To Combat Misinformation, NYC Council Passes Package of Legislation to Increase Public Education on Vaccinations, Especially for Children and Parents

 

Council also approves bills to improve coordination, outreach, and transparency during Code Blue emergencies

Today, the New York City Council voted to pass a package of legislation to combat vaccine misinformation by requiring the distribution of informational materials about vaccines to public school children and parents and implement a public education plan about the benefits of childhood vaccinations. Despite being one of the most effective public health interventions, vaccination rates have declined in recent years, including among children.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), during the 2024-2025 school year, vaccination coverage among kindergarteners in the United States decreased for all vaccines from the prior year. At the same time, measles outbreaks have spread across the country, with nearly 1,800 confirmed cases in 37 states as of last week. The continued spread of misinformation about the impacts and benefits of vaccines has contributed to the reemergence of preventable diseases.

The Council also approved legislation to improve coordination during future Code Blue emergencies, extend deadlines related to the Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2027, and designate Tourette Syndrome Awareness Month in New York City.

“At a time when the misinformation and disinformation about vaccines coming from the federal government is literally putting lives in danger, it’s incumbent on the City Council to take the lead in setting the record straight,” said Speaker Julie Menin. “This package of proposed legislation will give parents accurate information about vaccines and their role in protecting public health, while seeking to expand vaccine access so more New York families can benefit. When Washington steps back, New York steps up.”

Two Americans Who Attacked Multiple U.S. Victims Using ALPHV BlackCat Ransomware Sentenced to Prison

 

Two American cybersecurity professionals were sentenced today to four years each in prison for their role in a conspiracy to obstruct, delay, or affect commerce through extortion in connection with ransomware attacks occurring in 2023.

Ryan Goldberg, 40, of Georgia, and Kevin Martin, 36, of Texas, were sentenced. According to court documents, they and another co-conspirator, Angelo Martino, 41, of Florida, successfully deployed the ransomware known as ALPHV BlackCat between April 2023 and December 2023 against multiple victims located throughout the United States. The three men agreed to pay the ALPHV BlackCat administrators a 20% share of any ransoms received in exchange for access to the ransomware and ALPHV BlackCat’s extortion platform. All three men worked in the cybersecurity industry — meaning that they had special skills and experience in securing computer systems against harm, including the type of harm they themselves were committing against the victims in this case. After successfully extorting one victim for approximately $1.2 million in Bitcoin, the men split their 80% share of this ransom three ways and laundered the funds through various means.

According to court documents, ALPHV BlackCat targeted the computer networks of more than 1,000 victims around the world. The group used a ransomware-as-a-service model in which developers were responsible for creating and updating ransomware and for maintaining the illicit internet infrastructure. Affiliates were responsible for identifying and attacking high-value victim institutions with the ransomware. After a victim paid, developers and affiliates shared the ransom.

“The court’s sentences today reflect the damage that these defendants inflicted during their cyberattacks on victim companies throughout the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “They harmed important firms who were providing medical and engineering services. They played hardball with them, going so far as to cause the leak of patient data from a doctor’s office victim. They also split the ransoms they were paid, and laundered the illicit proceeds. These were supposed to be cybersecurity specialists who did good and helped businesses and people. Instead, they used their high-level cyber skills to feed their greed. Ransomware attackers like this should be punished and removed from society to serve their lawful sentences so they cannot harm others.”

“These defendants exploited specialized cybersecurity knowledge not to protect victims, but to extort them,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “They used ransomware to lock down critical systems, steal sensitive data, and pressure American businesses into paying to regain access to their own information. Today’s sentence of four years reflects not only the scale of this scheme, but the real harm inflicted on businesses, employees, and victims whose private information was weaponized for profit. In this District, cybercriminals will face federal prison and forfeit the proceeds of their crimes.”

“Today’s sentencings show that ransomware criminals can operate anywhere, including right here in the United States, and that the FBI is actively working to track them down and dismantle their networks — wherever they exist,” said Assistant Director Brett Leatherman of the FBI’s Cyber Division. “Goldberg and Martin leveraged their technical skills and cyber security knowledge to extort millions from victims across the U.S., but the FBI’s global reach ensured that they ultimately faced justice. When Goldberg sought to flee abroad and escape prosecution, the FBI tracked him through 10 countries, demonstrating the lengths we will go to hold cyber criminals accountable and protect victims. The FBI thanks our DOJ partners for their help securing today’s outcome.” 

