Mayor Mamdani Reopens Orchard Beach Pavilion After $114 Million Reconstruction Project

 

Historic pavilion reopens for first time in 17 years following a major restoration to improve accessibility, preserve landmarked architecture and expand public amenities

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani, NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura and New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) Interim President & CEO Jeanny Pak today reopened the 140,000-square-foot Orchard Beach Pavilion in the Bronx following a $114 million reconstruction project that restored the landmarked building’s historic architecture, expanded ADA access and revitalized concession and community spaces.  

 

Built in 1936 with funding secured largely through the Works Progress Administration, the pavilion has been fully closed since 2009. Known for its striking columns, limestone cladding, bright blue tiles and terrazzo flooring, the pavilion was designated a landmark by the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) in 2006. 

 

“No longer can the Bronx be treated as an afterthought in a city of five boroughs,” said Mayor Mamdani. “As beach season approaches, Bronxites and New Yorkers from across this city will once again be able to gather at the Bronx’s only public beach in a space worthy of this community and its history.”    

  

“The reopening of the Orchard Beach Pavilion is an exciting investment that reflects the City's commitment to world-class public spaces for New Yorkers to enjoy in all five boroughs,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Julia Kerson. “We’re thankful to our partners across City government who helped restore this landmark and ensure it is accessible and open to all New Yorkers.”  

  

“We are proud to have restored the Orchard Beach Pavilion to its former glory, with a level of investment that the Bronx deserves,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura. “Thanks to this project, the pavilion is more accessible to all visitors, will offer improved amenities and has a revived look that highlights its striking architectural features. After being closed off to public access for more than 17 years, we’re thrilled to welcome New Yorkers back to the pavilion this summer!”  

  

“The Orchard Beach Pavilion is one of New York City's most beautiful destinations, and we are thrilled of the work we have done to renovate this historic space that will be enjoyed by many New Yorkers when beach season officially begins,” said NYCEDC Interim President & CEO Jeanny Pak. “With these renovations, the 'Riviera of New York' will once again become a public amenity that is fitted for modern times, and we look forward to welcoming families to this landmark destination to relax, rest and play.”  

 

“The restoration of the landmark Orchard Beach Bath House and Promenade shows what is possible when government delivers for the people of New York,” said Landmarks Preservation Commission Chair Lisa Kersavage. “Originally built during the Great Depression to create a beautiful public space for all New Yorkers, thanks to restoration and accessibility improvements led by NYC Parks and NYCEDC and approved by LPC, this iconic Bronx landmark is ready to welcome visitors back for this summer — and beyond.”  

  

The pavilion’s ground floor is now open to the public and includes upgraded restroom facilities. Visitors can also enjoy the upper balconies to take in views of the beach and Long Island Sound.  

   

The restoration included extensive structural and architectural repairs to the roofs, columns, limestone cladding, glazed terracotta, terrazzo and metalwork. The project also added new trees and upgraded lighting throughout the site.    

  

To improve accessibility, the landside entrance now includes new ramps leading to the upper level of the pavilion. On the beach side, a curved brick-clad accessible ramp connects the upper level to the lower plaza near the beach, ensuring all visitors can move through the pavilion with equitable access for the first time.    

  

Historic concession spaces within the pavilion are being rebuilt to accommodate new food and retail offerings, with upgraded mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems for long-term resiliency. NYC Parks selected Unwind Hospitality Group to operate food service and merchandise spaces within the pavilion. The company will partner with local vendors to provide a range of food options for beachgoers. These concession areas are expected to open later this summer, while the pavilion’s restaurant space is scheduled to open in 2027.  

   

The reconstruction project was funded by the Mayor’s Office, the Office of the Bronx Borough President, the New York City Council and New York State. Design work was completed by Marvel Architects and construction management services were provided by Gilbane.   

   

Orchard Beach, the Bronx’s only public beach, spans 115 acres and stretches 1.1 miles along Pelham Bay Park. The beach features a promenade, playgrounds, picnic areas, a soccer field and courts for basketball, volleyball and handball. Orchard Beach is also home to NYC Parks Orchard Beach Nature Center, which offers educational exhibits on local wildlife, live marine displays and programming led by the Urban Park Rangers.  

