Friday, March 29, 2019
NORTHWEST BRONX ELECTEDS TO HOST NORWOOD TOWN HALL ON APRIL 4
The town hall meeting will be the fourth held in the “Democracy in Action” series and will be co-hosted by Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz, State Senator Jamaal Bailey, Council Member Andrew Cohen, and Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez.
Over the past several months, a series of town hall meetings has been held in every corner of the Northwest Bronx to hear directly from constituents what they want to see from government and in their communities. Democracy in Action will continue on Thursday, April 4 in the Norwood section of the Northwest Bronx. The town hall will be held at Montefiore Medical Center Cherkasky Auditorium, located at 110 East Gun Hill Road, and will run from 7:00pm until 8:30pm.
A hallmark of the Democracy in Action town hall series has been presenting a unified front with fellow elected officials who represent each neighborhood where the town halls have taken place. In Norwood, Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz will be joined by State Senator Jamaal Bailey, Council Member Andrew Cohen, and Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez. “Our greatest strength in the Northwest Bronx is the fact that our leaders work together to address important issues before our communities,” said Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz. “Many communities in New York do not have this luxury and are instead marred by in-fighting and posturing between divided factions. This means that energy which should be spent advocating for their constituents is instead wasted trying to one-up each other.”
Discussion topics are open-ended, and previous town halls have offered a wide diversity of concerns including overdevelopment, poor bus service, rent reform, government efficiency, and more. There will be future town hall events, including a housing town hall in Kingsbridge several weeks later.
Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz added, “The single most important aspect of my job is to listen to my constituents and their concerns. We may not agree on every single issue, but people should know what I think about something and I should know what they think too. By working together on areas of common interest, we will continue to build a strong community in the Northwest Bronx.”
State Senator Jamaal Bailey said: “Engaging with constituents and listening to their concerns is one of my main priorities. I am glad to be a part of the Norwood Town Hall meeting and I want to thank Assemblymember Dinowitz for hosting the event. I look forward to seeing the community and having a fruitful discussion.”
“I am very excited to hear the Norwood community’s input on current issues within our district and to share my upcoming legislative priorities. Our “Democracy in Action” town hall series has been a wonderful way to engage with our constituents about the issues that matter most to them. Together we can build a stronger Northwest Bronx community” said Council Member Andrew Cohen.
“As elected officials, our first role is to hear the voices of our community and inform them on what’s happening in their local government,” said Assemblywoman Nathalia Fernandez. “These town halls are pivotal in establishing a strong relationship between ourselves and our constituents. When we create a platform in which discourse is open and free, our constituents get to see what work we’re doing in the area and they can bring to our attention the issues that they see prevailing in their backyards. Only by working together can we build a stronger community.”
BRONX JEWISH CENTER Hosts Community Dinner
Please join us for our next community Shabbat dinner at the Bronx Jewish Center,1969 Haight Avenue,Bx NY 10461 to be held on Friday, April 5th , starting at 7:00 PM. The special theme for that evening will be Shabbat in Philippines... Yes,That"s right Philippines. All of your favorite Philippine style dishes will take center stage! We look forward to seeing you! Enjoy a delicious 4 course dinner with your fellow neighbors.Turn your Friday night Shabbat into an evening of spiritual awakening,inspiration, Jewish songs and culinary delight.
Please RSVP@718-812-1701 to let us know you are coming, Shabbat dinners are held the first Friday of every month.
Time : 7:00 pm......Friday April 5th
Address: 1969 Haight Avenue Bx NY 10461
Cost: Free of charge and all are welcome to join!
Website:www.BronxJewishCenter. org
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Leaders Of The ‘Blood Hound Brims’ Gang Convicted In Federal Court Of Racketeering, Narcotics, And Firearms Offenses
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that LATIQUE JOHNSON, a/k/a “La Brim,” a/k/a “Straight 2 Business,” a/k/a “Breezy,” a/k/a “Boss Dog,” BRANDON GREEN, a/k/a “Light,” a/k/a “Moneywell,” and DONNELL MURRAY, a/k/a “Don P,” were found guilty yesterday of racketeering conspiracy, narcotics trafficking conspiracy, and firearms offenses in connection with their membership in the “Blood Hound Brims” (“BHB”), a violent street and prison gang that operated in New York City, upstate New York, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere. In addition, JOHNSON and MURRAY were found guilty of committing assault in aid of racketeering for a 2012 shooting at a fast food restaurant in the Bronx involving an AK-47 firearm. JOHNSON was found guilty of attempted murder in aid of racketeering for ordering a 2012 shooting of rival gang members in the Bronx. The convictions followed a five-week trial before the Honorable Paul G. Gardephe.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Latique Johnson, Brandon Green, and Donnell Murray were leaders of the Blood Hound Brims, a ruthless gang, and were responsible for extensive narcotics trafficking and terrible violence. They now stand convicted of their crimes, and will no longer be able to inflict harm on the people of this city.”
