Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a former employee of New York City Housing Authority’s Throggs Neck Houses was indicted on Grand Larceny, Bribe Receiving and other public corruption-related charges for allegedly defrauding people of more than $20,000 by falsely claiming he would secure them better apartments. District Attorney Clark said, “This defendant allegedly used his position as a NYCHA employee to…

LOS ANGELES – A Westwood man was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with fraudulently obtaining $23 million in public money intended to combat homelessness and pocketing at least $10 million of it, including using it for a $7 million house in Westwood, $125,000 Range Rover, private school tuition for his children, private jet travel, and stays at luxury resorts.Alexander Soofer, 42, is charged with wire fraud. He was…

Less Than 22 Months After the Arrests—Which Were the Largest Number of Federal Bribery Charges on a Single Day in Department of Justice History—All 70 Charged Defendants Have Pled Guilty or Were Convicted at Trial for Accepting Cash PaymentsUnited States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jay Clayton, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), Jocelyn E. Strauber, Acting Inspector General of the U.S…

Jay Clayton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that COREY GILMORE, a former superintendent for the New York City Housing Authority (“NYCHA”), was sentenced today to one year and one day in prison for soliciting and accepting approximately $32,000 in bribes from contractors in exchange for awarding repair contracts or approving repair work worth at least approximately $215,000.  GILMORE’s sentence was…

Jay Clayton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that HECTOR COLON, a former superintendent for the New York City Housing Authority (“NYCHA”), was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for soliciting and accepting approximately $30,000 in bribes from contractors in exchange for awarding repair contracts or approving repair work worth at least approximately $400,000.  COLON’s sentence was imposed by U.S…

San Francisco, CA – Today, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced that Maggie Pasigan, 49, and Daisy Avalos, 47, both of San Francisco, were charged for defrauding various public benefits providers of over $500,000.  They were both arraigned on March 13, 2025, and each pleaded not guilty.  Ms. Pasigan and Ms. Avalos are each charged with grand theft, welfare fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy.“I would like…

Matthew Podolsky, the Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JOY HARRIS, a former superintendent for the New York City Housing Authority (“NYCHA”), was sentenced today to 41 months in prison for soliciting and accepting over $50,000 in bribes from contractors in exchange for awarding those contractors at least approximately $500,000 in contract work.  HARRIS’s sentence was imposed by U.S.…

Danielle R. Sassoon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that JUAN MERCADO, a former superintendent for the New York City Housing Authority (“NYCHA”), was sentenced today to 48 months in prison for soliciting and accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes from contractors in exchange for awarding those contractors no-bid contracts or approving payment on previously awarded contracts at NYCHA…

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…

SAN FRANCISCO – Tjoman Buditaslim, Jose De Jesus Martinez, and Jose Alfonso Tellez were sentenced today to 24 months, 14 months, and 12 months in prison, respectively, for their participation in a mortgage fraud conspiracy.  The sentences were handed down by the Honorable Charles R. Breyer, Senior U.S. District Judge.Buditaslim, 52, of San Francisco, Martinez, 59, of Daly City, Tellez, 27, of San Jose, and a fourth defendant, Travis…

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…

LOS ANGELES – California Attorney General Rob Bonta today announced the unsealing of a grand jury indictment against the owners of three mortgage brokerage firms and 11 affiliates in a mortgage fraud scheme. Fraudulent loan applications and financial documentation were allegedly used to obtain eight loans totaling $3.69 million. The fraudulent loans were then used by unsuspecting borrowers to purchase properties located in the counties of…

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…

Defendant Allegedly Misrepresented He Was in the Military to Obtain Additional Pay and BenefitsSAN FRANCISCO – A federal grand jury indicted Omar Naziry, a former employee of a global security and aerospace company, with mail fraud for falsely representing he was in the military to obtain pay and benefits.  The defendant made his initial appearance in the Northern District of California on Sept. 25, 2024.According to an indictment filed…