Defendants Admit Violations and Agree to Pay $6.5 Million in Penalties and Restitution and to Undertake Broad Remediation of Their Housing PortfolioDamian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Lisa F. Garcia, the Regional Administrator for Region 2 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”); Matthew Ammon, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”) Office of Lead Hazard…

In the Third Trial Following a 70-Person Takedown in February 2024, Corey Gilmore, a Former New York City Housing Authority Superintendent, was Convicted of Bribery and Extortion for Accepting Cash from NYCHA Contractors in Exchange for Awarding ContractsDamian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Corey Gilmore, a former NYCHA superintendent, was convicted of bribery and extortion under…

Real Estate Company Owner Conspired to Purchase Brooklyn Real Estate at Fraudulently Depressed Short Sale Prices, Costing Mortgage Loan Holders Millions of DollarsA federal jury in  Brooklyn returned a guilty verdict  yesterday against Avraham Tarshish for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud, and related wire fraud counts, in connection with a scheme to defraud mortgage loan holders, including the Federal National…

In the Second Trial Following a 70-Person Takedown in February 2024, Hector Colon, a Former New York City Housing Authority Superintendent, Was Convicted of Bribery and Extortion for Accepting Cash From NYCHA Contractors in Exchange for Awarding ContractsDamian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Jocelyn E. Strauber, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”); William S…

In the First Trial Following a 70-Person Takedown in February 2024, Joy Harris, a Former New York City Housing Authority Superintendent, Was Convicted of Bribery and Extortion for Accepting Cash from Contractors in Exchange for Awarding ContractsDamian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Joy Harris, a former New York City Housing Authority (“NYCHA”) superintendent, was convicted of bribery…

BOSTON – A Quincy landlord has agreed to a settlement for a False Claims Act violation. Mario Bianco, 79, of Quincy has agreed to pay a $15,200 settlement for submitting false claims to the government after receiving side payments in excess of approved monthly rent from a low-income tenant participating in a federal housing subsidy program.The Federal Housing Choice Voucher Program, commonly referred to as “Section 8,” provides federal…

Former West Carthage Housing Authority Executive Director Jan Hoffman was sentenced yesterday for a scheme that allowed her to steal over $48,000 in WCHA funds, New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Jefferson County District Attorney Kristyna S. Mills, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General (HUD OIG) and the New York State Police announced. Hoffman was sentenced to serve five years’…

New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Jefferson County District Attorney Kristyna S. Mills, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General (HUD OIG), and the New York State Police today announced the pleas of former West Carthage Housing Authority (WCHA) Executive Director Jan Hoffman for stealing over $48,000 in WCHA funds, and Katherine (Katie) Pais, Hoffman’s mother and former WCHA consultant,…

MINEOLA, N.Y. – Nassau County District Attorney Anne T. Donnelly announced that a South Hempstead woman was arrested and charged yesterday with allegedly falsely applying for and receiving more than $22,000 of rental assistance benefits from the Nassau County Housing Choice Voucher Program to which she was not entitled.Melissa Beltre, 42, was arraigned Thursday before Judge Marie McCormack on charges of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree (a D…

Executive Director Used Housing Authority Funds for Personal Expenses Throughout Entire Tenure.New York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Jefferson County District Attorney Kristyna S. Mills, the U.S. Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General (HUD OIG), and the New York State Police today announced the arrests of former Executive Director of the West Carthage Housing Authority (WCHA) Jan Hoffman for allegedly stealing…

Cornell Bozier Steered Over $800,000 in Construction Contracts to Co-Conspirator Controlled Companies in Exchange for Kickback PaymentsEarlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Cornell Bozier, the former Chairman of the Board of Commissioners (Board) at the Village of Hempstead Housing Authority (VHHA) was sentenced by United States District Judge Joan M. Azrack to 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit honest services fraud and…

Read Work Start Notification WASHINGTON DC— Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Office of Inspector General (OIG) announced an audit to assess the New York City Housing Authority’s (NYCHA) processes for identifying and preventing fraud.  NYCHA provides housing assistance to over 500,000 New York residents and it is the largest public housing authority in the United States. HUD provides NYCHA with…

In the Largest Number of Federal Bribery Charges on a Single Day in DOJ History, 70 Current and Former Employees of the NYCHA Have Been Charged with Allegedly Accepting Cash Payments from Contractors in Exchange for Awarding NYCHA ContractsDamian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Jocelyn E. Strauber, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”); Ivan J. Arvelo, the Special…

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Angel Elliot Dalfin, 58, of Buffalo, NY, who was convicted of making a false document, was sentenced to serve five years’ probation, to include eight months of home confinement with electronic monitoring, by U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo. Dalfin was also ordered to perform 600 hours of community service at Habitat for Humanity within the first three years of probation.…

Defendant purchased alpaca farm using fraudulently obtained pandemic relief funds BOSTON – A former North Shore resident was sentenced today in connection with filing fraudulent applications for more than $660,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds and using those funds for personal expenses, including the purchase of an alpaca farm in Vermont. Dana L. McIntyre, 59, of Grafton, Vt. and previously of Beverly and Essex, Mass., was…

BOSTON – An individual pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with fraudulently using the identity of a U.S. citizen. Alexander Villalona Diaz, 37, previously of Lawrence, pleaded guilty to one count of false representation of a Social Security number and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. Senior District Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for Dec. 4, 2023. In December 2020, Villalona Diaz was indicted by…

ALBANY, NEW YORK – Movement Mortgage, LLC, has agreed to pay the United States $23.75 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act  by failing to comply with material program requirements when it originated and underwrote mortgages insured by the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Federal Housing Administration (FHA) or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), United States Attorney…

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that LEROY GIBBS was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon to 33 months in prison, and JULIO FIGUEROA was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Denise L. Cote to 15 months in prison, for accepting bribes in exchange for awarding no-bid contracts at the New York City Housing Authority (“NYCHA”) facilities where they worked. …

BOSTON – A Holyoke landlord, Carmen Manix, has agreed to pay a $15,000 settlement for submitting false claims to the government after receiving illegal utility payments from a low-income tenant while participating in a federal housing subsidy program. The Federal Housing Choice Voucher Program, commonly referred to as “Section 8,” provides federal funding to low-income individuals to help them secure safe and affordable housing. The Department…

BOSTON – A Wakefield man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for a mortgage fraud scheme involving at least two dozen fraudulent loan transactions and $4.3 million in losses to lenders. Joseph Bates III, 42, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In October 2018, Bates pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, three counts of wire fraud…