Dozens of New York City officials arrested in largest federal corruption bust ever
"Several dozen current and former New York City Housing Authority employees were arrested on Tuesday for corruption charges, marking the largest single-day bribery takedown in the history of the federal Justice Department.
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams released a statement revealing that seventy defendants allegedly demanded kickbacks and bribes in exchange for no-bid contracts on various projects in nearly one-third of New York City public housing facilities. All but four of the defendants were arrested on Tuesday across several states; local media reported that federal agents used a bus and additional vans to take them to court.
“The Justice Department will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law those who abuse their positions in public service in order to enrich themselves,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. “The crimes alleged in this case are serious violations of the public trust, and I am grateful to the agents and our partners across government who worked on this case.”
Supervisors at the New York City Housing Authority were able to hire contractors for jobs involving contracts of $10,000 or less. The defendants allegedly demanded between $500 and $2,000 of the value from the contractors before they could start work, accruing more than $2 million in exchange for $13 million in no-bid contracts between 2013 and 2023.
Williams condemned the employees for using their jobs to “line their own pockets” and vowed that “the culture of corruption” at the agency “ends today.”
Roughly one in seventeen New York City residents live in public housing provided across 335 different New York City Housing Authority developments. The agency receives $1.5 billion annually from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development."
United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams released a statement revealing that seventy defendants allegedly demanded kickbacks and bribes in exchange for no-bid contracts on various projects in nearly one-third of New York City public housing facilities. All but four of the defendants were arrested on Tuesday across several states; local media reported that federal agents used a bus and additional vans to take them to court.
“The Justice Department will prosecute to the fullest extent of the law those who abuse their positions in public service in order to enrich themselves,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement. “The crimes alleged in this case are serious violations of the public trust, and I am grateful to the agents and our partners across government who worked on this case.”
Supervisors at the New York City Housing Authority were able to hire contractors for jobs involving contracts of $10,000 or less. The defendants allegedly demanded between $500 and $2,000 of the value from the contractors before they could start work, accruing more than $2 million in exchange for $13 million in no-bid contracts between 2013 and 2023.
Williams condemned the employees for using their jobs to “line their own pockets” and vowed that “the culture of corruption” at the agency “ends today.”
Roughly one in seventeen New York City residents live in public housing provided across 335 different New York City Housing Authority developments. The agency receives $1.5 billion annually from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development."
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