According to court documents and the evidence at trial:
BHB was a criminal enterprise that operated principally in the greater New York area, from 2005 to 2016. BHB was a faction of the Bloods street gang, which operates nationwide, and is under the New York Blood Brim Army (“NYBBA”). The BHB operated within and around various locations in New York, including New York City, Westchester County, Elmira, and in Pennsylvania, as well as within and outside federal and state penal systems.
The BHB used a hierarchical structure that was organized, in part, by geography, including New York City, and that was maintained, in part, through the payment of dues. The founder and leader of the Gang was JOHNSON, and other members and associates of the BHB referred to JOHNSON as the “Godfather.” The Gang was divided into several “pedigrees,” each of which had its own leadership structure which was approved by JOHNSON. Other leadership positions included, among others, treasurers who collected dues from members of a particular pedigree, and individuals who performed security and disciplinary functions for the pedigree. In addition to JOHNSON, GREEN, and MURRAY all held leadership positions within the Gang at different times.
Members of the BHB had regular meetings, sometimes called “pow wows” or “9-11s,” at which members were required to pay dues. Some of the meetings were among members of a particular pedigree, and other meetings were for all members of the Enterprise. Word of the meetings was disseminated via text message, word-of-mouth, and flyers. The BHB’s business, including rivalries with other gangs, shootings, the arrest of gang members, guns, and drugs, was regularly discussed at these meetings. “Kitty dues” – money that paid for commissary funds, lawyers, guns, and drugs, and that served as tribute to JOHNSON – were collected at these meetings. The BHB maintained its own rules and constitution that new members were required to learn. Members of the BHB also used code words and secret phrases to communicate with each other both while in prison and on the street in order to avoid detection by law enforcement.
One of the BHB’s principal objectives was to sell cocaine base, commonly known as “crack cocaine,” powder cocaine, and heroin, which members and associates of the BHB sold throughout the greater New York area and in Pennsylvania.
Members and associates of the BHB engaged in multiple acts of violence against rival gangs. These acts of violence included assaults and attempted murders, and were committed to protect the Gang’s drug territory, to retaliate against members of rival gangs who had encroached on the territory controlled by the BHB, and to otherwise promote the standing and reputation of the Gang vis-à-vis rival gangs. These acts of violence also included assaults and attempted murders against members and associates of the BHB itself, as part of internal power struggles within the Gang.
For example, on January 28, 2012, in the Bronx, New York, JOHNSON, aided and abetted by MURRAY, used an AK-47 assault rifle to fire into a restaurant where rival gang members were gathered, injuring two individuals who survived the shooting. The violence continued in fall of 2012 when JOHNSON ordered the shooting of two other members of a rival gang, who survived.
A chart providing more information regarding the charges and potential penalties is set forth below. The statutory penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by the judge.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York City Police Department, and the Special Agents of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
This case is being prosecuted by the Office’s Violent and Organized Crime Unit. Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica Feinstein, Allison Nichols, and Andrew Chan are in charge of the prosecution.
| COUNT | DEFENDANT | MAXIMUM PENALTY |
| Count One: Racketeering Conspiracy | LATIQUE JOHNSON, 39, of the Bronx, New York BRANDON GREEN, 36, of the Bronx, New York DONNELL MURRAY. 39, of the Bronx, New York | Life in prison Life in prison 20 years in prison |
| Count Two: Assault in aid of racketeering | JOHNSON MURRAY | 20 years in prison 20 years in prison |
| Count Three: Attempted murder in aid of racketeering | JOHNSON | 10 years in prison |
| Count Four: Narcotics conspiracy | JOHNSON GREEN MURRAY | Life in prison Life in prison 20 years in prison |
| Count Five: Firearms offense | JOHNSON GREEN MURRAY | Life in prison Life in prison Life in prison |
High-Ranking Member Of ‘Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods’ Pleads Guilty In Connection With Manhattan Armed Robbery And Brooklyn Shooting
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that KIFANO JORDAN, a/k/a “Shotti,” pleaded guilty today in Manhattan federal court to firearms offenses in connection with a robbery and a non-fatal shooting carried out as part of his participation in the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods (“Nine Trey”). U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer presided over the defendant’s guilty plea.