Today’s announcement follows the Justice Department’s prior actions in December 2023 to disrupt ALPHV BlackCat ransomware, in which the FBI developed a decryption tool that allowed FBI field offices across the country and law enforcement partners around the world to offer hundreds of victims the capability of restoring their systems, saving victims approximately $99 million in ransom payments. At that time, the FBI also seized several websites operated by ALPHV BlackCat.

In December 2025, Goldberg and Martin each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct, delay or affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by extortion. In April 2026, co-conspirator Angelo Martino also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to obstruct, delay or affect commerce or the movement of any article or commodity in commerce by extortion. In addition to conspiring with Goldberg and Martin to attack victims with ransomware, Martino also abused his role as a negotiator for victims of ransomware by sharing confidential victim information with threat actors to increase the value of the ransom paid. His sentencing is set for July 9.

The FBI Miami Field Office is leading the investigation, with assistance provided by the U.S. Secret Service.

Trial Attorneys Christen Gallagher and Jorge Gonzalez of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas Haggerty and Quinshawna Landon for the Southern District of Florida are prosecuting the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mitchell Hyman for the Southern District of Florida is handling asset forfeiture.

CCIPS investigates and prosecutes cybercrime in coordination with domestic and international law enforcement agencies, often with assistance from the private sector. Since 2020, CCIPS has secured the conviction of over 180 cybercriminals and court orders for the return of over $350 million in victim funds.

Significant assistance in this investigation was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul B. Morris for the Eastern District of Texas and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel W.A. Peach for the Middle District of Georgia. Additional assistance was provided by the Policía de Investigación of the Aeropuerto Internacional de la Ciudad de México.

Private sector organizations can report any suspicious activities and threats to the FBI’s National

Threat Operations Center by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324), visiting www.tips.fbi.gov or contacting their local FBI field office.

If you are a victim of ransomware, contact your local FBI field office or file a report at ic3.gov. If you have information about ALPHV BlackCat, their affiliates or activities, you may be eligible for a reward through the Department of State’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards program or Rewards for Justice program. Information can be submitted through the following Tor-based tip line (Tor browser required): he5dybnt7sr6cm32xt77pazmtm65flqy6irivtflruqfc5ep7eiodiad.onion. 

Florida Woman Pleads Guilty To Orchestrating Multimillion-Dollar Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Fraud

 

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, announced that NYDIRA ADAMS, a/k/a “Nadira Adams,” a/k/a “Nadira Adams-McMillan,” pled guilty today to carrying out a scheme in which she caused federal student loan borrowers to submit documents containing misrepresentations and false statements to the U.S. Department of Education to take advantage of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.  ADAMS’s scheme sought to cause the Department of Education to forgive over $5 million in federal student loan debt based on lies, misrepresentations, and falsehoods.  ADAMS pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote.

“Nydira Adams marketed herself as a guru, but what she was really selling was fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton.  “Adams’s greed cost an important federal program servicing the American public over $5 million.  Programs funded by taxpayers and designed to reward genuine public service cannot be treated as personal profit centers.  New Yorkers and all Americans want us to make sure their tax dollars are not stolen.”

According to court filings and statements made in court proceedings:

From at least in or about March 2023 through at least in or about January 2025, Adams held herself out as the “Student Loan Default Guru” and operated a business under the same name.  In reality, AdAMS used misrepresentations, false statements, and false documents to deceive the Department of Education into forgiving federal student loans issued to borrowers who paid Adams thousands of dollars for her purported services. On multiple occasions, Adams knowingly and intentionally caused applications for Department of Education relief programs to be submitted that contained falsehoods pertaining to the borrowers’ eligibility for the relief programs. Among other falsehoods, Adams claimed that one California-based borrower worked full-time at a New York-based religious institution and falsely represented that another borrower worked full-time for a public school district.  Adams’s scheme resulted in an intended loss of over $5 million to the Department of Education.       

