100PercentBronx

Friday, June 9, 2017

Wave Hill Events Jun 23–Jun 30 Pollinators Weekend and the first Sunset Wednesday!

I know I touted Pollinators Weekend last week, but it deserves another shout-out, especially since it will soon be crowded out by our first Sunset Wednesday of the summer, featuring a performance by Mary Courtney & Morning Star on our glorious Great Lawn overlooking the Hudson River and Palisades.

Sat, June 24 Family Art Project: Butterfly Habitat Hats

See them and sketch them flying and sipping the nectar of their favorite flowering shrub or bush. Then learn about local butterfly species and make a butterfly-habitat hat filled with flowers and insects in an active landscape. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon. Pollinators Weekend event.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sat, June 24 In The Shop: Meet the Grower―Eric Rohsler of Rohsler’s Nursery

After strolling in the gardens to observe pollinators in the gardens, stop by The Shop for a special plant sale featuring locally-grown plants perfect for attracting pollinators to your garden or terrace. Horticulturist and garden designer Eric Rohsler of Rohsler’s fifth-generation nursery in Allendale, NJ, has collaborated with Wave Hill staff to select plants that attract butterflies, hummingbirds, native bees and more, many of which are featured in Wave Hill's gardens. Eric will be on hand on both Saturday and Sunday to chat about your garden needs, provide expert horticultural advice, and to suggest pleasing plant combinations that also attract a plethora of pollinators. Familiar plants such as milkweed as well as more unusual plants for both sun and shade will be featured, all grown at Rohsler's 5th-generation family nursery in Allendale, NJ. Pollinators Weekend event.

PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10AM–3PM

Sat, June 24 Pollination Headquarters

Get your pollinator info here! See butterfly and insect displays, pick up self-guided tours, take home pollinator-friendly plant lists and adopt a bee-condo. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.Pollinators Weekend event.

ON THE GROUNDS, 11AM–4PM

Sat, JUNE 24 Meet the Bees: A Hands-on Adventure in the Apiary

Observe bee behavior in the gardens, then suit up in a hat and veil to peek inside a hive filled with 50,000 honeybees. Search for worker bees, drones, brood (baby bees) and maybe even catch a glimpse of the elusive queen. Horticultural Interpreter Charles Day leads this fascinating foray into the world of the honeybee. Appropriate for curious adults and kids ages 14 and older accompanied by an adult. $35/$25 Wave Hill Member. Advance registration required, online at wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center. Pollinators Weekend event.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM–1PM

Sat, June 24 Garden Highlights Walk

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

Sat, June 24 Family Gallery Tour

Explore artwork on view in Glyndor Gallery on a family-friendly tour with a Curatorial Fellow. Children ages six and older welcome with an adult. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT WAVE HILL HOUSE, NOON

Sat, June 24 Butterfly Block Party

Calling all swallowtails, fritillaries, skippers and hairstreaks! Everyone’s invited to the Butterfly Block Party in the Flower Garden. Mingle with guest naturalists and meet your local Lepidoptera. Free with admission to the grounds. Pollinators Weekend event.

MEET AT FLOWER GARDEN, NOON−3PM

Sat, June 24 Native Pollinators Walk

Flowers attract the attention of both human and animal visitors. Honeybees, bumblebees and butterflies are easily spotted in the garden, but solitary bees, beetles and other native pollinators are often overlooked. Entomologist Lawrence Forcella and naturalists Gabriel Willow and Paul Keim lead these fascinating walks to observe our local pollinators at work. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult.Repeats at 3PM. Free with admission to the grounds. Pollinators Weekend event.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 1PM

Sat, June 24 Gallery Tour

Wave Hill’s Curatorial Fellow will lead a tour of current exhibitions in Glyndor Gallery. The group show,Outcasts: Women in the Wilderness, explores how women have been treated and portrayed as outcasts in history, myth and biblical legend. In the Sunroom Project Space, Sonya Blesofsky’s sculptural installation is inspired by the history of Glyndor House, while Sindy Butz’s includes enlarged photographs and videos of her performing with Wave Hill fireplaces. Free with admission to the grounds.

