United Kingdom Citizen Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for $97 Million Wine Fraud Scheme

 

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, James Wellesley, also known as “Andrew Fuller” and “Andrew Templar,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Pamela K. Chen to 10 years in prison for wire fraud conspiracy in connection with a scheme to defraud over 140 victims around the world of over $97 million.  As part of the sentence, Judge Chen ordered Wellesley to pay $1 million in forfeiture and postponed the imposition of restitution until a later date.

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and James C. Barnacle, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the sentence.

“Unlike a fine vintage that improves over time, the defendant will spend years in prison to reflect on his fraudulent wine scheme.  James Wellesley preyed on investors around the globe to induce them to invest tens of millions of dollars on lies,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Today’s sentence sends a message to fraudsters that that our Office will prosecute you to the full extent of the law.”

“James Wellesley swindled nearly $100 million from investors by pretending to be an executive broker for fine wine collections. Wellesley spoiled the reputation of a prestigious industry as well as his clients’ trust. The FBI continues to stem fraudulent schemes that steal from the wallets of victims,” stated FBI Assistant Director in Charge Barnacle.

From at least June 2017 and continuing through February of 2019, Wellesley posed as the Chief Financial Officer and Operations Manager of Bordeaux Cellars.  Wellesley, along with his co-conspirator Stephen Burton, solicited investors at, among other places, investor conferences held in the United States and overseas.  Wellesley and Burton claimed to investors that Bordeaux Cellars brokered loans between investors and high-net-worth wine collectors that would be fully collateralized by high-value collections of wine.  They promised that investors would receive regular interest payments from the borrowers, and that Bordeaux Cellars would keep custody of the wine, securing the loans while the loans were outstanding.  These representations were lies:  the “high-net-worth wine collectors” did not actually exist, and Bordeaux Cellars did not maintain custody of the wine purportedly securing the loans.  Instead, Wellesley and Burton used incoming loan proceeds to make fraudulent interest payments to investors and for their own personal expenses.

From June 2017 to December 2018, victims who had invested in Bordeaux Cellars received supposed interest payments and many victims rolled over their principal investments to new loans at the end of the loan terms.  However, the supposed interest payments that victims received were not sourced from lenders paying interest on the loans, but rather were sourced from new investment funds fraudulently obtained by Bordeaux Cellars, in a classic Ponzi-like scheme.  Of the over $97 million solicited from victims, Bordeaux Cellars paid back only approximately $14 million before their Ponzi scheme unraveled, leaving victims with losses of over $83 million.

Burton pleaded guilty in July 2025 to wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy and is currently awaiting sentencing.

Nigerian National Pleads Guilty to Series of Multi-Million Dollar Business Email Compromise Schemes

 

The Defendant Orchestrated Fraudulent Schemes That Resulted in More Than $50 Million in Losses by Victims in New York City and Across the Country

Earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, Animashaun Adebo, also known as “Kazeem” and “Kazeem Animashaun,” pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy for his role in a series of fraudulent business email compromise (BEC) and related romance schemes that resulted in more than $50 million in losses by individuals and small businesses located within the Eastern District of New York and throughout the United States.  The defendant and his co-conspirators misappropriated victim funds and laundered them through shell company accounts in the United States and abroad, sometimes using unsuspecting middlemen to further obscure the fraudulent source of the funds.   

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, and Matt McCool, Special Agent in Charge, United States Secret Service, New York Field Office (USSS), announced the plea.

“The defendant and his network of criminal associates perpetrated sophisticated frauds targeting victims here in Brooklyn and throughout the country,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “Schemes like these cause enormous hardship and financial losses to victims every year.  Our Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to prioritize prosecuting these online criminal actors and getting victims their hard-earned money back.”