   

New York City public beaches officially open for the season on Saturday, May 23.

  

CONSUMER ALERT: NYS Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection Provides New Yorkers with Tips for Avoiding Home Improvement Scams

 

Spring and Summer are the Peak Seasons for Home Improvements - and for Scammers Trying to Cash in

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection today warned consumers to be alert for home improvement scams. Late spring and summer are peak seasons for home improvement projects, but home improvement scams can cost homeowners thousands of dollars and leave them with poor workmanship, unfinished projects, or an unsafe result. Home improvement scams have consistently ranked among New Yorkers’ top five consumer complaints.

“Spring and summer times are the perfect seasons to do home renovations, but consumers should be wary of unsolicited contractors who knock on your door offering repairs or home improvement projects at a ‘bargain price’ because it could simply be a scam,” said Secretary of State Walter T. Mosley. “The Division of Consumer Protection offers tips to New Yorkers so they can avoid costly mistakes by hiring nefarious scammers who can take advantage of their hard-earned money with an unfinished job or no work at all.” 

Consider the following list of tips to avoid common home improvement scams:

Before Hiring a Contractor, Always Research and Verify: 

• Shop Around: Get at least three written estimates. Each estimate should clearly list:
• Materials to be used
• Scope of work
• Labor costs
• Estimated start and finish dates
• Payment schedule

• Verify Credentials: Ask friends and neighbors for referrals. Check online reviews, references, and complaint history through the Better Business Bureau, local consumer agencies, and state records. Be cautious if the contractor has no physical address or changes business names often.  

• Check your local government licensing requirements: New York State does not license home improvement contractors. However, some counties and local municipalities do, including New York City, Suffolk, Nassau, Westchester, Putnam, and Rockland counties, and the City of Buffalo. If your local government requires licensure for home improvement contractors or certain home improvement trades, be sure to only hire a licensed contractor.

• Know the codes: Check with your town or county about permit requirements and the applicable building codes. Be sure you or your contactor obtains the necessary permits.

Avoid Major Red Flags:

• Be cautious if someone:
• Knocks on your door unexpectedly
• Says they have “leftover materials from another job”
• Pressures you to sign today
• Demands cash only
• Refuses permits or paperwork
• Keeps finding new urgent problems after starting
• Wants you to finance through “their lender”
• Asks you to sign insurance checks over to them  

• Many good contractors are too busy to seek business at your front door. Be wary of contractors that knock on your door offering repairs or home improvement projects at a “bargain price” or because they have extra supplies left over from another project in your neighborhood. Scammers provide poor-quality work or may be quick to disappear if the homeowner provides any type of payment up front.

• Unscrupulous actors may exaggerate home improvement issues or claim a recent city, state, or federal regulation requires immediate upgrades to create a false sense of urgency and panic and push homeowners into unnecessary and expensive repairs. 

Be A Savvy Consumer:

• Get It in Writing: A contract should include:
• Contractor’s full name, address, and phone number
• Detailed work description
• Total price and payment terms
• Timeline
• Warranty terms
• Change-order process for extra work

• Don’t sign anything until you have decided to hire: You should not have to sign anything until you are ready to hire a contractor. Never sign a document that has blank spaces – if anything is “not applicable” the language should be removed or crossed out and signed by the contractor. Do not sign anything if you are not sure what it means for you or the project. Take the time you need to make sure you are comfortable with the contract.

• Never Pay Full Price Up Front: Avoid large upfront deposits. Use a staged payment schedule tied to completed work. Pay by check or with credit card when possible. Do not pay with cash, wire transfer, Zelle, or gift cards. Withhold final payment until the job is complete and satisfactory.   

If Problems Arise: First, speak with the contractor and try to reach a resolution. If a resolution is not possible, file a complaint with your local consumer protection agency or the New York State Division of Consumer Protection at https://dos.ny.gov/consumer-protection. 

