Van Cortlandt Jewish Center
News and Notes
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Friday, March 24, 2023
VCJC News & Notes 3/24/23
Van Cortlandt Jewish Center
Thursday, March 23, 2023
CEO Of Paycheck Protection Program Lender MBE Capital Pleads Guilty In Connection With Fraudulent Loan And Lender Applications
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that RAFAEL MARTINEZ, the CEO of MBE Capital Partners, LLC, pled guilty to conspiring to commit wire fraud in connection with loan and lender applications submitted through the Paycheck Protection Program (the “PPP”) administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration (the “SBA”). MARTINEZ pled guilty before United States District Judge Lewis J. Liman, to whom his case is assigned.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “In the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic, Martinez lied to get money that was supposed to help people. His abuse of the system during a terrible time has now been brought to light. Martinez took advantage of his employees, a tax preparer, and the public at large — all to fund a lavish lifestyle of cars, jets, and fancy homes. Let me be clear, this Office will not tolerate such conduct and will continue to bring to justice those who put their greed above the law.”
According to the allegations in the Complaint, court filings, and statements made during plea proceedings:
MARTINEZ used false representations and documents to fraudulently obtain the approval of the SBA for his company, MBE Capital Partners, LLC (“MBE”), to be a non-bank lender through the PPP. He engaged in this criminal conduct to fraudulently secure hundreds of millions of dollars in capital for PPP loans and, ultimately, to collect more than approximately $71 million in lender fees. In addition, MARTINEZ engaged in a scheme to obtain a PPP loan for MBE in the amount of approximately $283,764 through false statements regarding the number of employees of MBE and the wages paid to MBE employees and using the forged signature of MBE’s tax preparer.
At all relevant times, MARTINEZ has been the CEO and primary owner of MBE, a New York limited liability company formed in or about March 2015. Republic Group, LLC, a/k/a Republic Group Parts, LLC (“Republic Group”), which is owned and controlled by MARTINEZ, serves as the holding company for MBE and conducts business as MBE. According to MBE’s website, “For over 20 years, MBE Capital Partners has been a leading provider of financing solutions for small and diverse businesses . . . In 2019, we financed over $1.7 billion in public and private debt and we funded over 35,000 PPP loans worth $800M.”
On or about April 5, 2020, MARTINEZ applied to a financial institution for a government-guaranteed loan for Republic Group, through the SBA’s PPP. In connection with the loan application, MARTINEZ represented that MBE had as many as 15 employees and an average monthly payroll of approximately $119,390 in 2019. In fact, however, from in or about April 2018 through in or about April 2020, MBE had at most four employees who had a total average monthly payroll of no more $25,000. In order to support the false representations made by MARTINEZ in the loan application about the number of employees at and the wages paid by MBE, MARTINEZ submitted fraudulent and doctored tax records that contained the forged signature of a tax preparer located in Manhattan, New York (the “Tax Preparer”). Based on the false documentation provided by MARTINEZ, MBE was approved for a PPP loan in the amount of approximately $283,764, which was disbursed to a bank account controlled by MARTINEZ. A majority of the loan proceeds do not appear to have been used for payroll for employees of MBE or other business expenses.
On or about April 9, 2020, within five days of applying for the PPP loan referenced above, MARTINEZ submitted an application to the SBA for MBE to become a non-bank PPP lender. As part of the PPP lender application process, MARTINEZ represented that MBE had originated and serviced over $3.8 billion in business loans or other commercial financial receivables for the three-year period from in or about 2017 through in or about 2019 and submitted fraudulent financial statements that purported to be audited by the Tax Preparer’s firm for the years 2018 and 2019. Based on the false information provided by MARTINEZ to the SBA, MBE was approved as a non-bank lender for PPP loans.
On or about April 27, 2020, MARTINEZ submitted various documents, including the same fraudulent audited financial statements for 2019 provided to the SBA, to a life insurance company (the “Company”) as part of a proposed partnership to fund PPP loans for minority and women-owned small businesses. On or about May 13, 2020, the Company provided MBE with $100 million to fund PPP loans, which MBE in turn used as collateral to borrow additional capital of approximately $832 million through the Payment Protection Program Liquidity Facility (“PPPLF”) with the Federal Reserve.