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

Sat, June 24 Talk & Tour: The Horticulturalist’s Eye

Tour the Hudson River Museum’s summer exhibition, Robert Zakanitch: Garden of Ornament, with Wave Hill’s Assistant Director of Horticulture Matthew Turnbull and Hudson River Museum Curatorial Chair Laura Vookles. This event is part of the Museum’s “Talk and Tour” series. Free with admission to the Museum; admission is free to Wave Hill Members through the Fairfield Westchester Museum Alliance.

MEET AT THE HUDSON RIVER MUSEUM, 2PM

Sat, June 24 Native Pollinators Walk

Flowers attract the attention of both human and animal visitors. Honeybees, bumblebees and butterflies are easily spotted in the garden, but solitary bees, beetles and other native pollinators are often overlooked. Entomologist Lawrence Forcella and naturalists Gabriel Willow and Paul Keim lead these fascinating walks to observe our local pollinators at work. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. This walk also takes place at 1PM. Free with admission to the grounds. Pollinators Weekend event.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 3PM

Sat, June 24 Marvelous Moths Talk and Walk

Often overshadowed by their more flamboyant butterfly relatives, moths play an important role in the ecosystem as pollinators for night-blooming flowers, and as food for many larger creatures. Join Environmental Educator Pam Golben of the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum for a peek into the fascinating world of moths. This evening program includes a short, indoor presentation and a twilight foray into the gardens to look for moths. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. $20/$10 Wave Hill Member. Advance registration required, online at wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center. Pollinators Weekend event.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 7:30–9PM

Sun, June 25 Family Art Project: Butterfly Habitat Hats

See them and sketch them flying and sipping the nectar of their favorite flowering shrub or bush. Then learn about local butterfly species and make a butterfly-habitat hat filled with flowers and insects in an active landscape. Free with admission to the grounds. Pollinators Weekend event.

WAVE HILL HOUSE, 10AM‒1PM

Sun, June 25 In The Shop: Meet the Grower―Eric Rohsler of Rohsler’s Nursery

Eric Rohsler of Rohsler’s Nursery will be on hand to guide you in selecting the best plants for attracting pollinators to your own green space. Also for sale will be upscale bee-condos, crafted in Wave Hill’s own woodshop. Pollinators Weekend event.

PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 10AM–3PM

Sun, June 25 Yoga in the Garden

Enjoy a morning yoga class on the lawn. Participants should bring a mat, dress appropriately and expect to be outside, unless precipitation or excessive humidity occurs. Classes are offered in partnership withYoga Haven. All levels welcome. Continues Sundays through June and July 9. $25/$15 Wave Hill Member. Pre-registration recommended at wavehill.org or onsite at the Perkins Visitor Center.

ON THE GROUNDS, 10AM–11AM

Sun, June 25 Pollination Headquarters

ON THE GROUNDS, 11AM–4PM

Sun, June 25 Butterfly Block Party

MEET AT FLOWER GARDEN, NOON−3PM

Sun, June 25 Native Pollinators Walk

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 1PM

Sun, June 25 Garden Highlights Walk

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free with admission to the grounds.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 2PM

Sun, June 25 Native Pollinators Walk

Flowers attract the attention of both human and animal visitors. Honeybees, bumblebees and butterflies are easily spotted in the garden, but solitary bees, beetles and other native pollinators are often overlooked. Entomologist Lawrence Forcella and naturalists Gabriel Willow and Paul Keim lead these fascinating walks to observe our local pollinators at work. Ages 10 and older welcome with an adult. This walk also takes place at 1PM. Free with admission to the grounds. Pollinators Weekend event.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 3PM

Mon, June 26

Closed to the public.

Tue, June 27 Garden Highlights Walk

Join us for an hour-long tour of seasonal garden highlights. Free, and admission to the grounds is free until noon.