“The staggering number of monetary losses this defendant and his network of thieves inflicted on innocent, hardworking, and good people caused significant financial hardship and distress.  Let this sentence send a message to other cyber-criminals out there: You won’t get away with your crimes forever.  We will track you down.  And there will be significant consequences for your criminal misdeeds,” stated USSS Special Agent in Charge Matt McCool. “I am proud of the work the U.S. Secret Service did in this case, and I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York and our other law enforcement partners for their diligence in bringing justice to the innocent victims hurt by this criminal network.”

A BEC scheme is a form of cyber-enabled financial fraud.  In a typical BEC scheme, a malicious actor compromises legitimate business email accounts through computer intrusion techniques or social engineering and uses those accounts to cause the unauthorized transfer of funds. Techniques for perpetrating these schemes include identity theft, spoofing of emails and websites and the use of malware.  Confidence fraud is another form of cyber-enabled financial fraud.  In a typical confidence fraud, a malicious actor befriends and gains the confidence of another individual through online communications and uses that confidence to cause the transfer of funds for unauthorized purposes.  A romance scheme is a type of confidence fraud wherein the perpetrator adopts a fictitious online identity to gain a victim’s affection and trust.  The perpetrator then uses the illusion of a romantic relationship to cause the transfer of funds for unauthorized purposes.

Between April 2021 and March 2022, the defendant and his co-conspirators orchestrated a series of fraudulent BEC schemes and related romance schemes and laundered and received proceeds from the fraudulent schemes. As one part of the BEC schemes, victim-individuals involved in real estate transactions received fraudulent emails purporting to be from legitimate parties to those transactions.  The emails instructed them to wire funds they believed to be related to the real estate transactions to specified bank accounts. The fraudulent email accounts that contacted the victims closely resembled, but were slightly different from, the email addresses of the legitimate parties to the transaction (a process known as “spoofing”).

As another part of the BEC schemes, employees of victim-companies received fraudulent emails purporting to be from legitimate vendors or other business partners of those companies directing them to transfer funds to specified bank accounts.  The employees were also defrauded through email spoofing and received fraudulent emails from accounts that closely resembled, but were slightly different from, the email addresses of the legitimate vendors and business partners.

In each case, after the victims executed the wires in accordance with the fraudulent instructions, the transferred funds were misappropriated from the victims and sent to and through accounts controlled by the defendant and his co-conspirators.  The defendant further laundered illicit proceeds through the purchase of luxury watches and through an illegal money exchange operation run by his co-defendant Idowu Ademoroti, who was previously convicted and sentenced to a term of incarceration for his role in the scheme.  Adebo ultimately received fraudulent proceeds in corporate bank accounts located in Nigeria.

A third defendant, Nelson Ojeriakhi, also a Nigerian national, was arrested in Paris, France and extradited to the United States in July 2025.  Ojeriakhi pleaded guilty in November 2025 and is pending sentencing.  A fourth defendant, Noguan Marvellous Eboigbe, also a Nigerian national, remains at large.   

Settlement Of Fair Housing Act Lawsuit Over Access For Persons With Disabilities

 

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced today that the United States has settled a federal Fair Housing Act (“FHA”) lawsuit against LETTIRE CONSTRUCTION CORP. (“LETTIRE”) and other parties involved in the design and construction of the Chestnut Commons rental building located in Brooklyn.  Through three settlements filed in federal court (two of which were filed previously), LETTIRE and other defendants in the lawsuit have agreed to make retrofits at three rental buildings: The Tapestry located in Manhattan, the Atrium at Sumner located in Brooklyn, and Chestnut Commons located in Brooklyn.  The parties further agreed to provide up to $100,000 to compensate aggrieved persons who sustained damages from inaccessible conditions at The Tapestry and Chestnut Commons, the retrofits at the Atrium at Sumner having been made prior to occupancy.  The parties also agreed to pay civil penalties totaling $70,000. 

The settlement with the parties who designed and constructed Chestnut Commons was approved today by U.S. District Judge Alvin K. Hellerstein, thereby resolving the case.  On April 29, 2025, Judge Hellerstein approved a settlement with the parties who designed and constructed The Tapestry, and a settlement with the parties who designed and constructed the Atrium at Sumner. 