U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “Today, Kifano Jordan admitted in open court to committing multiple acts of violence in furtherance of the Nine Trey enterprise. This conduct is simply intolerable. We continue our daily work with our law enforcement partners to keep our communities safe and to vigorously investigate and prosecute those who bring violence to our streets.”
As alleged in the underlying Indictment and statements made in open court:
Nine Trey was a criminal enterprise involved in committing numerous acts of violence, including shootings, robberies, and assaults in and around Manhattan and Brooklyn. Members and associates of Nine Trey engaged in violence to retaliate against rival gangs, to promote the standing and reputation of Nine Trey, and to protect the gang’s narcotics business. Members and associates of Nine Trey enriched themselves by committing robberies and selling drugs, such as heroin, fentanyl, furanly fentanyl, MDMA, dibutylone, and marijuana.
JORDAN, 36, of Brooklyn, pled guilty to one count of using and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence for an assault with a dangerous weapon that occurred in Manhattan on April 3, 2018, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed; and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence for a shooting that occurred in Brooklyn on April 21, 2018, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed.
The statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant would be determined by Judge Engelmayer.
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Former Controller Of College Of New Rochelle Pleads Guilty To Securities Fraud And Failing To Pay Over More Than $20 Million In Payroll Taxes
Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector-in-Charge of the New York Field Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), and Jonathan D. Larsen, the Acting Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”), announced that KEITH BORGE, the former controller of the College of New Rochelle (“CNR”), pled guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith C. McCarthy to one count of failing to pay over federal payroll taxes and one count of securities fraud in White Plains federal court. The case has been assigned to United States District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Geoffrey S. Berman said: “By covering up CNR’s true financial condition, Keith Borge deprived CNR’s leaders of the opportunity to address the college’s financial problems for two years. Borge defrauded CNR’s bondholders and left CNR with a $20 million tax liability. He committed federal crimes for which he will now pay the price.”
USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Philip R. Bartlett said: “Investors rely on accurate financial reporting when deciding on where to invest their hard-earned money. When executives create and distribute inaccurate financial statements, investors are unknowingly steered into making poor investment choices. The United States Postal Inspection Service is committed to protecting American investors and bringing those who manipulate the financial system to justice.”
IRS-CI Acting Special Agent in Charge Jonathan D. Larsen said: “As the tax filing deadline looms, it’s important for the American taxpayer to have confidence that when they are paying their taxes, their neighbor and co-workers are doing the same. And for those individuals who are considering evading their tax duty, they should consider the consequences which include potential imprisonment and civil penalties.”
According to the allegations contained in the Information and other publicly filed documents:
From in or about 2011 to in or about August 2014, BORGE was the Vice President for Financial Affairs at CNR, a private college with its main campus in New Rochelle, New York. From in or about August 2014 to in or about June 2016, BORGE was CNR’s controller. CNR had approximately 500 to 900 paid employees, depending on the time of year. CNR withheld both federal income tax and its employees’ contributions to Social Security and Medicare from its employees’ pay. Federal law required that the college pay over those withheld taxes and contributions within one week of the day it paid its employees. During that one-week period, CNR held those withheld taxes and contributions in trust for the federal government.
As controller, BORGE managed CNR’s financial affairs and was responsible for paying over withheld payroll taxes and contributions. From the third quarter of 2014 through the second quarter of 2016, BORGE failed to do so. By the end of the second quarter of 2016, BORGE had failed to pay over more than $20 million in combined federal and state payroll taxes and contributions.
BORGE also made false entries in CNR’s books and records to conceal the college’s actual financial condition. As a result, CNR’s financial statements for its fiscal year ending June 30, 2015, reported the college had net assets of $25 million, which was overstated by at least $24 million. Among other things, BORGE caused the financial statements to understate CNR’s liability for federal and state payroll taxes by approximately $11 million; to overstate accounts receivable by approximately $9.2 million by recognizing pledged donations twice; to understate accounts payable by at least $1.5 million by failing to enter unpaid vendor invoices into CNR’s books and records; and to overstate investment assets by at least $2.2 million by recognizing assets that did not exist and by failing to enter his withdrawals from CNR’s investment accounts into the college’s books and records.