Adams, 38, of Pensacola, Florida, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 60 months in prison.

The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding investigative work of the Department of Education Office of Inspector General – Eastern Regional Office, the New York Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Special Agents assigned to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon C. Thompson is in charge of the prosecution. 

On April 7, the Department of Justice announced the creation of the Fraud Division.  The Fraud Division is laser-focused on investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against the American people.  The Department’s work to combat fraud supports President Trump’s Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, a whole-of-government effort chaired by Vice President J.D. Vance to eliminate fraud, waste, and abuse within Federal benefit programs.

Comptroller Levine Reports Over $1 Million in Recovered Back Wages in First Four Months of Term

 

Settlements Include Joint Effort with NYC Parks to Deliver Over $618K for 24 Workers

New York City Comptroller Mark Levine today announced the Bureau of Labor Law (BLL) has settled five cases, recovering over $1 million for workers to whom companies owe back wages and interest, as well as civil penalties for the City of New York, since his term began in January.

Among the cases settled in Comptroller Levine’s first four months include a joint investigation between his office and the New York City Parks Department for underpayment of prevailing wages and supplemental benefits to 24 workers working on the Hunts Point Playground reconstruction in the Bronx. As a result of the joint investigation, Amin Electrical Corp., Green Builders Group of NY Corp., and their prime contractor, D & S Restoration, settled for a total of $618,495.40 and the subcontractors were subsequently debarred for willfully violating prevailing wage laws and falsifying payroll records.

“At a time when the federal government is rolling back labor protections, the work of our Bureau of Labor Law is that much more important,” said Comptroller Mark Levine. “Settling over $1 million on prevailing wage cases in just four months is no small feat and sends a strong message that the Comptroller’s Office remains steadfast in our commitment to fighting on workers’ behalf.”

“Creating and improving park spaces is essential to the wellbeing of New Yorkers, and it’s also imperative that contractors follow the law when working on these projects,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura. “We were proud to collaborate with the Comptroller’s office on this investigation and grateful that hardworking New Yorkers will be getting the proper wages they deserve.”

“Local enforcement of labor protections is more critical than ever, and I am extremely proud of our team and their efforts to recover every dollar owed to workers,” said Claudia Henriquez, Director of Workers’ Rights at the Comptroller’s Bureau of Labor Law. ”Each milestone we hit is the culmination of a lot of hard work that ultimately begins with the bravery of workers standing up for their rights. The Bureau of Labor Law will continue to fight wage theft and ensure that employers benefitting from taxpayer dollars live up to their contractual obligations.”

The five settlements bring the total recovered since the start of Comptroller Levine’s tenure to $1,005,749.22:

Green Builders Group of NY Corp./Amin Electrical Corp./D&S Restoration, Inc. (joint settlement with Parks Dept): $618,495.40 

The Comptroller’s office and the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation (NYC Parks) reached a global settlement with Amin Electrical Corp., and Green Builders Group NY Corp., and prime contractor D&S Restoration, Inc. regarding underpayment of prevailing wages and supplemental benefits to 24 workers on a project from NYC Parks to reconstruct the Hunts Point Playground in the Bronx. Six of the 12 workers who worked for Green Builders also worked for Amin Electrical.

The case was investigated jointly by the Comptroller’s Office and NYC Parks. The Comptroller’s investigation determined that subcontractors Amin Electrical and Green Builders forged the signatures of their workers on affidavits and required their workers to pay kickbacks.

As a result of the Comptroller and NYC Parks’ joint investigation, Amin Electrical, Green Builders, and their prime contractor, D & S Restoration, settled the matters for a total of $618,495.40, representing $427,468.24 in underpayment, $89,263.93 in interest, $86,605.23 in civil penalty, and $15,158.00 in investigation costs to NYC Parks.

In addition, Amin Electrical and Green Builders and their principals will be debarred due to willful violation of prevailing wages and supplemental benefits and the falsification of payroll records. Specifically, both companies falsified worker affidavits stating that they were paid full wages and benefits in cash. Under Section 223 of the Labor Law, prime contractor D&S Restoration is responsible for the violations of its subcontractors.