“The Fair Housing Act is about whether people with disabilities can actually live in and move through their homes—in other words, Fair Access means just that,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “As alleged, these buildings were constructed with barriers—high thresholds, inaccessible bathrooms—that can make daily life difficult or even impossible for those with disabilities.  New Yorkers want their neighbors with disabilities to have housing they can access and use, and we will continue to enforce the law to ensure they have it.  We appreciate the cooperation of Lettire and its partners in working constructively with the government and in committing to remedying these conditions.” 

The FHA’s accessible design and construction provisions require multifamily housing complexes constructed after January 1991 to have basic features accessible to persons with disabilities.  

According to the allegations in the Complaint, the inaccessible conditions in the buildings that LETTIRE constructed included excessively high thresholds at building entrances and entrances to common use areas, common use bathrooms that lack grab bars and pipe insulation, excessively high thresholds at entrances to individual apartments and within the apartments, and bathrooms in individual apartments that lack sufficient clear floor space for people who use wheelchairs.  The Complaint alleges that these features in the common use areas of LETTIRE’s buildings, as well as in the buildings’ apartment interiors, did not meet the specifications set forth in the Fair Housing Accessibility Guidelines, Design Guidelines for Accessible/Adaptable Dwellings.

Under today’s settlement, LETTIRE, CHESTNUT COMMONS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORP. and MHANY MANAGEMENT, INC. agreed to make retrofits to the public and common use areas as well as the individual units at Chestnut Commons to improve accessibility.  The settlement also requires CHESTNUT COMMONS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORP. and MHANY MANAGEMENT, INC. to establish procedures to ensure FHA compliance at its future development projects, including to retain an FHA compliance consultant to assess the design documents and conduct site visits to identify non-compliant conditions.  In addition, CHESTNUT COMMONS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT CORP. and MHANY MANAGEMENT, INC agreed to institute policies and training to ensure that its employees and agents will comply with the FHA’s accessibility requirements.  LETTIRE agreed to these terms in a previously approved settlement.

Aggrieved persons may be entitled to monetary compensation from the fund created through today’s settlement.  Aggrieved individuals may include those who:

• Were discouraged from living at Chestnut Commons because of the lack of accessible features;
• Have been hurt in any way by the lack of accessible features at Chestnut Commons;
• Paid to have an apartment at one of Chestnut Commons made more accessible to persons with disabilities; or
• Otherwise were discriminated against on the basis of disability at Chestnut Commons as a result of inaccessible design and construction.

The Office has reached over two dozen agreements in recent years with developers and architects to remedy inaccessible housing in this District, including suits against The Durst Organization, Glenwood Management, Silverstein Properties, Related Companies, Atlantic Development, and Toll Brothers.

Any individual who may be entitled to compensation can file a claim by using the Civil Rights Complaint Form available on the United States Attorney’s Office’s website http://www.justice.gov/usao/nys/civilrights.html, or by sending a written claim to:

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of New York     

86 Chambers Street, 3rd Floor                     

New York, New York 10007     

Attention: Chief, Civil Rights Unit

The case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Unit in the Civil Division.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Danielle J. Marryshow is in charge of the case.

Attorney General James Secures Settlement with Syracuse Landlords Over Lead Hazards and Unsafe Housing Conditions

 

Murphys to Fund Tenant Relief, Eliminate Lead Hazards, and Submit to Strict Oversight After Investigation Found Widespread Violations

