid effort to deliver over 30,000 pounds of fresh produce, in addition to thousands of masks, and valuable bilingual information about COVID-19 and more, to families in Kingsbridge.

Click here to RSVP and reserve a turkey! 

Click here to RSVP and reserve a turkey! 

Masks are required for the entirety of the event and will also be provided. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me and my team at biaggi@nysenate.gov or by calling our office at 718-822-2049.

I look forward to seeing everyone there this weekend!

With Gratitude, 

State Senator Alessandra Biaggi