Stagg Group: $250,000.00 

In July 2017, the Comptroller’s Office investigated seven properties after the property owners failed to respond to the Comptroller’s inquiry on their compliance with prevailing wage. These properties are all located in the Bronx and owned by Mark Stagg as part of the Stagg Group portfolio, a real estate development company managing over 5,000 apartments in the Bronx and Westchester. The Comptroller’s investigation found that four of the seven properties were operating homeless shelters. Bronx Parent Housing Network (“BPHN”) operated the property owned by Tylers’ Place LLC and hired their own maintenance employees and contracted with PPB, Inc. for security guard services. Sera Security (“Sera”) provided security guards at three properties. Stagg Group also hired their own cleaning and maintenance workers at these properties. The Comptroller determined that during the period of July 1, 2015 through December 31, 2017, none of the maintenance and cleaning workers and security guards were paid a prevailing wage. Some workers were paid as little as $9 per hour when they should have been paid $14 per hour under the prevailing wage rates in place at that time.

To resolve all seven cases, Stagg Group agreed to pay $250,000 in back wages to workers. 67 workers received restitution, with one worker due to receive almost $13,000 in back wages.

Manetta Enterprises, Inc.: $70,000.00 

The Bureau investigated Manetta Enterprises Inc. and Manco Enterprises of NYC Inc. for their failure to pay a worker the supplemental benefits as required by law between April and September 2019. Manetta Enterprises and Manco Enterprises contracted with ConEdison for street excavation and paving work at various public street locations throughout New York City. Prior to trial, Manetta and Manco agreed to pay $70,000 and to an admission that they had willfully violated Labor Law Section 220 by falsifying records, which resulted in a debarment for both companies and their owner, Enrico Manetta, for a period of five years. The settlement is for $70,000, reflecting an underpayment of $33,208.63 and interest at $26,791.37, or a total of $60,000, to one worker. The City will receive a civil penalty of $10,000.

43rd Ave Condo LLC: $59,001.92 

This case concerned building service workers at a building located at 25-21 43rd Avenue in Queens that received tax benefits under Real Property Tax Law Section 421-a. The prevailing wage violations impacted five workers, who were classified as Residential Building Cleaner/Porter, Doorperson/Elevator Operator and worked from February 2019 through March 2023.  The violations primarily resulted from the employer’s underpayment of supplemental benefits. Workers received $39,256.16 in back pay, $14,381.95 in interest, and the City will collect $5,363.81 as a civil penalty, for a total of $59,001.92.

Bhuiyan Construction Co. Inc.: $8,251.90 

The Bureau of Labor Law initiated an investigation against M. Bhuiyan Construction Co Inc. in 2022 for failure to pay prevailing wages to a worker who performed roofing work at the College Point Bus Depot in Flushing, Queens. BLL determined that from October 19, 2021 through December 12, 2021, M. Bhuiyan Construction failed to pay one worker prevailing wages, resulting in an underpayment of $3,949.95. This underpayment was the result of the contractor misclassifying the worker as a mason tender, despite the worker performing work as a Roofer.  BLL reached a settlement with M. Bhuiyan Construction for the following: $3,949.95 underpayment, $2,651.57 interest to the worker, and $1,650.38 in civil penalty for a total of $8,251.90.

Under the New York Labor Law, the New York City Comptroller sets and enforces prevailing wage and living wage laws for public works projects and certain service contracts in the City of New York.  

The matter of Green Builders Group of NY Corp., Amin Electrical Corp., and D&S Restoration, Inc. was handled by investigators Jose Quiroz and Dwayne Gibson, auditor Ilona Stadnicka, and attorney Jamshid Saloor for the Comptroller’s Office, and investigator Eric Green and attorney Deborah Howe from New York City Parks.

The matter of Stagg Group was handled by investigator Cordie McCann, auditor Ilona Stadnicka, and attorney Amy Luo. Manetta Enterprises, Inc. was handled by investigator Dwayne Gibson, auditor Igor Galanter, and attorney Kristyn Sanito.