New York Attorney General Letitia James today announced a settlement with Syracuse landlords Brian A. Murphy and Harry Murphy following an investigation into dangerous lead hazards and unsafe living conditions throughout their rental properties, which were predominantly located in low-income neighborhoods. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) determined that the Murphys repeatedly failed to address deteriorating lead-based paint and did not consistently provide legally required disclosures to tenants. The OAG found that the father and son duo allowed hazardous conditions to persist in nearly two dozen properties, ultimately leading to elevated blood lead levels in at least seven children. As a result of OAG’s investigation, the Murphys will establish a tenant relief fund for impacted families, take action to identify and eliminate lead hazards at properties with a history of lead violations, and bring their properties into compliance with housing and lead safety laws.   “Lead poisoning is entirely preventable, yet too many New Yorkers are still exposed to toxic lead in their own homes because landlords fail to meet their legal obligations,” said Attorney General James. “The unacceptable conditions my office uncovered in this investigation put children at risk of serious, lifelong harm. Today’s settlement will bring relief to impacted tenants and force meaningful changes to ensure these properties are safe. I will continue to hold landlords accountable when they put profits over New Yorkers’ health and safety.” The OAG launched an investigation into the Murphys in September 2023. The investigation found that they owned and managed dozens of rental properties built before 1978, many of which contained lead-based paint. Between 2017 and 2025, at least 23 of their properties were cited for deteriorating paint and other lead hazards, resulting in hundreds of violations. During that time, at least seven children were found to have elevated blood lead levels while living in Murphy-owned properties.   Lead-based paint in residential housing is a pervasive problem in Syracuse, where 81 percent of the housing stock was built before New York banned lead-based paint in 1970. Lead poisoning in Onondaga County is highest among children of color, the majority of whom live in Syracuse. In 2024, 545 children in Onondaga County had elevated blood lead levels, and 90 percent of those children lived in Syracuse. Approximately 8.8 percent of Black children tested in Onondaga County had elevated blood lead levels, compared to less than two percent of white children tested.   Lead is a highly toxic metal that can cause serious and irreversible health effects. Children exposed to even low levels of lead are at risk for neurological and developmental harm during critical stages of growth. Children under six are especially vulnerable, as they are more likely to ingest lead through dust or paint chips from deteriorating surfaces in older homes.   To resolve these violations, the Murphys will pay $35,000 to establish a tenant relief fund for families of children who were lead-poisoned while living in a Murphy property and commit at least $80,000 toward lead inspections, risk assessments, and remediation work at their properties with a history of lead violations. Attorney General James has also directed the Murphys to conduct comprehensive lead hazard risk assessments using certified professionals, remediate all identified hazards on a strict timeline, and hire an independent monitor to oversee compliance and ensure all work is completed safely and lawfully. The settlement also requires annual inspections for lead hazards in their rental properties and full compliance with all federal, state, and local lead safety and housing laws moving forward. If the Murphys fail to meet these obligations, they will face an additional penalty of up to $80,000.  

Following Record Low Gun Violence in 2025, Governor Hochul Announces Shootings Continue to Decline Through the First Quarter of 2026

Shooting Incidents in Communities Across the State Participating in the Gun Involved Violence Elimination Initiative Down 65 Percent, Shooting Victims Declined 66 Percent, Individuals Killed by Gun Violence Down 74 Percent Compared to 2021

Buffalo Gun Violence Reaches Historic 20-Year Low With Shooting Incidents Down 84 Percent Since Governor Hochul Took Office

Five Police Departments — in Utica, Troy, Newburgh, Mount Vernon and Hempstead — Reported Zero Shooting Incidents Between January through March 2026 vs. Last Year

Governor Hochul Continues Efforts To Strengthen New York’s Nation-Leading Gun Laws by Advancing First-In-The-Nation Legislation To Combat Illegal Homegrown Guns

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced continued progress in reducing gun violence across communities participating in the State’s Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) initiative, with new data showing significant declines in shootings and gun deaths through the first three months of 2026. Through March 2026, the 28 police departments participating in the GIVE initiative collectively reported 81 shooting incidents involving injury, down 65 percent compared to 229 during the same period in 2021. The number of individuals shot declined 66 percent, from 262 to 88, while the number of individuals killed by gun violence dropped 74 percent, from 28 to 11. During the first quarter of this year, these three metrics reported by the Buffalo Police Department reached historic, 20-year lows, with shooting incidents with injury down 57 percent compared to the same period in 2025. At the same time, five police departments — in Utica, Troy, Newburgh, Mount Vernon and Hempstead — reported zero shooting incidents in the first three months of 2026.