MEET AT PERKINS VISITOR CENTER, 11AM

Tue, June 27 Gallery Tour

GLYNDOR GALLERY, 2PM

Wed, June 28 Sunset Wednesdays Outdoor Music: Mary Courtney & Morning Star

Mary Courtney hails from a large musical family in Castlegregory, Co. Kerry, Ireland. Now residing in the Bronx, she is the lead singer, songwriter, guitarist, and bodhrán (Irish hand-held drum) player with her trioMorningstar―Mary Courtney, guitar and vocals; Patrick Madden, fiddle; Donal Ryan, tenor banjo. She uses her voice to spread Irish culture, educate her audience about the struggles of her people and capture her experience in the US. From rock ‘n’ roll to the ethereal strains of an ancient Celtic band, she can sing anything and make every song unforgettable. Courtney has three recordings to her credit, has collaborated with Larry Kirwan and the Black 47s and appeared on stage at the BB King Blues Club for the opening night party for the Tony Award winning play “The Lieutenant of Inismore”. At Wave Hill, she offers traditional Irish folk songs, so many of which draw their inspiration from the wild flowers of the Irish countryside, and her own unique tunes. Free with admission to the grounds. On Sunset Wednesdays, admission is $10, $6 for students and seniors 65+, and $4 for children ages six to 18. Free to Members and children under six.

ON THE GROUNDS, 7PM

A 28-acre public garden and cultural center overlooking the Hudson River and Palisades, Wave Hill’s mission is to celebrate the artistry and legacy of its gardens and landscape, to preserve its magnificent views, and to explore human connections to the natural world through programs in horticulture, education and the arts.

HOURS Open all year, Tuesday through Sunday and many major holidays: 9AM–5:30PM, starting March 15. Closes 4:30PM, November 1–March 14.

ADMISSION $8 adults, $4 students and seniors 65+, $2 children 6–18. Free Saturday and Tuesdaymornings until noon. Free to Wave Hill Members and children under 6.

PROGRAM FEES Programs are free with admission to the grounds unless otherwise noted.

Visitors to Wave Hill can take advantage of Metro-North’s one-day getaway offer. Purchase a discount round-trip rail far and discount admission to the gardens. More at http://mta.info/mnr/html/getaways/outbound_wavehill.htm

DIRECTIONS – Getting here is easy! Located only 30 minutes from midtown Manhattan, Wave Hill’s free shuttle van transports you to and from our front gate and Metro-North’s Riverdale station, as well as the W. 242nd Street stop on the #1 subway line. Limited onsite parking is available for $8 per vehicle. Free offsite parking is available nearby with continuous, complimentary shuttle service to and from the offsite lot and our front gate. Complete directions and shuttle bus schedule at www.wavehill.org/visit/.

Information at 718.549.3200. On the web at www.wavehill.org.

Thursday, June 8, 2017

Bronx Man And Michigan Man Arrested For Terrorist Activities On Behalf Of Hizballah’s Islamic Jihad Organization

Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Dana Boente, the Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security, William F. Sweeney Jr., the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), and James P. O’Neill, the Commissioner of the Police Department for the City of New York (“NYPD”), announced that ALI KOURANI and SAMER EL DEBEK, a/k/a “Samer Eldebek,” were arrested on Thursday, June 1, 2017, on charges related to their alleged activities on behalf of Hizballah, a designated foreign terrorist organization.

KOURANI was arrested in the Bronx for providing, attempting, and conspiring to provide material support to Hizballah; receiving and conspiring to receive military-type training from Hizballah; a related weapons offense that is alleged to have involved, among other weapons, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher and machine guns; violating and conspiring to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (“IEEPA”); and naturalization fraud to facilitate an act of international terrorism. KOURANI was presented on Friday, June 2, 2017, before Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses in Manhattan federal court.

EL DEBEK was arrested in Livonia, Michigan, outside of Detroit, for providing, attempting, and conspiring to provide material support to Hizballah; receiving and conspiring to receive military-type training from Hizballah; use of weapons in connection with a crime of violence that is alleged to have involved, among other weapons, explosives, a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and machine guns; and violating and conspiring to violate IEEPA. EL DEBEK was presented on Monday, June 5, 2017, before Magistrate Judge Henry Pitman in Manhattan federal court.