The investigation against 43rd Avenue Condo LLC was conducted by investigator Dwayne Gibson; the audit was performed by auditor Eugene Chun; and the settlement was negotiated by attorney Jamshid Saloor.

The matter of M. Bhuiyan Construction Co. Inc. was handled by investigator Rudolpho Donawa, auditor Eugene Chun, and attorney Alta Viscomi.

The Bureau of Labor Law’s auditors work under the supervision of Stuart Rimmer, Director of Audit, and attorneys work under the supervision of Amy Luo, Director of Enforcement. The Bureau of Labor Law is overseen by Claudia Henriquez, Assistant Comptroller for Labor Law.

Governor Hochul Announces Five Counties Selected for Coordinated Community Response Pilot to Combat Domestic and Gender-Based Violence

Governor Directs Stronger, More Coordinated Response While Modernizing Domestic and Gender-Based Violence Policies Statewide

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced decisive action to strengthen public safety and protect survivors of domestic and gender-based violence, selecting Clinton, Putnam, Yates, Columbia, and Delaware counties to participate in a two-year Coordinated Community Response (CCR) Pilot.

“New Yorkers’ safety is my top priority, and I am dedicated to utilizing every available resource to support survivors of domestic and gender-based violence,” Governor Hochul said. “This pilot will save lives and reduce violence by holding offenders accountable and ensuring that survivors receive the support they rightfully deserve.”

Led by the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV), the CCR Pilot will strengthen the government and community response by improving coordination among law enforcement, courts, social services, advocates, and first responders. By enhancing coordination among these groups, the initiative aims to help survivors access safety and support faster while ensuring accountability for offenders.

As part of the Governor’s ongoing commitment to ensuring those affected by gender-based violence receive the best possible outcomes, OPDV will also update the State’s domestic violence model policy for counties. Developed in 1998, the policy will be revised to address all types of gender-based violence, reflect current best practices, survivor-centered approaches, and the current realities facing local law enforcement and service providers . Updating the model policy will help create greater consistency, accountability, and more effective responses across communities statewide.

The CCR pilot will give participating counties a clear framework for responding to domestic and gender-based violence. With extensive technical assistance and implementation support from OPDV, counties will adopt one of two evidence-based approaches by establishing either a:

• Coordinated Community Response Task Force — A multidisciplinary group with the authority to influence policy, improve systemic procedures, and strengthen community awareness to prevent and respond to gender-based violence; or a
• Domestic Violence High-Risk Team — A nationally recognized best practice proven to increase survivor safety, strengthen offender accountability, and reduce burdens on local systems through coordinated, proactive intervention.

The pilot complements Governor Hochul’s record $20.2 million investment in the Statewide Targeted Reductions in Intimate Partner Violence (STRIVE) initiative, which expanded prevention and intervention efforts in 17 counties outside New York City and requires the use of evidence-based strategies to reduce intimate partner violence and improve outcomes for survivors. 

Mayor Mamdani Announces $95 Million Cloudburst Project to Manage Flooding in Homecrest, Brooklyn

 

Porous pavement will absorb and divert stormwater, while parks and school sites will store it underground  

  

Project will protect water quality in Coney Island Creek  

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Lisa F. Garcia, NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura, New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn and New York City Public Schools (NYCPS) Chancellor Kamar Samuels today announced $95 million in DEP funding for an innovative Cloudburst stormwater management project in Homecrest, Brooklyn.   

  

The project is designed to reduce flooding, protect local waterways and strengthen neighborhood resilience as extreme weather becomes more frequent and more severe.  

  

Cloudburst projects use a network of neighborhood-scale infrastructure to move stormwater off streets during short, intense storms without overwhelming the sewer system. In Homecrest, DEP will install porous pavement on City streets and underground storage systems on public land, managing an estimated 30 million gallons of stormwater each year. The Homecrest project will be built to handle the increasingly common, heavy downpours that can drop more than two inches of rain in a single hour.  

Typical Cloudburst Infrastructure  

The Homecrest project will relieve pressure on the sewer system during peak rainfall by capturing and storing stormwater before it floods streets or flows untreated into Coney Island Creek. Reducing polluted runoff is essential to protecting water quality and meeting Clean Water Act standards.    

  

“We are building a city that protects New Yorkers in the places where flooding hits hardest,” said Mayor Mamdani. “This project turns everyday public spaces — our schoolyards, streets and parking lots — into infrastructure that keeps our communities safe. As climate change accelerates, investments like this are not optional. They are how we deliver a city that is resilient, equitable and prepared.”   

  

“Climate change is already here, and our infrastructure must catch up. Cloudburst projects rebuild our city with the green infrastructure, like porous pavement and underground stormwater storage, that will keep us safe during storms,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson. “These investments into stormwater management are increasingly critical, and I am glad to see our agencies working hand in hand to deliver creative solutions to flooding.”   

  

“The Homecrest Cloudburst project is a major step forward in protecting this community from the kind of extreme rainfall we know is becoming more common,” said DEP Commissioner Lisa F. Garcia. “By capturing and storing stormwater before it overwhelms local streets and sewers, we’re reducing flood risk, improving water quality in Coney Island Creek and building the resilient infrastructure New Yorkers deserve.”  

  

The project will target flooding hotspots across a 350-acre area, including Kings Highway, Coney Island Avenue and avenues P, R, S, T, U and V.   

Flooding Hotspots in Homecrest  

In partnership with NYC Parks, NYC DOT and NYCPS, DEP is evaluating traffic triangles, athletic courts, schoolyards and parking lots as sites for underground storage tanks.  

  

“New Yorkers shouldn't have to worry about flooding every time there's intense rain. In addition to making South Brooklyn more resilient to extreme weather and protecting our waterways from pollution, this new Cloudburst system will include upgrades to Homecrest's public spaces that New Yorkers will be able to enjoy, rain or shine,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura. “We're proud to work with DEP and our partners across City government to design Cloudburst systems here and throughout the city.”  

  

“As climate change continues to bring wetter weather to the five boroughs, we must act urgently and collaboratively to construct stormwater management systems in public spaces that will protect future generations from the damages of devastating flooding,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. “We look forward to working in lockstep with our sister agencies to deliver these critical infrastructure enhancements across the city in the years ahead.”    

  

“Investments like this help keep our communities safe,” said Schools Chancellor Kamar H. Samuels. “I’m grateful to our City partners for coming together and prioritizing what might go unnoticed by many but can have a huge impact should a cloudburst occur. Together, we are building a more resilient future for our Homecrest students and staff.”  

DEP launched its Cloudburst Management Program in 2023, advancing projects in flood-prone neighborhoods across the city, including Parkchester in the Bronx; Brownsville and East New York in Brooklyn; East Harlem in Manhattan; and Corona, Jamaica, Kissena and St. Albans in Queens. DEP continues to seek federal funding to support additional projects.   

FORMER CORRECTION OFFICER CHARGED WITH FILING PHONY DOCUMENTATION FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT

 

Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Nadia Shihata announced that James Wilson was arraigned on charges of grand larceny and offering a false instrument for filing for submitting documentation falsely claiming that he had been treated by healthcare professionals in order to justify being out on sick leave from his position as a correction officer at Rikers Island. The documentation allegedly included a note from a doctor who had died four months before the purported treatment.

District Attorney Katz said: “As alleged, this defendant filed dozens of fake doctor’s notes to remain on paid sick leave from his job with the Department of Correction. James Wilson went as far as submitting a note from a doctor who died the year before the defendant allegedly received treatment. I thank our partners at the New York City Department of Investigation and the Department of Correction for their assistance on this case.”

Department of Investigation Commissioner Nadia Shihata said: “As charged, this former Correction Officer stole thousands of dollars in sick leave he was not entitled to receive by submitting 50 falsified medical notes — including documents purportedly issued by a deceased physician. This conduct violates Department of Correction policy and the law—compounding a staffing crisis faced by DOC in 2022. I thank the Queens District Attorney’s Office for its partnership on this investigation and DOC for referring this matter to DOI.”

Department of Correction Commissioner Stanley Richards said: “Correction officers work long hours at a difficult job to ensure that their colleagues and the people in the Department’s care are safe. Any kind of fraud or dishonesty represents a serious betrayal and anyone who engages in such conduct will be held accountable. I commend our Special Investigations Unit for their hard work and collaboration in this case.”

Wilson, 46, of Staten Island, was arraigned today on charges of grand larceny in the third degree, grand larceny in the fourth degree and 50 counts of offering a false instrument for filing in the second degree. Queens Criminal Court Judge Thomas Wright-Fernandez ordered Wilson to return to court July 13. If convicted, Wilson faces a potential maximum of 2 1/3 to seven years in prison.

District Attorney Katz said that, according to the charges and investigation, Wilson was employed as a correction officer assigned to Rikers Island from December 19, 2016, to May 3, 2024, and was out on sick leave for periods of time from January 2, 2022, to November 19, 2022.

Under city regulations, uniformed correction officers who report sick for nine days or more during a calendar year may not leave their homes except under certain circumstances, such as a visit to a physician or hospital. Those who do leave their residences are required to submit documentation about the trip to the Department of Correction’s Health Management Division (HMD).

Wilson allegedly submitted documentation to HMD on the letterhead of Med Care Consultants in Brooklyn saying he was treated 10 times from January 5, 2022, to November 19, 2022. The letters were signed by one doctor and bore the stamp of another.

He also submitted 18 letters in which he claimed to be treated at Professional Care Physical Therapy on Staten Island from April 20, 2022, to September 27, 2022. The documents were on the practice’s letterhead and signed by a physical therapist.

Wilson turned in 10 letters on the letterhead of Victory Internal Medicine/Mount Sinai Doctors on Staten Island that indicated he had been treated 10 times from April 24, 2022, to November 19, 2022. The letters were signed by a doctor.

The defendant claimed to be treated 10 times at the office of a Queens physician 10 times from January 2, 2022, to September 11, 2022. The letters were signed by the doctor and were on his letterhead.

An investigation revealed that Wilson was not treated at any of the medical practices on the dates in question and that no one at those practices authorized the letters submitted by Wilson.

Wilson also submitted letters allegedly signed by Dr. Walter Pizzi claiming he had been treated on April 27 and April 30, 2022. Pizzi died on December 24, 2021.

On the 43 dates in question, Wilson received $13,727.45 in total pay.

The investigation was conducted by Correction Officer Investigators Anthony Palmer and Matty Lupinacci with DOI’s Office of the Inspector General for DOC.

Leader of Brooklyn-Based “Bully Gang” Sentenced to 60 Years in Prison

 

Defendant Was the Founder of a Violent Gang Whose Members Committed Multiple Murders and Shootings, and Engaged in Drug Trafficking

Moeleek Harrell, also known as “Moe Money,” was sentenced by United States District Judge Brian M. Cogan to 60 years in prison for his crimes as the leader of the Bully Gang, a violent street gang based in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn.  Harrell was one of 53 defendants charged and convicted in connection with the Eastern District of New York’s case against the Bully Gang.  Harrell and three other high-ranking members of the gang were convicted by a jury in July 2024 following a 13-week trial.  Harrell was convicted of racketeering, two murder conspiracies, two assaults, two instances of using a gun during a crime of violence, two drug trafficking conspiracies, and two money laundering conspiracies. 

Joseph Nocella, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Bryan DiGirolamo, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, New York Field Division (ATF), Jessica S. Tisch, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), and Nadia I. Shihata, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigation (DOI), announced the sentence.

“Moeleek Harrell learned today that there is a heavy price to pay for leading a gang responsible for extensive criminal conduct, and his sentence should serve as a warning to those underlings who foolishly obeyed the defendant’s orders.  They too will learn that following Harrell’s footsteps will lead a path straight to federal prison for a very long time,” stated United States Attorney Nocella.  “His sentence ensures that our neighborhoods will remain protected from Harrell’s criminal conduct and demonstrates our Office’s commitment to prosecuting the leaders of violent criminal organizations.”

“This case exposed a ruthless criminal organization responsible for murder conspiracies, brazen violence in public, and large-scale drug and weapons trafficking that stretched from New York to Maine,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge DiGirolamo.  “This 60 year sentence ensures that a dangerous individual who directed countless acts of violence will never again threaten our communities. The men & women of ATF/ NYPD Joint Firearms Task Force will continue working alongside our law enforcement partners to dismantle violent criminal organizations and protect the public.

