Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams issued the following statement after two women and a 4-year-old girl were wounded in Times Square shooting yesterday.
Bronx Politics and Community events
Public Advocate Jumaane D. Williams issued the following statement after two women and a 4-year-old girl were wounded in Times Square shooting yesterday.
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Charlene Do you like these three day weekends? Soon I'll add Monday's so we can have four day weekends. What's that Charlene, soon we'll have seven day weekends when I am term-limited out of office?
168,958 Doses Administered in the Last 24 Hours
More than 1 Million Doses Administered Over Past Seven Days
Vaccine Dashboard Updated Daily on the State's Vaccine Program Here
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that 60 percent of New Yorkers who are 18 years of age or older have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. 168,958 doses have been administered across the state's vast distribution network in the last 24 hours, and more than 1 million doses have been administered over the past seven days.
"The vaccine is the best weapon we have in our fight against COVID, and we all need to take it in order to finally defeat this beast." Governor Cuomo said. "With 60 percent of all adults and almost half of all eligible New Yorkers having received at least one dose, we continue to make remarkable progress as a state, but we cannot get lax. If you still need to get your shot, please do so quickly at one of our many sites across the state. Everyone who is 16 and older is eligible here in New York, and the vaccine is free, safe and effective."
All New York State mass vaccination sites are now open to eligible New Yorkers for walk-in vaccination on a first come first serve basis. The walk-in appointments are reserved for first doses only with second doses to be scheduled automatically after administration of the initial shot. In addition, all vaccine providers are encouraged to allow walk-in appointments for eligible New Yorkers. People who would prefer to schedule an appointment at a state-run mass vaccination site can do so on the Am I Eligible App or by calling 1-833-NYS-4-VAX. People may also contact their local health department, pharmacy, doctor or hospital to schedule appointments where vaccines are available, or visit vaccines.gov to find information on vaccine appointments near them.
STATEWIDE BREAKDOWN
Total doses administered - 16,564,716
Total doses administered over past 24 hours - 168,958
Total doses administered over past 7 days - 1,015,327
Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with at least one vaccine dose - 59.7%
Percent of New Yorkers ages 18 and older with completed vaccine series - 47.8%
Percent of all New Yorkers with at least one vaccine dose - 48.0%
Percent of all New Yorkers with completed vaccine series - 38.2%
Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DANIEL KAMENSKY, the founder and former manager of New York-based hedge fund Marble Ridge Capital (“Marble Ridge”), was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to six months in prison for engaging in fraud and extortion to pressure a rival bidder to abandon its higher bid for assets in connection with Neiman Marcus’s bankruptcy proceedings so that Marble Ridge could obtain those assets for a lower price. KAMENSKY pled guilty on February 3, 2021, before United States District Judge Denise L. Cote, who imposed today’s sentence.
U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “Daniel Kamensky committed bankruptcy fraud – undermining the integrity of bankruptcy proceedings and violating his fiduciary responsibility – in an effort to take extra profits for himself and his hedge fund. As he himself predicted, this fraud has now landed Daniel Kamensky in prison.”
As alleged in the Complaint, the Information, and statements made in court:
DANIEL KAMENSKY was the principal of Marble Ridge, a hedge fund with assets under management of more than $1 billion that invested in securities in distressed situations, including bankruptcies. Prior to opening Marble Ridge, KAMENSKY worked for many years as a bankruptcy attorney at a well-known international law firm, and as a distressed debt investor at prominent financial institutions.
The Neiman Marcus Bankruptcy
Neiman Marcus, an American chain of luxury department stores with stores located across the United States, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas (the “Bankruptcy Court”) in May 2020. At the outset of the bankruptcy, Marble Ridge, through KAMENSKY, applied to be on the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors (the “Committee”) and was thereafter appointed to be a member of the Committee. As a member of the Committee, KAMENSKY had a fiduciary duty to represent the interests of all unsecured creditors as a group.
During the bankruptcy process, the Committee had negotiated with the owners of Neiman Marcus to obtain certain securities, known as MyTheresa Series B Shares (the “MYT Securities”), and ultimately, the Committee was successful in coming to a settlement to obtain 140 million shares of MYT Securities for the benefit of certain unsecured creditors of the bankruptcy estate. In July 2020, KAMENSKY was negotiating with the Committee for Marble Ridge to offer 20 cents per share to purchase MYT Securities from any unsecured creditor who preferred to receive cash, rather than MYT Securities, as part of that settlement.
Kamensky’s Fraudulent Scheme
On July 31, 2020, KAMENSKY learned that a diversified financial services company headquartered in New York, New York (the “Investment Bank”), had informed the Committee that it was interested in bidding a price between 30 and 40 cents per share – substantially higher than KAMENSKY’s bid – to purchase the MYT Securities from any unsecured creditor who was interested in receiving cash.