BORGE caused CNR’s inaccurate financial statements for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015, to be released to the public by, among other things, providing the financial statements to the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board for publication on the Electronic Municipal Market Access web site, where they could be reviewed by the investing public. As a result, investors in bonds issued by the college through the City of New Rochelle Industrial Development Agency were defrauded by BORGE’s materially false and misleading statements in CNR’s financial statements.
BORGE, 62, of Valley Cottage, New York, is charged with one count of failing to pay over payroll taxes, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and one count of securities fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence will be determined by the court. BORGE is scheduled to be sentenced July 11, 2019, before Judge Briccetti.
In a related case, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission brought a civil action today against BORGE in U.S. District Court in White Plains."
Mr. Berman praised the outstanding investigative work of the Postal Inspection Service and IRS-CI. Mr. Berman also thanked the SEC for their investigative work.
BP DIAZ CALLS FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORMS
Today, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. sent a letter to Albany leadership urging them to pass necessary criminal justice reforms in this legislative session
In a letter to leaders in the State Capitol, including Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, New York State Assembly Speaker Carl E. Heastie and State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, Borough President Diaz lays out his support for a variety of reforms to the criminal justice system. This includes the elimination of cash bail in New York State, as well as discovery reforms and speedy trial reforms
“Simply put, common-sense criminal justice reform protects all of our residents and communities,” wrote Borough President Diaz. “With criminal justice reforms, we will ensure that our community members benefit from a fair system where residents are more likely to engage positively and productively with law enforcement when their cooperation is in the interest of justice.”
Borough President Diaz noted that ending cash bail was of critical importance, given the urgent need to close Rikers Island and the ongoing debate regarding the siting of a new jail in The Bronx.
“By eliminating cash bail for most crimes, we can remove individuals from detention within our jails and enact a long overdue measure of justice while also decreasing the jail population by a significant amount,” said Borough President Diaz.
The full letter can be read at https://on.nyc.gov/2JP9FJV.
Attorney General James Files Nation's Most Comprehensive Suit Against Opioid Distributors And Manufacturers
Alleges that 6 Manufacturers and Sackler Family Engaged in False, Deceptive Marketing Practices About the Dangers of Opioids; Distributors Egregiously Failed their Duties to Avoid Unlawful Diversion
Today, Attorney General Letitia James filed the nation’s most extensive lawsuit against the manufacturers, Sackler Family, and distributors of opioids for their role in the opioid epidemic that has taken hundreds of thousands of lives and devastated families and communities. The lawsuit alleges that through years of false and deceptive marketing, and by ignoring their duties to prevent the unlawful diversion of controlled substances, these six national prescription opioid manufacturers, the Sackler Family, and four national prescription drug distributors are largely responsible for creating the opioid epidemic that has ravaged New York, causing widespread addiction, overdose deaths, and suffering. This lawsuit breaks new ground by setting forth an extensive set of facts alleging that prescription drug distributors failed to exercise their duties to detect and report diversion of opioids through poorly designed, poorly resourced, and poorly executed suspicious order monitoring programs.
The amended complaint expands an earlier lawsuit filed by the Office of the Attorney General against Purdue Pharma, and sets forth the Attorney General’s findings from a multi-year, industry-wide investigation of these opioid market participants.
The manufacturers named in the amended complaint include Purdue Pharma and its affiliates, members of the Sackler Family (owners of Purdue) and trusts they control, Janssen Pharmaceuticals and its affiliates (including its parent company Johnson & Johnson), Mallinckrodt LLC and its affiliates, Endo Health Solutions and its affiliates, Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. and its affiliates and Allergan Finance, LLC and its affiliates. The distributors named in the complaint are McKesson Corporation, Cardinal Health Inc., Amerisource Bergen Drug Corporation, and Rochester Drug Cooperative Inc.
“The opioid epidemic has ravaged families and communities across New York,” said Attorney General Letitia James. “We found that pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors engaged in years of deceptive marketing about the risks of opioids and failed to exercise their basic duty to report suspicious behavior, leading to the crisis we are living with today. As the Sackler Family and the other defendants grew richer, New Yorkers’ health grew poorer and our state was left to foot the bill. The manufacturers and distributors of opioids are to blame for this crisis and it is past time they take responsibility.”
Specifically, the complaint alleges that the opioid epidemic is especially destructive to New York because of the fraud, willful misconduct, and gross negligence of the distributors who buy controlled substances in bulk from the manufacturers and sell to individual pharmacies and other licensed dispensers. These systemic failures led to massive shipments of opioids to specific pharmacies in New York that showed numerous “red flags,” such as a high percentage of prescriptions paid for in cash or written by a relatively small number of providers who have been charged with, or convicted of, illegal prescribing.