“Public safety is my top priority, and these latest numbers show that our investments in law enforcement, community-based prevention programs and proven anti-gun violence strategies are continuing to save lives,” Governor Hochul said. “Communities across New York are seeing fewer shootings, fewer victims and fewer families devastated by gun violence. In Buffalo and across our GIVE communities, we are building on that progress and making our neighborhoods safer for all.”

The Governor made the announcement in Buffalo, where new data showed historic reductions in gun violence — the lowest levels since New York State began tracking this data in 2006. Through March 2026, the Buffalo Police Department reported 10 shooting incidents involving injury, down 84 percent compared to 63 during the same period in 2021. The number of shooting victims declined 85 percent, from 72 to 11, while the number of individuals killed by gun violence fell from 16 to one.

Buffalo also experienced reductions in overall crime during the first two months of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025. Index crime declined 6 percent, violent crime dropped 18 percent and property crime fell three percent. These reductions build upon a significant decrease reported by the Buffalo Police Department in 2025 vs. 2024: a 12 percent reduction in index crime, six percent drop in violent crime, and 14 percent decrease in property crime.

Since taking office, Governor Hochul has committed more than $3 billion to public safety initiatives that are producing results statewide, while also advancing proposals in her FY27 Executive Budget to crack down on illegal 3D-printed firearms and DIY machine guns as part of New York’s nation-leading gun laws. The State also continues to expand safe storage efforts and invest in prevention initiatives, including SNUG Street Outreach, Project RISE, and the new HOPE program for youth and families in communities impacted by gun violence.

Administered by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services, GIVE supports 28 police departments in 21 counties outside of New York City through a comprehensive approach that combines data-driven policing, focused deterrence, street outreach, youth engagement and community-based violence prevention strategies. These police departments typically report the highest volume of violent crime outside the five boroughs. GIVE funding — a record $36 million — also supports district attorneys’ offices, probation departments and sheriffs’ offices in those 21 counties.

 

Assemblymember Zaccaro's Shred Fest is BACK!

Friends,

Shred fest is back!

I'm thrilled to announce that we will be holding a community shredding event on Friday, May 8th. 

Please join us at Assemblymember John Zaccaro, Jr.'s Community Office to shred your unwanted personal documents and unwanted papers.

• WHEN: Friday, May 8th
• TIME: 9AM - 11AM
• WHERE: Assemblymember John Zaccaro, Jr.'s Community Office 2018 Williamsbridge Rd. 

As a reminder, we are not able to shred anything that is bound, so we ask that you remove all bindings before stopping by. Of course, if you need help doing so, we’ll be glad to assist.

Looking forward to seeing you on May 8th. LETS GET SHREDDED!

In Gratitude,

John Zaccaro, Jr. 

Permits Filed for 450 Cyrus Place in Belmont, The Bronx

 

Permits have been filed for a six-story residential building at 450 Cyrus Place in Belmont, The Bronx. Located between Park Avenue and Third Avenue, the lot is closest to the Fordham Road subway station, served by the B and D trains. Chaim Schwartz of Prime Property Management is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 60-foot-tall development will yield 13,798 square feet designated for residential space. The building will have 19 residences, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 726 square feet. The concrete-based structure will not have any accessory parking.

Mohammad Ahead, PE is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits have not been filed yet for the residential structure on the site. An estimated completion date has not been announced.

This weeks Talking Politics, WHAT'S GOING ON WITH COMMUNITY BOARD 11 BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT VANESSA GIBSON?

 

This week on Talking Politics, Anthony takes a vacation, but do we see peace in the Middle East, the State budget is two weeks late, how is the city budget dance going, Jeffrey Dinowitz has a primary challenge, how is Community Board 11 doing Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, and lot's more anytime on You Tube at the link below.

https://www.youtube.com/live/Y2xmwXN3fw4