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “Today, we announce serious terrorism charges against two men who allegedly trained with and supported the Islamic Jihad Organization, a component of the foreign terrorist organization Hizballah. Recruited as Hizballah operatives, Samer El Debek and Ali Kourani allegedly received military-style training, including in the use of weapons like rocket-propelled grenade launchers and machine guns for use in support of the group’s terrorist mission. At the direction of his Hizballah handlers, El Debek allegedly conducted missions in Panama to locate the U.S. and Israeli Embassies and to assess the vulnerabilities of the Panama Canal and ships in the Canal. Kourani allegedly conducted surveillance of potential targets in America, including military and law enforcement facilities in New York City. Thanks to the outstanding work of the FBI and NYPD, the allegedly destructive designs of these two Hizballah operatives have been thwarted, and they will now face justice in a Manhattan federal court.”

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge William F. Sweeney Jr. said: “The charges announced today reveal once again that the New York City region remains a focus of many adversaries, demonstrated as alleged in this instance by followers of a sophisticated and determined organization with a long history of coordinating violent activities on behalf of Hizballah. Our announcement today also reveals, however, that the dozens of agencies working together with our FBI JTTFs nationwide are just as determined to disrupt the plans of those working to harm our communities. I’d like to thank the hundreds of investigators who comprise the FBI’s New York JTTF and display constant vigilance on our behalf, and I encourage the public to remain engaged and to immediately report suspicious activity to law enforcement.”

NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill said: “As part of his work for Hezbollah, Kourani and others allegedly conducted covert surveillance of potential targets, including U.S. military bases and Israeli military personnel here in New York City. Pre-operational surveillance is one of the hallmarks of Hezbollah in planning for future attacks. As alleged, Kourani, on at least two occasions, received sophisticated military training overseas, including the use of a rocket propelled grenade. In addition, El Debek is charged in an unrelated complaint, for allegedly possessing extensive bomb making training received from Hezbollah. Today’s charges of two for their work on behalf of Hezbollah is a tribute to the collaborative work of the agents and detectives of the Joint Terrorism Task Force.”

As alleged in the criminal Complaints against KOURANI and EL DEBEK,[1] both of which were unsealed today in Manhattan federal court:

Background on Hizballah and the Islamic Jihad Organization

Hizballah is a Lebanon-based Shia Islamic organization with political, social, and terrorist components. Hizballah was founded in the 1980s with support from Iran after the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and its mission includes establishing a fundamentalist Islamic state in Lebanon. Since Hizballah’s formation, the organization has been responsible for numerous terrorist attacks that have killed hundreds, including United States citizens and military personnel. In 1997, the U.S. Department of State designated Hizballah a Foreign Terrorist Organization, pursuant to Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and it remains so designated today. In 2001, pursuant to Executive Order 13224, the U.S. Department of Treasury designated Hizballah a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity. In 2010, State Department officials described Hizballah as the most technically capable terrorist group in the world, and a continued security threat to the United States.

The Islamic Jihad Organization (“IJO”), which is also known as the External Security Organization and “910,” is a component of Hizballah responsible for the planning and coordination of intelligence, counterintelligence, and terrorist activities on behalf of Hizballah outside of Lebanon. In July 2012, an IJO operative detonated explosives on a bus transporting Israeli tourists in the vicinity of an airport in Burgas, Bulgaria, which killed six people and injured 32 others. Law enforcement authorities have disrupted several other IJO attack-planning operations around the world, including the arrest of an IJO operative surveilling Israeli targets in Cyprus in 2012, the seizure of bomb-making precursor chemicals in Thailand in 2012, including chemicals manufactured by a medical devices company based in Guangzhou, China (“Guangzhou Company-1”), and a similar seizure of chemicals manufactured by Guangzhou Company-1 in Cyprus in May 2015 in connection with the arrest of another IJO operative.

KOURANI’s Alleged Support of Hizballah

KOURANI, who was born in Lebanon, attended Hizballah-sponsored weapons training in Lebanon in 2000 when he was approximately 16 years old. After lawfully entering the United States in 2003, KOURANI obtained a Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering in 2009, and a Masters of Business Administration in 2013.