As a result of the above fraudulent misrepresentations, MARTINEZ, through his company MBE, became an approved PPP lender and issued approximately $823 million in PPP loans to approximately 36,600 businesses. These loans earned MARTINEZ a total of approximately $71.3 million in fees. MARTINEZ spent the proceeds from his criminal conduct on, among other things, the purchase of a villa in the Dominican Republic for over $10 million, a $3.5 million mansion located in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, a chartered jet service, and several luxury vehicles, including a 2018 Porsche 911 Turbo, a 2017 Ferrari 488 Spider, a 2017 Bentley Continental GT, a BMW 750, and a 1962 Mercedes Benz 190.
MARTINEZ, 57, of Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.
The maximum potential sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.
As part of his plea agreement, MARTINEZ agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $71,711,893.07 and to forfeit $44,546,712.94, including more than $15 million previously seized by law enforcement, properties in New Jersey and the Dominican Republic, and five luxury vehicles.
Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Inspector General; and the Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, Eastern Region.
Speaker Adrienne Adams Delivers Opening Remarks at the Council’s Criminal Justice Fiscal Year 2024 Preliminary Budget Hearing
Today, Speaker Adrienne Adams chaired and delivered opening remarks at the Council’s Committee on Criminal Justice Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 preliminary budget hearing. In her remarks, the Speaker reiterated the need to close Rikers Island by 2027, as mandated by law, and steps the City must take to ensure its closure. Speaker Adams also outlined the importance of the Department of Correction (DOC) addressing existing challenges in the jail system and preparing for a more effective jail system in the future that does not replicate the problems on Rikers. Speaker Adams also raised concerns about the Department of Correction’s actions to limit the Board of Correction (BOC)’s access to video in the City’s jails, which undermines BOC’s ability to conduct effective oversight.
Below are the Speaker’s full remarks as prepared for delivery:
Good morning, and welcome to today’s Preliminary Budget Hearing for the Committee on Criminal Justice. We will examine the Mayor’s Fiscal Year 2024 Preliminary Budget as it relates to the Department of Correction, the Department of Probation, and the Board of Correction.
I’m Speaker Adrienne Adams, and I am chairing today’s hearing in place of our Criminal Justice Committee Chair, Council Member Carlina Rivera, who is on family leave. I want to acknowledge my colleagues who have joined us this morning.
First, we will hear from the Department of Probation, whose FY 2024 preliminary budget is $116.1 million, approximately $9.6 million less than the adopted budget for Fiscal Year 2023. Probation’s budgeted headcount for the FY24 Preliminary Budget is 1,092, a decrease of 12 positions from the FY23 budget at adoption. The budget breakdown shows that the allocation for Probation Services shrank by nearly $10 million, and the Executive Management program grew by $385,000. Additionally, $285,000 was included for Alternatives to Incarceration, as part of a state grant focusing on transitional employment opportunities for young adults on probation.
This allocation to Alternatives to Incarceration programming is a welcome one, because the evidence is clear about the types of programs that reduce recidivism and make us safer. Probation should be a mechanism for successful re-entry to communities, not one that pushes people back into incarceration. Community-based and responsive programming, providing job opportunities, supportive housing, and stability is critical to public safety and reducing our city’s jail population.
Commissioner Holmes, I look forward to hearing your testimony about how the Department of Probation will help us meet these goals, and what additional investments are needed to achieve them.
Next, we will hear from the Department of Correction, whose FY24 budget is $1.2 billion, approximately $79.2 million less than the adopted budget for Fiscal Year 2023. DOC’s budgeted headcount for the FY24 Preliminary Budget is 244 fewer positions than what was budgeted the previous year at adoption. All of the positions that are proposed to be cut as part of the Program to Eliminate the Gap (PEG) are civilian, not uniformed positions.
New York City entrusts the Department of Correction with the mission of creating a safe and supportive environment while providing individuals in its care with a path to successfully re-enter their communities. Yet month after month, we have seen a fellow New Yorker lose their life on Rikers Island at levels that are nearly unprecedented. 19 people died in our jail system last year, making it the deadliest year in a decade. And we know that the condition of people with mental health challenges are too often worsened by cycling through the criminal legal system and the jails. We’ve also seen Correction Officers assaulted in housing areas due to staff shortages attributed to chronic absenteeism.
I have also been concerned by some of the actions taken by the department to reduce transparency and access to Rikers Island.