About the New York State Division of Consumer Protection

The New York State Division of Consumer Protection provides resources and education materials to consumers on product safety, as well as voluntary mediation services between consumers and businesses. The Consumer Assistance Helpline 1-800-697-1220 is available Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm, excluding State Holidays, and consumer complaints can be filed at any time at www.dos.ny.gov/consumer-protection.

NYS Office of the Comptroller DiNapoli: State Pension Fund Posts Strong 11.94% Annual Return, Closes at Record High of $295.4 Billion

 

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli today announced that the New York State Common Retirement Fund (Fund) delivered a strong estimated investment return of 11.94% for the state fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, closing at a record-high estimated value of $295.4 billion — the highest fiscal year-end value in the Fund’s history.

“The New York State Common Retirement Fund delivered another year of strong results despite economic uncertainty, persistent inflation, and turbulence out of Washington,” DiNapoli said. “Under my watch, our diversified, disciplined investment strategy continues to protect the retirement security of nearly 1.3 million public workers, retirees and their families. We have built one of the nation’s strongest and best-funded public pension funds by focusing on long-term stability, smart diversification, and responsible risk management. Reaching a record-high value is a testament to the strength of our investment team and our commitment to keeping the promises made to New Yorkers.”

The Fund’s long-term expected rate of return is 5.9%, the second lowest among major public pension funds in the country. During his tenure, DiNapoli steadily lowered the assumed rate of return from 8% to a more prudent and sustainable level that has earned praise from independent fiscal experts for strengthening the Fund’s long-term fiscal health.

While annual returns can fluctuate with market conditions, the Fund continues to deliver strong long-term performance, achieving a three-year annualized return of 9.74%, five-year annualized return of 6.77% and a 10-year annualized return of 8.94%.

The Fund's value reflects retirement and death benefits of $16.8 billion paid out during the fiscal year.

As of March 31, 2026, the Fund had 39.4% of its assets invested in publicly traded equities. The remaining Fund assets by allocation are invested in cash, bonds, and mortgages (22.9%), private equity (14.3%), real estate and real assets (14.3%), and credit, absolute return strategies, and opportunistic alternatives (9.1%).

DiNapoli’s management of the Fund has received praise from two independent reviews in 2026. First, a legally required fiduciary and conflict of interest review of the Fund released in January recognized the Fund for its exemplary investment oversight, risk management, and ethical governance. This review, conducted by Weaver and Tidwell LLP and required by state regulations, is part of the reforms that DiNapoli fought for when he became State Comptroller to provide the public with a clear, independent assessment of how the Fund is being managed and where improvements could be made.

Weaver’s review found:

• The Fund operates under a strong governance framework with a rigorous system of internal controls and maintains a high level of operational transparency.
• DiNapoli manages the Fund with the highest ethical, professional, and conflict of interest standards, and acts for the sole benefit of the retirement system’s members and beneficiaries.
• The Fund has a great deal of focus on the fees applied to each individual deal and whether the proposed fees fall within prevailing market norms.
• The Fund demonstrates a strategic asset allocation between public and private markets that closely aligns with its peer group.
• Fund staff are knowledgeable and dedicated and manage the Fund in the most efficient and effective manner possible.

The review highlights that the Fund’s high-funded status and conservative assumed rate of return put it in a stronger financial position to meet long-term obligations than its peers and is able to weather market volatility. The funded status was 92.2%, as of March 31, 2025, and is still being calculated for the fiscal year that just ended.

A second independent review conducted by the State Department of Financial Services (DFS), the Funds’ regulator, found the investment and risk teams are performing their duties professionally and competently while safeguarding the retirement security of the state pension fund’s members. The report found total fund performance versus benchmarks over 3-, 5-, and 10-year periods “has been very good,” and highlighted the Fund’s consistently healthy funded ratio as evidence of a well-managed portfolio and low risk to pensioners, and found that investment fees and expenses were reasonable.