KOURANI and certain of his relatives were present during the summer 2006 conflict between Israel and Hizballah in Lebanon, when a residence belonging to his family was destroyed. KOURANI was subsequently recruited to join the IJO by 2008. In August 2008, KOURANI submitted an application for naturalization in the United States in which he falsely claimed, among other things, that he was not affiliated with a terrorist organization. In April 2009, KOURANI became a naturalized citizen and was issued a United States passport. Despite claiming in his passport application that he had no travel plans, KOURANI traveled to Guangzhou, China – the location of Guangzhou Company-1 – on May 3, 2009. He later claimed to the FBI that the purpose of the trip was to meet with medical device manufacturers and other businessmen.

KOURANI was assigned an IJO handler, or mentor, responsible for providing him with taskings, debriefings, and arranging training. KOURANI sometimes communicated with his handler using coded email communications, including messages sent by the handler that informed KOURANI of the need to return to Lebanon. In order to establish contact with his handler when KOURANI returned to Lebanon, KOURANI called a telephone number associated with a pager (the “IJO Pager”) and provided a code that he understood was specific to him. After KOURANI called the IJO Pager, the handler would contact KOURANI to set up an in-person meeting by calling a phone belonging to one of KOURANI’s relatives. The IJO also provided KOURANI with additional training in tradecraft, weapons, and tactics. In 2011, for example, KOURANI attended an IJO military training camp located in the vicinity of Birkat Jabrur, Lebanon, where he was provided with military-tactics and weapons training, including training in the use of a rocket propelled grenade launcher, an AK-47 assault rifle, an MP5 submachine gun, a PKS machine gun (a Russian-made belt-fed weapon), and a Glock pistol.

Based on requests from IJO personnel, which were conveyed during periodic in-person meetings when KOURANI returned to Lebanon, KOURANI also conducted operations that included searching for weapons suppliers in the United States who could provide firearms to support IJO operations, identifying individuals affiliated with the Israeli Defense Force, gathering information regarding operations and security at airports in the United States and elsewhere, and surveilling U.S. military and law enforcement facilities in Manhattan and Brooklyn. KOURANI transmitted some of the products of his surveillance and intelligence-gathering efforts back to IJO personnel in Lebanon using digital storage media.

EL DEBEK’s Alleged Support of Hizballah

EL DEBEK, a naturalized U.S. citizen, was first recruited by Hizballah in late 2007 or early 2008, began to receive a salary from Hizballah shortly thereafter, and was paid by Hizballah through approximately 2015. In July 2006, shortly before he was recruited by Hizballah, EL DEBEK expressed by email his support for Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hizballah.

EL DEBEK received military training from Hizballah in Lebanon on several occasions, from approximately 2008 through approximately 2014. EL DEBEK received training in basic military tactics, the handling of various weapons, surveillance and counter-surveillance techniques, and the creation and handling of explosives and explosive devices. Based on information EL DEBEK provided to the FBI, FBI bomb technicians have assessed that EL DEBEK received extensive training as a bomb-maker, and has a high degree of technical sophistication in the area. EL DEBEK received by email in 2010 a list of raw materials that could be sent from Syria or Dubai, including items often used in explosives and improvised explosive devices.

EL DEBEK also conducted missions for Hizballah in Thailand and Panama. In May 2009, EL DEBEK traveled from Lebanon, through Malaysia, to Thailand, where his mission was to clean up explosive precursors in a house in Bangkok that others had left because they were under surveillance. EL DEBEK used his U.S. passport to enter and leave Thailand, consistent with his instructions from Hizballah to use his U.S. passport in that manner, so he could travel from Malaysia to Thailand without obtaining a visa.

EL DEBEK first traveled to Panama for Hizballah in 2011, where his operational tasks included locating the U.S. and Israeli Embassies, casing security procedures at the Panama Canal and the Israeli Embassy, and locating hardware stores where explosive precursors could be purchased. Shortly before traveling to Panama, EL DEBEK updated his status on Facebook with a post that read, in part, “Do not make peace or share food with those who killed your people.”