As I have said before, Rikers is undermining public safety by exposing everyone there – uniformed staff, un-uniformed staff and those detained – to violence and trauma that maintain cycles of harm rather than interrupting them. It was reported earlier this week that the Department of Correction has repeatedly failed to keep track of how long it has held people in intake units and to implement numerous court-mandated reforms. DOC, as concluded by the Office of Compliance Consultants, has not maintained adequate sanitation, ventilation, and fire safety – contributing to unsanitary conditions that violate incarcerated individuals’ constitutional rights.
It’s clear that Rikers Island, which houses eight out of nine facilities under DOC’s purview, no longer serves New Yorkers or DOC’s mission. For both public safety and human rights, we must close Rikers by 2027 as mandated by law.
There are many active steps that we must take as a city to make this a reality. Though they are not the sole responsibility of DOC, they do include the agency.
It will require leadership from throughout our government – the Administration, the Council, the court system, prosecutors, public defenders, service providers, and various city agencies. We must come together to expand pre-trial services, mental health diversion and treatment programs, re-entry programming, supportive housing, and more.
We also must develop a new pre-trial system that does not simply replicate the same problems that exist on Rikers – this is not just about changing locations.
I look forward to hearing from you, Commissioner Molina, on steps the agency is taking to address existing challenges in the system and prepare to meet the 2027 deadline to close Rikers Island and establish an improved system that is safer for everyone – officers, other personnel, and detainees.
We will also hear from the New York City Board of Correction, whose FY 2024 preliminary budget is $3.2 million, approximately $43,000 less than the adopted budget for Fiscal Year 2023. BOC’s budgeted headcount for the FY24 Preliminary Budget is 31, a decrease of just one position from FY23 budget at adoption.
The Board of Correction engages in the critical work of oversight, establishing and ensuring compliance with standards regulating conditions of confinement and correctional health and mental health care in city correctional facilities. Independent oversight is key to ensuring accountability, and safeguarding the BOC’s right to independently examine documents and records is essential.
Recent actions by the Department of Correction to limit the BOC’s access to live footage of correctional facilities are troubling and we urged for them to be remedied. The Board’s ability to conduct oversight cannot be compromised, because it undermines the ability to improve the department and its jails.
And finally, we will also hear from advocates, service providers, and members of the public.
This Council will always prioritize the safety of our communities. We must invest in New Yorkers and more in the programs that are proven to help us create and sustain a safer city. These are the same programs that will help us close Rikers.
This is the plan that best serves our city, and the one this Council is pursuing.
Thank you. And now, I’ll turn it over to our Committee Counsel.
Van Cortlandt Park Alliance - Work in Your Favorite Park!
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Financial Advisor, Financial Planner, NBA Agent, And Previously Convicted Fraudster Charged With Schemes To Defraud Professional Basketball Players
Four Professional Basketball Players Defrauded of Over $13 Million
Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced the unsealing of a six-count Indictment charging DARRYL COHEN, BRIAN GILDER, CHARLES BRISCOE, and CALVIN DARDEN, JR. in connection with two schemes to defraud professional basketball players. COHEN and GILDER were arrested this morning in, respectively, Chatsworth, California, and North Ridge, California, and will be presented later today in the United States District Court for the Central District of California. BRISCOE was arrested this morning in Katy, Texas, and will be presented later today in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas. DARDEN, JR. was arrested this morning in Atlanta, Georgia, and will be presented later today in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As alleged in the indictment, these defendants believed that defrauding their professional athlete clients of millions of dollars would be a layup. That was a huge mistake, and they now face serious criminal charges for their alleged crimes.”
FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “As alleged, the defendants engaged in schemes to defraud four professional basketball players of more than $13 million. Today’s actions should serve as an example to others who engage in criminal activity to serve their own greedy financial desires at the expense of others – the FBI is committed to bringing you to justice.”
As alleged in the Indictment:[1]
COHEN and GILDER
From at least in or about 2017 through in or about 2020, COHEN, a registered investment adviser, orchestrated a scheme to defraud three different professional basketball player clients (“Athlete-1,” “Athlete-2,” and “Athlete-3,” respectively) of a total of over $5 million by taking advantage of his advisory and fiduciary relationships with those clients. COHEN conspired with BRIAN GILDER, an independent financial planner whom COHEN encouraged his clients to work with and who assisted in tax preparation for Athletes-1, -2, and -3.
First, COHEN and GILDER fraudulently induced Athletes-1, -2, and -3 to purchase viatical life insurance policies at massive markups. COHEN and GILDER did not disclose that GILDER had arranged for a purported law firm (“Law Firm-1”) that he controlled to purchase the polices and then to sell them to the athletes at markups of 222%, 310%, and 244%, respectively. Indeed, Law Firm-1 made approximately $4.5 million in profit from the sale of the policies to COHEN and GILDER’s athlete clients. COHEN and GILDER used a substantial portion of these illicit proceeds to pay their own personal expenses. In particular: (i) GILDER used approximately $257,479 of the funds to pay off a mortgage he owed; (ii) COHEN used approximately $178,462 of the funds to renovate his home and to perform work on his pool; (iii) COHEN used approximately $67,500 of the funds to pay off his personal credit card bill; and (iv) COHEN transferred approximately $200,000 of the funds to an individual with whom he was in a romantic relationship.
Second, COHEN directed that $500,000 be transferred from the accounts of Athletes-2 and -3 as purported donations to a non-profit organization. COHEN then used approximately $238,000 of the funds purportedly donated to the non-profit to build athletic training facilities in the backyard of his home. Athletes-2 and -3 never, in fact, authorized any transfers of their funds to the non-profit organization. When Athlete-2 confronted COHEN about the donations, COHEN told Athlete-2 in a text message, in substance and in part, that Athlete-2’s money had “[h]elped a lot of future prospects and a lot of underprivileged kids.” COHEN did not disclose to Athlete-2 that a substantial portion of Athlete-2’s donations had, in fact, been used to build an athletic training facility in COHEN’s backyard.
Third, COHEN and GILDER used a sports agency and another law firm to channel approximately $328,125 of Athlete-2’s money to repay a former professional baseball player (“Athlete-4”), who was a disgruntled client of COHEN’s. Athlete-4 had expressed concern to COHEN about investments and loans that COHEN made on Athlete‑4’s behalf and demanded to be repaid. On or about February 19, 2020, in the midst of making the payments of Athlete-2’s money to Athlete-4, COHEN messaged GILDER, “We gotta send [Athlete-4] more to get rid of him.” Athlete-2 did not authorize the use of funds from his account to repay debts owed by COHEN to Athlete-4.
BRISCOE and DARDEN, JR.
BRISCOE and DARDEN, JR. also defrauded professional basketball players. BRISCOE was an NBA agent, and DARDEN, JR. had previously pled guilty to wire fraud in the Southern District of New York.
BRISCOE served as the sports agent of a professional basketball player (“Athlete-5”). Athlete-5 began discussing the possibility of purchasing a professional women’s basketball team (“Team-1”), and BRISCOE introduced Athlete-5 to DARDEN, JR. Because Athlete-5 was not permitted to purchase Team-1 as an active professional basketball league player, BRISCOE, DARDEN, JR., and a relative of DARDEN, JR., who serves or has served on the boards of multiple public companies (“Relative-1”), discussed with Athlete-5 an arrangement in which Athlete-5 would indirectly purchase Team-1 through a company (“Company-1”) purportedly controlled by Relative-1. BRISCOE provided Athlete-5 with a slide deck outlining a “vision plan” for the purchase of Team-1 by Company-1. The “vision plan” claimed, among other things, that Company-1 was led by Relative-1 and was advised by a board including several prominent individuals in sports, entertainment, and corporate America. In truth and in fact, and as BRISCOE and DARDEN, JR. well knew, at least two of those individuals never served as advisors to Company-1.
Between in or about November 2020 and in or about December 2020, Athlete‑5 caused $7 million to be transferred to a bank account controlled by DARDEN, JR. Athlete-5 understood that these payments were in order for Athlete-5 to purchase and become full owner of Team-1. In truth and in fact, none of the money Athlete-5 sent went toward the purchase of Team-1, and Athete-5 did not become an owner of Team-1. Instead, from approximately November 2020 until approximately December 2021, DARDEN, JR. transferred more than $1 million of the funds to BRISCOE. In addition, DARDEN, JR. retained a substantial portion of the funds for himself and his relatives, sending more than $500,000 to a relative and more than $400,000 to a cryptocurrency exchange for his benefit. DARDEN, JR. also used some of the funds to pay for luxury goods for himself, including approximately $880,000 to luxury car companies, more than $300,000 to art galleries, and more than $100,000 to purchase a piano, among other things. DARDEN, JR. also spent in excess of approximately $1 million in connection with purchasing and making improvements to a residence, including, among other things, the addition of a koi pond.
BRISCOE and DARDEN, JR. also worked together to defraud Athlete-2. BRISCOE, in consultation with COHEN and GILDER, was purportedly building a new sports agency (“Agency-1”) funded by Athlete-2. BRISCOE convinced Athlete-2 that BRISCOE had signed, through Agency-1, a highly touted athlete preparing for a professional basketball draft (“Athlete-6”). In fact, Athlete-6 had not signed with BRISCOE or Agency-1. Rather, BRISCOE forged the signature of Athlete-6 and Athlete-6’s mother on a player-agent contract and sent that forged contract to Athlete-2. BRISCOE then directed Athlete-2 to transfer $1 million to BRISCOE as a “loan” to Athlete-6 while Athlete-6 prepared for the draft. In fact, Athlete-6 never had any conversations with BRISCOE or DARDEN, JR. about signing with BRISCOE or about receiving a $1 million loan, and Athlete-6 never received any part of the $1 million loan. Instead, BRISCOE used approximately $306,642 of the funds transferred by Athlete-2 to pay off a debt that BRISCOE had personally incurred and also transferred approximately $544,000 to a bank account controlled by DARDEN, JR.
COHEN, 49, of Chatsworth, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada, GILDER, 49, of North Ridge, California, BRISCOE, 35, of Katy, Texas, and DARDEN, JR. 49, of Atlanta, Georgia, are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of wire fraud. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. COHEN is also charged with one count of investment advisor fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, and BRISCOE is also charged with one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory prison term of two years.
The maximum potential sentences 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. Williams praised the outstanding work of the FBI. Mr. Williams also thanked the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Central District of California, the Northern District of Georgia, and the Southern District of Texas for their assistance in the investigation. Mr. Williams further thanked the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which today filed a parallel civil action against COHEN, for its assistance and cooperation in this investigation.
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 therein should be treated as an allegation.
Governor Hochul Announces Opening of First Adult-Use Cannabis Retail Dispensary in the Capital Region
Justice-Involved Individual to Open Schenectady Retail Dispensary on April 1
Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary Will Further the State's Equity and Justice-Centered New York State Seeding Opportunity Initiatives
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the opening of the first Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary location in Schenectady - the first to open in the Capital Region. The opening of the store continues to advance New York State's Seeding Opportunity Initiative and the State's goals of equity in cannabis licensing, which prioritizes providing CAURD licenses to justice-involved individuals. Justice-involved individuals are people with a cannabis conviction or a close relative of someone with one, and non-profits that support them.
"We're building an equitable adult-use cannabis market that provides a safer product for New Yorkers, while offsetting the harms caused by the disproportionate enforcement of cannabis prohibition," Governor Hochul said. "With this latest dispensary opening - the first in the Capital Region - we continue to advance our nation-leading industry and will continue to work towards achieving the aggressive goals embodied in the New York Cannabis Law."
The retail dispensary called "Upstate Canna Co." - located at 1613 Union St. Schenectady, NY 12309 - will be owned and operated by experienced local entrepreneur Don Andrews and will open on April 1 at 11:00 A.M. and close at 9:00 P.M. Regular operating hours will be Monday-Friday 9:00 A.M.-1:00 P.M., Saturday 11:00 A.M.-11:00 P.M. and Sunday 11:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M. For 10 years, Mr. Andrews has owned and operated retail storefronts specializing in smoking, vaping, cannabinoid hemp (e.g. CBD products) and accessories in Schenectady and Scotia.
Owner of Upstate Canna Co. Don Andrews said, "I have been a store owner and operator in Schenectady County for the past ten years. I am honored to be the first dispensary in the Capital Region to open their doors to the public and provide high quality, laboratory tested New York produced adult-use cannabis products. Thank you to the OCM and Governor Hochul for rolling out this program -- they have done an outstanding job and have been great to work with. We are very excited to be a part of the foundation of the growing cannabis community and industry in New York State.
The CAURD license is a central pillar of the New York State Seeding Opportunity Initiative. Through the Initiative, New York's first legal adult-use retail dispensaries will be operated by those most impacted by the enforcement of the prohibition of cannabis or non-profit organizations whose services include support for the formerly incarcerated. These dispensaries are making legal adult-use sales with cannabis products grown by New York Farmers.
To be eligible, applicants must either have a cannabis conviction themselves, or be the close family relative of someone who does, and own or have owned a business that had a net profit for at least two years. Non-profits are eligible for CAURD licenses if they have a history of serving current or formerly incarcerated individuals (including creating vocational opportunities for them), have at least one justice involved board member, at least five full time employees and have operated a social enterprise that had net assets or profit for at least two years.
DEC HOSTS 15TH ANNUAL NATIONAL ARCHERY IN SCHOOLS TOURNAMENT
635 Youth Archers Participate in 2023 State Tournament
St. Joseph by the Sea Wins High School Division; Arkport Central School Wins Middle School Division; and Avoca Wins Elementary School Division
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recently hosted the 15th annual state archery tournament for New York school students at the State Fairgrounds in Syracuse. Approximately 35 schools from across the state participated in the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP®) state 2023 tournament.
"The National Archery in the Schools Program introduces young people to the sport of archery and teaches them that patience, focus, and practice can lead to impressive results,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said. “The NASP state tournament provides an excellent opportunity for New York student archers to demonstrate the results of their practice, dedication, and hard work over the past year.”
A total of 635 students competed for their schools in one of three divisions: high school (grades 9-12); middle school (grades 6-8); and elementary school (grades 4-5). Nicholas Scalise from St. Joseph by the Sea in Richmond County had the top overall score and placed first among male archers in the High School Division with a score of 288 out of 300 possible points. Abigail Murray from St. Joseph by the Sea in Richmond County was the top overall female archer, earning first place in the High School Division with a score of 284. Both winners received a trophy and a New York Champion Genesis bow and bow case. Awards were also given in each of the three divisions for first through tenth places.
St. Joseph by the Sea in Richmond County was the first-place team in the High School Division for the ninth year in a row. Arkport Central School in Steuben County repeated as the first-place team in the Middle School Division. The first-place team in the Elementary School Division was Avoca Central School, also in Steuben County. For the full list of tournament results, visit the tournament website.
NASP® is hosting the U.S. Eastern National Tournament in Louisville, KY, from May 11 through 13. The first-place teams in each division and the top 10 individual girls and boys from each division (elementary, middle, high) are eligible to register for the Eastern National tournament.
For more information on how schools can become involved in NASP in New York, visit DEC's website. For photos of this year’s tournament participants see the Flickr album here.
MAYOR ADAMS EXPANDS ‘BIG APPLE CONNECT’ TO DELIVER FREE INTERNET, TV TO MORE THAN 300,000 NEW YORKERS AT 200 NYCHA DEVELOPMENTS
Delivery of Completion of Nation’s Largest Municipal Broadband Comes Ahead of Schedule
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Chief Technology Officer and New York City Office of Technology and Innovation (OTI) Commissioner Matthew Fraser today announced the expansion of ‘Big Apple Connect’ — the nation’s largest municipal broadband program — by nearly 50 percent, providing free internet and basic cable television service to a total of 202 New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments, and reaching approximately 300,000 New Yorkers. OTI has now expanded ‘Big Apple Connect’ to an additional 67 NYCHA developments since last year, reaching up to 40,000 new households — ahead of schedule after announced at the full launch last fall when Mayor Adams promised to install ‘Big Apple Connect’ in more than 200 NYCHA developments by the end of 2023.
“Six months ago, I promised that we would bridge the digital divide for NYCHA residents, and today I’m proud to deliver on that commitment ahead of schedule,” said Mayor Adams. “With this expansion of ‘Big Apple Connect,’ the nation’s largest municipal broadband program to more than 200 NYCHA developments, more than 300,000 New Yorkers now have access to internet and cable TV for free. Internet isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity, and today we’re proud to connect hundreds of thousands more New Yorkers to opportunities and to the future.”
“‘Big Apple Connect’s’ expansion marks a continued effort by this administration to close the digital divide and prioritize equity across our city,” said First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. “Your zip code or neighborhood should not define whether or not you have access to critically needed internet services. I applaud Chief Technology Officer Fraser’s commitment for delivering on a promise to reach hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers across over 200 NYCHA developments.”
“A better-connected New York City is a safer, more prosperous, and more equitable New York City,” said Chief Technology Officer and OTI Commissioner Fraser. “‘Big Apple Connect’s’ expansion ensures that thousands of students, families, jobseekers, and older adults living in public housing now have the broadband access needed to fully participate in our modern society. I am grateful to Mayor Adams for his action-oriented commitment to bridging the digital divide, and I thank Altice and Charter for their partnership on this landmark project.”
“As we learned during the pandemic, access to high-speed internet is a necessity rather than an amenity. Expanding ‘Big Apple Connect’ will fulfill yet another goal of ‘Housing Our Neighbors,’ the city’s housing and homelessness blueprint,” said Chief Housing Officer Jessica Katz. “Ending the digital divide is one more way of addressing racial disparities, expanding economic opportunity, and improving quality of life for tenants.”
"Today's expansion of ‘Big Apple Connect’ represents another step towards fulfilling the promise of delivering an essential 21st-century service to public housing residents," said NYCHA Interim CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt. "Families, young people, and seniors across NYCHA campuses citywide will benefit greatly from the improved internet accessibility enabled through this public-private partnership, which will help immensely in moving the city and the authority towards ensuring digital equity for all."
“The continued expansion of ‘Big Apple Connect’ is helping to realize Mayor Eric Adams’ vision to advance digital equity for all New Yorkers in an age-inclusive city,” said New York City Department for the Aging Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez. “When older adults have access to the internet, they can sign up for the critical supports and benefits, explore workforce opportunities, and participate in online activities that keep them stay healthy and socially engaged. This is yet another important example of Mayor Adams’ deep commitment to enhancing the quality of life of the city’s older residents.”
‘Big Apple Connect’s’ expansion will reach 25 new developments in Manhattan, 20 in Brooklyn, 14 in the Bronx, 5 in Queens, and 3 in Staten Island. New Yorkers can view a full list of ‘Big Apple Connect’ eligible NYCHA developments online.
"Internet is a necessity for families in Bronx River Houses to improve our quality of life," said Norma Saunders, tenant association president, Bronx River Houses. "At a time when a lot of residents are struggling with inflation, food insecurity, and child care expenses, ‘Big Apple Connect’ means residents no longer have to wonder if they can afford internet and cable TV. This program is a step in the right direction for our families, kids, and young adults, and I thank Mayor Adams for bringing it to Bronx River Houses."
‘Big Apple Connect’ provides residents of NYCHA developments a free bundle that consists of in-home, high-speed internet connection, including a modem and router; basic cable TV service, including a cable box and remote control; and common area Wi-Fi hotspots, selected in consultation with NYCHA.
The city has entered into three-year agreements with Altice (Optimum) and Charter (Spectrum), which will collectively cover the majority of developments owned and managed by NYCHA. OTI is billed directly for all residents enrolled in ‘Big Apple Connect.’
Existing customers of Optimum and Spectrum living in NYCHA developments where ‘Big Apple Connect’ is active will be automatically enrolled in the program and will only be billed for additional services they choose to purchase directly. Residents will receive email notifications and mailers explaining why their bills were lowered, as well as information on ‘Big Apple Connect.’ Residents without existing service will have the opportunity to sign up directly though Optimum or Spectrum or may attend on-site enrollment events conducted by the companies in partnership with OTI.
“Optimum is committed to ensuring digital equity for all, and, as a founding member of the ‘Big Apple Connect’ public-private partnership, is proud to have partnered with the city to bring free high-speed Optimum internet and TV service to thousands of New York City families,” said Lee Schroeder, executive vice president, Government & Community Affairs, Altice USA/Optimum. “We commend New York City on developing this innovative and effective approach to bridging the digital divide and look forward to continuing to work with the city on this next phase of the program, which has the ability to deliver essential Optimum connectivity services to thousands more city residents starting today.”
“This is another landmark day for digital equity in New York City,” said Adam Ray, executive vice president and chief commercial officer, Charter Communications. “By leveraging the robust networks and proven capacity of leading providers, the inaugural phase of Mayor Adams’ ‘Big Apple Connect’ has been a tremendous success in connecting New Yorkers. At Charter, we have been delivering Spectrum internet quickly and efficiently to NYCHA families, exceeding our service and marketing commitments. We stand ready to support this dramatic expansion of our partnership, which will bring high-speed broadband and TV to tens of thousands of additional families in the city and ensure every resident has access to the educational, economic, and social benefits broadband provides.”
This effort builds on OTI’s suite of digital equity initiatives, aimed at making sure every New Yorker has the connectivity they need to participate in an increasingly digital society. Efforts include the Link5G program, which is aimed at delivering high-speed wireless service and free Wi-Fi to every corner of New York City; the city’s Gigabit Centers, which provide free connectivity and digital literacy training to community centers; and OTI’s ‘Connected Communities program,’ a large-scale digital inclusion initiative that delivers digital literacy and employment resources in historically underserved areas for thousands of New Yorkers every year.