Employer contribution rates are determined by investment results over a multi-year period along with numerous other actuarial assumptions, including wage growth, inflation, age of retirement, and mortality. Integral to the Fund’s strength have been the state and local governments, which consistently pay their contributions.

The New York State Common Retirement Fund is one of the largest public pension funds in the United States. It holds and invests the assets of the New York State and Local Retirement System on behalf of nearly 1.3 million state and local government employees and retirees and their beneficiaries, and has consistently been ranked as one of the best managed and best funded public plans in the nation.

Links

Fund’s Historic Value and Rate of Return in Prior Years

Asset Class Returns

Return for Last Fiscal Year

Independent Review by Weaver and Tidwell LLP Review

Independent Review by State Department of Financial Services (starts on pg. 59)

Mamdani Administration Will Double Width of Popular Protected Bike Lane on Sixth Avenue Ahead of World Cup

 

City will expand lane from six to 10 feet to improve safety for New Yorkers and visitors traveling to major destinations in the area  

  

Similar projects have reduced pedestrian deaths and injuries by nearly 32%  

Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and New York City Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) Commissioner Mike Flynn today announced that the City will double the width of one of Manhattan’s busiest protected bike lanes along Sixth Avenue to improve safety ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup™.  

  

“What better way to welcome the World Cup than by making our streets safer and more accessible for everyone who uses them?” said Mayor Mamdani. “From Sixth Avenue in Manhattan to Broadway in Queens and the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, we’re redesigning our streets to better protect pedestrians, cyclists and drivers alike. Long after the sun sets on this summer of celebration, these improvements will continue serving New Yorkers every single day.”  

  

“The Mamdani administration has tasked us to work with urgency to improve safety on our streets. With a colorful history, Sixth Avenue now hosts one the city’s most popular bike lanes, and it is time we make it even better,” said NYC DOT Commissioner Mike Flynn. “New Yorkers and visitors alike should be able to connect to Manhattan’s major tourist destinations comfortably, whether they are traveling by bike, on foot or by car. Widening this bike lane will make the street safer for everyone and provide a calmer, more comfortable cycling experience by allowing more room for passing.”  

  

The project will expand the protected bike lane on Sixth Avenue from six feet to 10 feet between 14th Street and West 31st Street. Between 31st and 35th streets, NYC DOT will maintain the existing five-foot protected bike lane and add nine feet of expanded pedestrian space with a painted sidewalk extension. Wider bike lanes create a safer and more comfortable riding experience by allowing faster riders, including e-bike users, to pass more safely while also supporting side-by-side riding.  

  

In 2024, NYC DOT installed a double-wide protected bike lane on Sixth Avenue from Lispenard Street in Tribeca to West 13th Street in Greenwich Village, closing a key gap in the City’s bike network. This latest project will extend those improvements farther into Midtown.   

  

Bicycle ridership across New York City continues to grow. Daily bike trips over the East River bridges reached a record high of nearly 29,000 riders in 2025 — almost 18 times the number recorded in 1980, when the City first began tracking bicycle traffic on the bridges.  

  

In 1980, Sixth Avenue briefly became home to New York City’s first on-street protected bike lane. Inspired by a visit to China, Mayor Ed Koch directed the former Department of Traffic to install a curb-protected lane in Midtown. The lane generated significant controversy and hostility at the time, including from then-Governor Hugh Carey, and was removed six months later. The current protected lane was installed in 2020.  

  

While safety has improved under the current street design, Sixth Avenue remains one of NYC DOT’s Vision Zero Priority Corridors, meaning it has a high rate of pedestrian deaths and serious injuries per mile. Between 2019 and 2023, there were 29 traffic deaths and severe injuries recorded along this stretch of Sixth Avenue. Similar redesign projects have reduced deaths and serious injuries for all road users by 30% and for pedestrians by 31.7%.  

  

NYC DOT plans to complete installation of the widened bike lane before the World Cup matches begin in June.  

  

Permits Filed for 122 Bruckner Boulevard in Mott Haven, The Bronx

 

Permits have been filed for a 14-story residential building at 122 Bruckner Boulevard in Mott Haven, The Bronx. Located between St. Ann’s Avenue and Brook Avenue, the lot is near the Brook Avenue subway station, served by the 6 train. Anshel Fridman of Arist Construction LLC is listed as the owner behind the applications.

The proposed 145-foot-tall development will yield 194,886 square feet designated for residential space. The building will have 99 residences with a total 297 residences on the lot, most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 656 square feet. The concrete-based structure will also have a cellar and a 37-foot-long rear yard.

S. Wieder Architect P.C. is listed as the architect of record.

Demolition permits were filed this month for the single-story structure on the site. An estimated completion date has not been announced.

Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Drug Trafficking Offenses

 

Antonio Carlos Shine, 38, of Dania, Fla., pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and marijuana. The plea was announced by John P. Heekin, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney Heekin said: “My office continues to deliver successful prosecutions under the Department of Justice’s Operation Take Back America initiative, which aims to dismantle the drug trafficking organizations and networks that have flooded our streets with deadly drugs for far too long. The citizens of the Northern District of Florida deserve to live in safe, drug-free communities, and that is precisely what we will achieve through aggressive prosecutions of drug traffickers like this defendant.”

Court documents reflect that in August 2024, law enforcement officers intercepted a package addressed to a Tallahassee residence. The package contained nearly two pounds of methamphetamine. Law enforcement conducted a controlled delivery at the residence. The defendant took possession of the package and brought it into the residence. Shortly thereafter, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on the residence. The defendant did not answer the door, requiring officers to breach the door. Following the breach of the front door, Shine fled through the back door with the package of methamphetamine, where he was immediately taken into custody. Law enforcement searched the residence and located a digital scale, various narcotics paraphernalia, and 44 grams of marijuana packaged for sale. The defendant had previously been convicted of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a firearm, and possession of cocaine with intent to sell/deliver and had served several terms in Florida state prison.

Shine faces a minimum mandatory sentence of fifteen years’ imprisonment and up to a maximum of life imprisonment. The term of imprisonment will be followed by at least ten years of supervised release. Thus, if Shine were to violate any conditions of his release, he could potentially face an additional period of incarceration related to violating his supervision.              

The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Tallahassee Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Meredith L. Steer is prosecuting the case.

Sentencing is scheduled for July 20, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. at the United States Courthouse in Tallahassee before Chief United States District Judge Allen C. Winsor.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

Senior Personnel At Telecommunications Company Charged With Multimillion Dollar Fraud Following Company Self-Report

Mohd Hafiz Lockman, Mohd Yuzaimi Yusof, and Khanh Thuong Nguyen Misappropriated Over $20 Million from Telekom Malaysia, Which Self-Reported the Scheme 

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, and Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, James C. Barnacle, Jr., announced the unsealing of an Indictment charging MOHD HAFIZ LOCKMAN, MOHD YUZAIMI YUSOF, and KHANH THUONG NGUYEN, three former senior employees of Telekom Malaysia (USA) Inc., the wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Telekom Malaysia Berhad, with wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft. The charges in the Indictment arise from an alleged scheme by the defendants to divert more than $20 million of company funds through four interconnected frauds. The defendants used false statements, forged records, fictitious transactions, and corporate and individual impersonations to deceive counterparties, suppliers, auditors, and supervisors. LOCKMAN was arrested on April 20, 2026, at San Francisco International Airport, and NGUYEN and YUSOF surrendered to authorities on April 22 and 23, respectively. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Dale E. Ho. 

U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton also announced that the criminal conduct was reported by Telekom Malaysia Berhad to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in early April 2026, and the company has been cooperating with the Office’s ongoing investigation.         

“These fraud charges come within weeks of receiving a self-report from the company,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “As alleged, Mohd Hafiz Lockman, Mohd Yuzaimi Yusof, and Khanh Thuong Nguyen perpetrated a sprawling fraud to steal over $20 million. The defendants deceived counterparties, suppliers, auditors, and their own supervisors. As a result of the fact that the conduct was reported to this Office and quickly investigated, the defendants will now be held to account for fraudulently lining their own pockets.” 

“These three individuals are alleged to have conducted a deliberate and calculated embezzlement scheme, falsifying corporate records for their own financial benefit,” said FBI Assistant Director in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr. “These charges highlight the FBI’s commitment to aggressively investigating and identifying fraud schemes that exploit the corporate system.”

As alleged in the Indictment unsealed today in Manhattan federal court and other public records of court proceedings:[1]

From July 2020 through February 2026, LOCKMAN, YUSOF, and NGUYEN were senior managers at Telekom Malaysia (USA) Inc. (“the American Subsidiary”), which is wholly owned by Telekom Malaysia Berhad (the “Parent Company,” and, collectively with the American Subsidiary, “Telekom Malaysia”), a major telecommunications company in Malaysia. The American Subsidiary’s primary business is selling access to broadband infrastructure to technology companies in the United States. The Parent Company approved major contracts of the American Subsidiary, relying on management of the American Subsidiary for information about U.S. deals.

While employed at the American Subsidiary, LOCKMAN, YUSOF, and NGUYEN pursued a multifaceted scheme to steal more than $20 million. First, they devised a scheme to sell Telekom Malaysia’s broadband capacity without the Parent Company’s authorization and to divert the proceeds of those sales to accounts under their control. For example, they requested Parent Company approval to sell eight terabytes of capacity to a multinational corporation headquartered in the United States (“U.S. Customer-1”) for roughly $54 million, but, in reality, $54 million was the price the American Subsidiary charged U.S. Customer-1 for six terabytes of capacity, not eight. After receiving the Parent Company’s approval, the defendants prepared two versions of the contract: one for U.S. Customer-1 that memorialized a sale of six terabytes, and another for the Parent Company that memorialized a sale of eight terabytes and that fraudulently bore signatures and initials of representatives of U.S. Customer-1, including one representative based in the United States. After misappropriating the excess two terabytes from the Parent Company, the defendants sold it for their own personal benefit to third parties, including a large U.S.-based internet services company and a subsidiary of a U.S.-based social media and technology company. To conceal those illicit sales from the Parent Company, and pocket the proceeds, the defendants executed the sales through a sham entity they incorporated with a name meant to look like the American Subsidiary’s name, and directed payments to bank accounts in the name of that entity, which they controlled.

Second, LOCKMAN, YUSOF, and NGUYEN impersonated a supplier of goods for the American Subsidiary and captured payments the Parent Company intended for that supplier. In 2021, the American Subsidiary was to acquire a particular type of cable from the supplier and resell it to an affiliate of the Parent Company at a markup. Unbeknownst to the Parent Company, the defendants had caused the American Subsidiary to purchase the cable from the supplier for roughly $500,000. But the defendants falsely represented to the Parent Company that the American Subsidiary had paid roughly $2.9 million for the cable. The American Subsidiary sold the cable to the affiliate of the Parent Company for over $3 million, reflecting the markup, and the defendants then caused the American Subsidiary to transfer roughly $2.9 million—the amount that the American Subsidiary supposedly paid the supplier—to a bank account held by another sham entity with a name meant to look like the supplier’s, but secretly controlled by the defendants. To accomplish this fraud, the defendants falsified several documents purportedly signed by individuals who the defendants represented were employees of the sham entity with the name substantially similar to the supplier’s. In reality, those individuals were employees of the supplier, and the defendants had falsified their signatures.

Third, LOCKMAN, YUSOF, and NGUYEN impersonated employees and interns of the American Subsidiary and captured salaries intended for those employees and interns. For example, the defendants caused the American Subsidiary’s records not to reflect the fact of a particular employee’s departure in 2020, and, from August 2020 through May 2025, the defendants caused the American Subsidiary to pay that employee’s monthly salary into a bank account that the defendants controlled. In 2025, the defendants finally recorded in the American Subsidiary’s records that employee’s departure, prompting Human Resources in Malaysia to request an exit interview with the employee. To sustain the fraud, the defendants recruited another individual to impersonate the employee during the exit interview. When Human Resources subsequently requested a video call, the defendants arranged for their imposter to disguise his appearance and bear the face of the departed employee through an artificial intelligence program.