The complaint also alleges that manufacturers implemented a common “playbook” to mislead the public about the safety, efficacy, and risks of their prescription opioids. Manufacturers pushed claims that opioids could improve quality of life and cognitive functioning, promoted false statements about the non-addictive nature of these drugs, masked signs of addiction by referring to them as “pseudoaddiction” and encouraged greater opioid use to treat it, and suggested that alternative pain relief methods were riskier than opioids, among other grossly misleading claims. They utilized a vast network of sales representatives (“detailers”) to push these dangerous narratives and to target susceptible doctors, flood publications with their deceptive advertisements, and offer consumers discount cards and other incentives to entice them to request treatment with their products.
The Attorney General’s lawsuit further asserts that the manufacturers and distributors obtained their licenses to sell opioids and other controlled substances in New York by representing, falsely, that they had complied with state requirements governing the distribution of these products, and that their licenses may be revoked. The complaint also sets forth detailed False Claims Act allegations based on opioid prescriptions that were paid under state health programs due to the defendants’ misconduct, with specific examples of overprescribing by New York providers directly exposed to the manufacturer’s deceptive marketing.
The public health crisis that has ensued has taken the lives of thousands of New Yorkers and left many more addicted to opioids, whether prescribed by health care providers or obtained on the streets. The complaint alleges that because of their false and deceptive marketing of opioids and flooding New York with opioid pills, manufacturers and distributors bear responsibility for much of the human toll of this crisis.
Each day, more than 130 people in the United States, about nine of whom live in New York, die as a result of opioid related overdoses. In 2017 alone, more than 3,200 New Yorkers died from opioid overdose. From 2000 to 2011, the number of prescriptions for opioid drugs produced by the manufacturers in this complaint more than quadrupled nationwide, despite no scientific basis for any significant increase in opioid treatment as medically necessary or appropriate. These prescriptions have proven to be an incredibly dangerous gateway to forms of illicit drugs - research shows that up to 80% of heroin users first became addicted as a result of exposure to prescription pills.
Through their illegal actions, the amended complaint alleges that manufacturers and distributors have harmed New York financially by causing the state to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on services related to addiction treatment and support programs, antidote treatments and training, and medications and services to treat the additional physical morbidities that accompany opioid use disorder. The state has also had to pay false claims for inappropriate opioid prescriptions through its Medicaid program, its employee and retiree health plans, and its Workers’ Compensation Program.
“Opioid dependency and related overdoses are a public health crisis that must be tackled from every angle,” said Joshua D. Lee MD, MSc, Associate Professor of Population Health and Medicine/General Internal Medicine and Clinical Innovation at the NYU School of Medicine and Director of the NYU Fellowship in Addiction Medicine. “As we seek to find the best interventions for opioid use disorders, those who fueled this crisis, marketing useful but addictive drugs into the market without disclosing the risks, must be held responsible. I thank Attorney General Letitia James for taking this bold action so we can beat this epidemic.”
“The opioid crisis has had a devastating impact on our state – each day, we treat hundreds of New Yorkers and their families struggling with addiction,” said Gary Butchen, LCSWR, CASAC, SAP; Executive Director, Bridge Back to Life Center, Inc. “In 30 years of providing services, we have seen an exponential increase this decade in patients seeking assistance for opioid addiction compared to alcohol and other drugs. With Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit, those who made these lethal, addictive drugs so widely available may finally be held accountable.”
The litigation team on this matter is headed by David Nachman, Counsel for Opioids and Impact Litigation, and includes John Oleske, Senior Enforcement Counsel; Christopher Leung and Sara Mark, Special Counsel in the Health Care Bureau; Elizabeth Chesler, Carol Hunt, Diane Johnston, Michael Reisman, Jennifer Simcovitch and Paulina Stamatelos, Assistant Attorneys General in the Health Care Bureau; Lawrence Reina, Assistant Attorney General in the Labor Bureau; Conor Duffy, Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Bureau; Health Care Bureau Legal Assistant David Payne; and Corey Nugent in the IT Practice Technology Group. The Health Care Bureau is overseen by Bureau Chief Lisa Landau.
Significant analysis was provided by the Research and Analytics Department, principally Data Scientist Katie Rosman, with additional assistance from Data Scientist Gautam Sisodia, Data Analyst Anushua Choudhury and other staff and interns under the leadership of Deputy Director Megan Thorsfeldt and Director Jonathan Werberg.