In early 2012, EL DEBEK again traveled to Panama for Hizballah, passing through New York and New Jersey, and was asked to identify areas of weakness and construction at the Panama Canal, as well as provide information about how close someone could get to a ship passing through the Canal. Upon his return from Panama, EL DEBEK’s IJO handlers asked him for photographs of the U.S. Embassy there and details about its security procedures.

EL DEBEK has told the FBI that he was detained by Hizballah from December 2015 to April 2016 and falsely accused of spying for the United States. Between November 2014 and February 2017, EL DEBEK, who received religious training from Hizballah, has conducted more than 250 Facebook searches using search terms such as “martyrs of the holy defense,” “martyrs of Islamic resistance,” “Hizballah martyrs,” and “martyrs of the Islamic resistance in Lebanon.”

KOURANI, 32, of the Bronx, is charged with providing material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; conspiracy to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; receiving military-type training from a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a sentence of 10 years in prison or a fine; conspiracy to receive military-type training from a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; conspiracy to possess, carry, and use firearms and destructive devices during and in relation to crimes of violence, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; making and receiving a contribution of funds, goods, and services to and from Hizballah, in violation of IEEPA, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; conspiracy to make and receive a contribution of funds, goods, and services to and from Hizballah, in violation of IEEPA, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and naturalization fraud in connection with an act of international terrorism, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.

EL DEBEK, 37, of Dearborn, Michigan, is charged with providing material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; conspiracy to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; receiving military-type training from a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a sentence of 10 years in prison or a fine; conspiracy to receive military-type training from a designated foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison; possessing, carrying, and using firearms and destructive devices during and in relation to crimes of violence, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison; making and receiving a contribution of funds, goods, and services to and from Hizballah, in violation of IEEPA, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; and conspiracy to make and receive a contribution of funds, goods, and services to and from Hizballah, in violation of IEEPA, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

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

Mr. Kim praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the NYPD. Mr. Kim also thanked the FBI’s Detroit Office and the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice’s National Security Division.

The charges contained in the Complaints 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 Complaints and the description of the Complaints set forth below constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against New York Man In Phony Bail Scheme That Targeted Elderly Victims

Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of a complaint charging PAUL IFEANYICHUKWU ONWUVUARIRI with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a scheme that targeted and victimized elderly people across the United States. As alleged, ONWUVUARIRI and his co-conspirators tricked victims, by phone, into believing that they were speaking to the NYPD or another law enforcement agency, and that the victims’ grandchildren or relatives had been arrested and needed bail money immediately to avoid prison. ONWUVUARIRI was arrested last night and will be presented later today in federal court in Manhattan.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “As alleged, Paul Ifeanyichukwu Onwuvuariri and his co-conspirators targeted vulnerable grandparents, callously preying on their emotions by convincing them that their loved ones were in trouble. Participants in this scheme allegedly swindled elderly victims out of thousands of dollars by pretending to be members of law enforcement, including the NYPD, and falsely claiming that victims’ family members were in custody and needed bail. We urge victims of this type of fraud to contact law enforcement, including our Office’s Victim/Witness unit.”

NYPD Commissioner James P. O’Neill said: “As alleged, the defendant and his co-conspirators exploited victims’ trust in law enforcement to defraud the elderly. Tricking someone into thinking that a family member is in trouble, to further their fraud, is a particularly low bar. I want to thank the US Attorney’s Office, the Utica Police Department, and the detectives from the NYPD for their work on this case.”

According to the allegations in the Complaint unsealed in Manhattan federal court:[1]

Beginning in approximately 2015, ONWUVUARIRI and his co-conspirators perpetrated a scheme to defraud elderly people around the United States by tricking them into believing their grandchildren or other relatives had been arrested and needed immediate bail money. A member of the conspiracy typically contacted the victim by phone, purported to be either the relative or a law enforcement official, and falsely claimed that the victim’s grandchild or relative had been taken into custody for a narcotics offense and would not be released unless the victim paid thousands of dollars in purported bail money. A member of the conspiracy also frequently posed on the call as the victim’s grandchild, pleading with the elderly victim to send money to secure the grandchild’s release from jail, and asking the victim not to contact any other family members because the grandchild felt ashamed. In each case, the defrauded victim has sent thousands of dollars, at a minimum, as instructed, to certain individuals who, among other things, have provided that money to ONWUVUARIRI. After paying the “bail” money as directed, victims have learned that their grandchild or relative had not, in fact, been arrested, that the grandchild or relative knew nothing about the claims made on the call to the victim, and that the call appeared to be fraudulent.