Fourth, LOCKMAN, YUSOF, and NGUYEN sought reimbursements for fabricated work expenses. For instance, in January 2026, the defendants collaborated to request reimbursement for expenses incurred for a work trip that employees of the American Subsidiary supposedly made to Las Vegas in December 2025. In fact, no such trip occurred. When the Parent Company requested pictures from the trip, the defendants hastily organized a trip to Las Vegas and photographed scenes with Christmas trees to make it appear as though photographs had been taken in December.

Telekom Malaysia initiated an internal investigation of the American Subsidiary and the defendants. Upon discovering the fraud, Telekom Malaysia self-reported the conduct to the United States Attorney’s Office and received a conditional declination of charges against the company based on the company’s commitment to full cooperation, restitution, remediation of harm caused by the misconduct, and its agreement to report criminal conduct for a three-year period.  Today’s action reflects the Office’s commitment to using self-reports as a means to quickly and effectively bring cases that hold individual executives accountable for their misconduct.

LOCKMAN, 48, of Dublin, California, YUSOF, 44, of Livermore, California, and NGUYEN, 48, of Manassas, Virginia, are charged with wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, and aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of two years in prison.

The maximum and minimum sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentences of the defendants will be determined by the judge.

Mr. Clayton praised the outstanding work of the FBI.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force and the Complex Frauds and Cybercrime Unit. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. DiBattista and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Samuel P. Rothschild and Matthew Weinberg are in charge of the prosecution.

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.      

ICE Arrests Illegal Alien Involved in Hit-and-Run That Injured a 4-Year-Old After Sanctuary California Politicians Released Him from Jail

 

Governor Gavin Newsom and his fellow California sanctuary politicians released this criminal illegal alien from jail back into our communities

The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued the following statement after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested an illegal alien who had been released by sanctuary politicians in California despite causing a hit-and-run accident that injured a 4-year-old boy.

According to local reporting, Aman Kumar, an illegal alien from India, was behind the wheel of a car that struck a 4-year-old boy in Fresno, California on April 28, 2026. He was arrested by the Fresno Sheriff’s Department the next day and charged with a felony hit and run: death or injury. Sanctuary politicians RELEASED this criminal illegal from jail.

Aman Kumar 

On May 13, ICE law enforcement arrested Kumar outside the California Superior Court, County of Fresno.

The boy that Kumar struck was hospitalized in critical but stable condition. The latest reporting says he is expected to survive.

“This monster who almost killed a 4-year-old boy has been charged with a felony hit and run,” said Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis. “Sanctuary politicians in California released this criminal illegal alien from jail back onto the streets. Thanks to the brave men and women of ICE law enforcement, this criminal illegal alien was arrested outside a criminal court. DHS is calling on Governor Gavin Newsom and his fellow California sanctuary politicians to stop putting American lives at risk by releasing criminals into our communities to commit more crimes and hurt more innocent people.”

Kumar illegally entered the United States in California in 2023 and was RELEASED by the Biden Administration.

In February, ICE Director Todd Lyons sent a letter to California Attorney General Rob Bonta calling on him to put the safety of Americans first and honor ICE arrest detainers of the more than 33,000 criminal illegal aliens in California’s custody.

California’s failure to honor ICE detainers has resulted in the release of 4,561 criminal illegal aliens since January 20. The crimes of these aliens include 31 homicides, 661 assaults, 574 burglaries, 184 robberies, 1,489 dangerous drugs offenses, 379 weapons offenses, and 234 sexual predatory offenses.

There are currently 33,179 aliens in the custody of a California jurisdiction with active detainers. The crimes of these aliens include 399 homicides, 3,313 assaults, 3,171 burglaries, 1,011 robberies, 8,380 dangerous drugs offenses, 1,984 weapons offenses, and 1,293 sexual predatory offenses.