“The Bully Gang carried out a series of brutal crimes that spread violence through Brooklyn and beyond, and today’s sentencing ensures that its leader, Moeleek Harrell, will never again threaten our communities,” said NYPD Commissioner Tisch.  “This case reflects the NYPD’s focus on dismantling violent gangs and taking illegal guns off our streets.  I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the ATF for their partnership in bringing Harrell to justice.”

“Moeleek Harrell and his gang sowed terror and fear through their violent crimes, and trafficked drugs into the City’s jails, undercutting the security and safety of these facilities,” stated DOI Commissioner Shihata. “There is no outcome that can repair the deep and destructive impact of this gang in New York City and Maine.  But today’s decades-long sentence for the gang’s leader, and the dozens of convictions associated with this prosecution, demonstrate that New York City has zero tolerance for these crimes and will hold those who perpetrate them accountable.  I thank the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, the ATF and the NYPD for their partnership on this significant investigation.”

Harrell, along with deceased gang member Charles Williams, was the founder and leader of the Bully Gang.  Harrell directed and oversaw the gang’s many crimes, including the gang’s violent rivalries.  In connection with these rivalries, Harrell was personally involved in two murder conspiracies, targeting Christopher King and members of a rival gang known as the Stukes Crew.  Harrell and the Bully Gang targeted King because King had killed Williams.  Over the course of several weeks, Harrell tracked dates on which King would be going to court (including for a case related to Williams’s killing) and confronted King at one of his court appearances.  On one occasion, Harrell and his co-conspirators went to King’s house to try to find King.  Harrell’s efforts to find King culminated in a shooting on October 1, 2017, in which King and an innocent bystander were both shot and wounded.

Harrell’s violent rivalry with the Stukes Crew lasted at least five years.  During this time, Harrell and his co-conspirators made multiple attempts to murder members of the Stukes Crew.  On October 1, 2017, the same day that Harrell committed the King shooting, Harrell also targeted members of the Stukes Crew in another shooting in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. No one was injured in this shooting. In March 2018, while at a gender reveal party for Harrell’s child, fellow Bully Gang member and co-defendant Derrick Ayers shot and killed Jonathan Jackson, an associate of the Stukes Crew.  Harrell praised Ayers for committing this murder, and taunted his rivals for allowing their associate to be killed.  Harrell then shot at members of the Stukes Crew on two consecutive days in June 2018. These shootings again took place in Crown Heights, and the second resulted in a car crash that injured multiple people.  Throughout the time that Harrell was targeting members of the Stukes Crew, he took extraordinary steps to learn personal information about his targets, including their addresses, Social Security numbers, license plates, phone numbers, and family members.  Harrell then used this information to locate and try to kill his targets.

Harrell was also deeply involved in the gang’s drug trafficking schemes.  Harrell ran the day-to-day operations of the gang’s Rikers drug smuggling scheme.  In connection with this scheme, from 2019 to 2021, Harrell and his co-conspirators arranged for papers and comic books soaked in synthetic cannabinoids, also known as “K2,” to be delivered to Rikers. Once inmates received the K2-soaked papers, they sold smaller quantities to other inmates at a substantial profit. Harrell made hundreds of thousands of dollars from this scheme.  To get drugs into Rikers, Harrell and his co-conspirators sent drugs through the mail, had visitors to the jail bring in drugs, and bribed corrupt corrections officers to bring drugs in themselves.

Harrell also had a leadership role in the gang’s scheme to sell heroin and cocaine base in Maine.  As part of this scheme, the Bully Gang and its associates transported large quantities of drugs, including cocaine base, heroin, and fentanyl, from New York and New Jersey to Maine, where they sold the drugs out of multiple stash houses spread throughout the state.  The gang made millions of dollars from these drug sales.  Harrell directed others who sold and transported drugs in connection with conspiracy and personally profited from the drug sales. He also ensured the discipline of the conspiracy, including by orchestrating the violent punishment of co-defendant Tyquan Lane when Lane violated the rules of the drug conspiracy.