For example, among the examples set forth in the complaint, one 82-year-old victim in Brooklyn, New York, received a phone call in November 2015 from an individual who identified himself as the victim’s grandson and claimed that he had been arrested. The victim then spoke to an individual who identified himself as an NYPD sergeant and said the victim’s grandson would be released if the victim wired $7,600 in bail money. The victim deposited the money as directed, and then received additional calls the next day asking for additional money and the victim’s credit card number. The victim subsequently spoke with the victim’s daughter, and learned that the victim’s grandson had not been arrested, and knew nothing about the purported sergeant or the basis for his request for bail money.

In fact, the victim’s money was wired to an individual working with ONWUVUARIRI who collected the wired funds on ONWUVUARIRI’s behalf and provided the money to ONWUVUARIRI.

ONWUVUARIRI, 29, of Utica, New York, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Acting U.S. Attorney Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the Criminal Investigators for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the New York City Police Department. He also thanked the Utica Police Department for its assistance.

If you believe you were a victim of this crime, including a victim entitled to restitution, and you wish to provide information to law enforcement and/or receive notice of future developments in the case or additional information, please contact Wendy Olsen-Clancy, the Victim Witness Coordinator at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, at (866) 874-8900, or Wendy.Olsen@usdoj.gov

(link sends e-mail)

. For additional information, go to: http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nys/victimwitness.html.

This case is being handled by the Office’s General Crimes Unit. Assistant United States Attorney Nicolas Landsman-Roos is in charge of the prosecution.

The charge contained in the Complaint is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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

Acting Manhattan U.S. Attorney Announces Charges Against Brooklyn Man Who Preyed On Vulnerable Victims At A Manhattan Bar

Joon H. Kim, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and James P. O’Neill, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”), announced today the unsealing of a complaint charging WILLIE WHITE with access device fraud and aggravated identity theft in connection with a scheme that targeted vulnerable young men and women whom he met at a bar in Manhattan. As alleged, WHITE identified intoxicated victims he met at the bar, and then took them to an apartment in Brooklyn where he forced them to inhale a controlled substance that appeared to be crack cocaine. WHITE took the victims’ credit and debit card information and made unauthorized purchases for his own benefit. WHITE was arrested this morning and will be presented later today in federal court in Manhattan.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Joon H. Kim said: “Willie White allegedly took advantage of intoxicated men and women at a Manhattan bar by taking them to another location and then further incapacitated them by forcing them to take drugs. White then allegedly stole their debit and credit cards and made unauthorized purchases. We thank the NYPD for their work in putting a stop to White’s crimes.”

According to the allegations in the Complaint unsealed in Manhattan federal court:[1]

Between April and May of 2017, WHITE stole or otherwise improperly obtained the credit or debit cards of individuals whom he met in a Manhattan bar, and then used the stolen bank information to make purchases and cash withdrawals without the authorization or consent of the victims. In connection with the scheme, WHITE took at least two victims to an apartment in Brooklyn, where he forced the victims to ingest what they believed to be crack cocaine. While the victims were under the influence of the controlled substance, WHITE used the victims’ credit and debit cards to make purchases of clothing, shoes, and cash withdrawals without the victims’ knowledge or consent. WHITE detained the victims without their consent for hours, and in one case for over a day, while engaged in shopping sprees at the victims’ expense.

WHITE, 46, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged with one count of access device fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory sentence of two years in prison that must be imposed consecutively to any other sentence. The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Acting U.S. Attorney Kim praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department, particularly Detective John McAuliffe and Detective Gregg Licari.