That afternoon, KAMENSKY sent messages to a senior trader at the Investment Bank (“IB Employee-1”) telling him not to place a bid, and followed those messages up with a phone call with IB Employee-1 and a senior analyst of the Investment Bank (“IB Employee-2,” and collectively the “Employees”). During that call, KAMENSKY asserted that Marble Ridge should have the exclusive right to purchase MYT Securities, and he threatened to use his official role as co-chair of the Committee to prevent the Investment Bank from acquiring the MYT Securities. KAMENSKY also stated that Marble Ridge had been a client of the Investment Bank in the past but that if the Investment Bank moved forward with its bid, then Marble Ridge would cease doing business with the Investment Bank.
The Investment Bank thereafter decided not to make a bid to purchase MYT Securities and informed the legal adviser to the Committee of its decision. The Investment Bank further told the legal adviser it made that decision because KAMENSKY – a client of the Investment Bank – had asked them not to.
Advisers to the Committee informed counsel for Marble Ridge of their call with the Employees, and after speaking with KAMENSKY, counsel for Marble Ridge falsely informed the advisers that KAMENSKY had not asked the Employees not to bid, but instead had told them to place a bid only if they were serious. Later that evening, KAMENSKY contacted IB Employee-1 and attempted to influence what IB Employee-1 would tell others, including the Committee and law enforcement, about KAMENSKY’s attempt to block the Investment Bank’s bid for the MYT Securities. KAMENSKY said at the outset of the call, in substance, “this conversation never happened.” During the call, KAMENSKY asked IB Employee-1 to say falsely that IB Employee-1 had been mistaken and KAMENSKY had actually suggested that the Investment Bank bid only if it were serious, and made comments including the following: “Do you understand . . . I can go to jail?” “I pray you tell them that it was a huge misunderstanding, okay, and I’m going to invite you to bid and be part of the process.” “But I’m telling you . . . this is going to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. This is going to go to the court.” “[I]f you’re going to continue to tell them what you just told me, I’m going to jail, okay? Because they’re going to say that I abused my position as a fiduciary, which I probably did, right? Maybe I should go to jail. But I'm asking you not to put me in jail.”
During a subsequent interview with the Office of the United States Trustee, which was conducted under oath and in the presence of counsel, KAMENSKY stated that his calls to IB Employee-1 were a “terrible mistake” and “profound errors in lapses of judgment.”
After this series of events, Marble Ridge resigned from the Committee and advised its investors that it intended to begin winding down operations and returning investor capital.
In addition to his prison term, KAMENSKY, 48, of Roslyn, New York, was sentenced to six months of supervised release on home confinement and ordered to pay a fine of $55,000.
Ms. Strauss praised the work of the FBI. Ms. Strauss further thanked the Office of United States Trustee and the Securities and Exchange Commission for their cooperation and assistance in this investigation.
Coinseed Has Continued to Put Thousands of Investors’ Money at Risk Despite Ongoing Lawsuit
New York Attorney General Letitia James has taken legal action to immediately halt the continued illegal and fraudulent operations of the cryptocurrency trading platform Coinseed, Inc. In February, Attorney General James filed a lawsuit against Coinseed and its two top executives — including founder and Chief Executive Officer Delgerdalai Davaasambuu — but, since that time, Coinseed and its CEO have continued their fraud and the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has learned of new fraudulent conduct. Late yesterday, Attorney General James filed a motion asking the court for a temporary restraining order, a preliminary injunction, and the appointment of a receiver to immediately block Coinseed and its CEO from making any further unauthorized trades and safeguarding investors’ monies.
“Unregulated and fraudulent virtual currency trading platforms have no place in New York, said Attorney General James. “Three months ago, we filed this case against Coinseed and its executives alleging that they violated New York state laws and illegally squandered investors’ monies. However, in the months since we filed our suit, the greed perpetrated by Coinseed and its CEO has not only continued, but grown. This company has continued to operate illegally — holding investors’ funds hostage and conducting unauthorized trades in investors’ portfolios, while depleting accounts and transferring virtual currency to an offshore, unregulated trading platform. We filed this motion to immediately halt Coinseed’s unlawful activity and protect the investments that are left.”
In the nearly three months since Attorney General James filed her lawsuit, her office has received over 130 complaints from investors who are concerned about protecting their assets due to Coinseed’s fraudulent conduct.
Yesterday’s motion asks the court to issue a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction, as well as to appoint a receiver to oversee all assets in an effort to safeguard investments as Attorney General James’ lawsuit proceeds.
Statewide 7-Day Average Positivity Rate Drops Below 1.5%—Lowest Since October 28
Hospitalizations Drop to 2,178—Lowest Since November 16; Down 551 Over Past Week
ICU Patients Drop to 544—Lowest Since November 21
Intubations Drop to 344—Lowest Since November 29
Statewide Positivity Rate is 1.29%
32 COVID-19 Deaths in New York State Yesterday
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
"New Yorkers have been tough and resilient throughout this entire pandemic, and this attitude has helped to drive our state's COVID-19 numbers down," Governor Cuomo said. "Even with this tremendous progress in our numbers, we still need everyone to continue practicing safe behaviors like wearing masks and social distancing to slow the spread. And most importantly, we need every single New Yorker to get vaccinated so we can defeat COVID once and for all and begin our return to a new normal."
Today's data is summarized briefly below: