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WPCNR FBI WIRE. From the Federal Bureau of Investigation. June 8, 2015:

The owner of a Bardonia, New York, construction service company pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the New York Power Authority (NYPA) in White Plains and filing a false tax return, the Department of Justice, the IRS and the New York State Inspector General announced today.

According to the two-count felony charge filed in U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York in White Plains today, Thomas Delaney, owner of Over Rock Construction LLC, participated in a scheme to defraud NYPA. In October 2009, Over Rock was awarded a five-year, $3 million contract to perform landscaping, snow removal and masonry work at NYPA’s administrative facility in White Plains.

To generate cash for those involved in the scheme, Delaney, with the assistance of his co-conspirators, submitted fraudulent certified payroll statements and invoices to NYPA for reimbursement for individuals who performed no services (“no show” employees) on behalf of Over Rock at NYPA. Between 2009 and 2012, the false and fraudulent overcharges paid by NYPA to Over Rock totaled more than $400,000. Delaney also pleaded guilty to filing a false and fraudulent tax return which substantially understated his income.

“The defendant cooked the books twice—first so he could defraud the New York Power Authority and then again to avoid paying taxes he owed,” said Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer of the Justice Department’s Antitrust Division. “The division will continue to work with our partners at the FBI, IRS and the New York Inspector General to bring to justice those who corrupt a public bidding process for their own personal gain.” ‎

“Today we see yet another scheme involving fraudulent payroll statements and invoices that were used to pad the pockets of devious individuals,” said Assistant Director in Charge Diego Rodriguez of the FBI’s New York Field Office. “Along with the announcement of this guilty plea comes a reminder that the FBI will continue to work with our partners in rooting out fraud to both public and private companies.”

“This contractor defrauded the State on multiple occasions, repeatedly billing the New York Power Authority for workers who never showed up and by paying significantly less taxes than he owed,” said New York State Inspector General Catherine Leahy Scott. “Today’s guilty plea serves to reinforce my office’s ongoing commitment to protect the integrity of the contracting process across all state agencies and authorities. I would like to thank our federal law enforcement partners in this matter and look forward to continuing our work with them to hold accountable any corrupt entities or individuals.”

“IRS Criminal Investigation is committed to ensuring that everyone pays their fair share of taxes,” said Special Agent in Charge Shantelle P. Kitchen of the IRS Criminal Investigation New York Field Office. “To that end, we will investigate individuals who willfully conceal income to reduce or eliminate their own tax obligations, effectively increasing the burden on honest taxpayers.”

Delaney pleaded guilty to a fraud conspiracy charge that carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Delaney also pleaded guilty to subscribing to a false tax return, which carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $100,000 fine. The maximum fines for each of these charges may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine.

These charges arose from an investigation initiated by the New York State Inspector General and is part of an ongoing joint federal and state investigation of bid rigging, fraud and tax-related offenses in the award of contracts at NYPA’s facility in White Plains. The investigation is being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s New York Office with the assistance of the FBI, the IRS Criminal Investigation and the New York State Office of the Inspector General. NYPA is cooperating with the investigation. Anyone with information on bid rigging or other anticompetitive conducted related to the award or performance of municipal and state contracts should contact the Antitrust Division’s Citizen Complaint Center at 888-647-3258 or visit http://www.justice.gov/atr/contact/newcase.html.

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WPCNR AFFORDABLES. From the Housing Action Council. June 7, 2015:

Housing Action Council is accepting applications through June 15 for “ 602”, a new fair and
affordable single family home located at 602 Route 22 in Croton Falls in the Town of North Salem.

Applications will be accepted through June 15, 2015. A lottery will be held June 22 at 7:00 P.M. at the Ruth Keeler Memorial Library in North Salem to determine the order in which applicants will be qualified. An early Fall occupancy is planned.

Applications and brochures (English and Spanish) can be downloaded from
www.housingactioncouncil. org For additional information, call (914) 332-4144.

When completed, “602” will provide a unique homeownership opportunity for a household who cannot afford to buy in the private marketplace. The sale price is $223,000 designed to reach a household whose income is no greater than 80% of the median income of Westchester County.

The maximum income for a three person household is $76,050; for a four person, $84,550; and a five person, $91,300. Renovations to be completed this summer include new windows, a large kitchen and dining area, wood floors throughout , new appliances, and a new private patio.

This + 1400 sq.ft three Bbedroom home also includes basement storage, a garage, and a new state of the art septic system.

’602 ’is an exciting new opportunity for a family of modest means to become
a homeowner in a community known for its award winning school and recreational opportunities.

The County of Westchester has provided financial assistance to assure affordability.
“602” contributes to the 750 homes that the County must facilitate under its
2009 Housing Settlement with HUD.

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WPCNR MILESTONES. June 6, 2014: 

It has been 71 years since allied troops died and lived on Normandy’s beaches in France in the largest military operation in history to turn the tide against Nazi Germany, the ultimate evil Third Reich.

It is a day to remember, reflect. Examine ourselves. Would we have the courage those men and women did?

I thought in preparing my simple news program yesterday, what kind of of visual should I put up to remember those brave who faced massive, withering fire hitting and dying instantly on those beaches. Should it be the sobering pictures of the wounded? The sobering lineups corpses in the sand? The overhead awe-inspiring photographs of the landing?

I chose this: thousands of crosses to remember who died together fighting tyranny and evil because you must always fight tyranny and evil and hate. You cannot negotiate with it.

The crosses are all the same. And there are thousands of them in graveyards like the one shown here. The legacy of spent humanity, all the same in death, united in death no matter their nationality, creed, religion.  Next time you hear the speeches of hate and prejudice and superiority, please remember this picture and this day.

We can in no way, or through any motion picture know what any veteran experienced that day. The veterans who still are with us do not like to talk about their combat experiences. And they do not.

One veteran of D-Day, asked what he thought of Saving Private Ryan, the movie of a few years ago depicting the landing and the realism of it, said the real D-Day was worse. However, veterans we have interviewed remark that they think of their combat experience every day. It is always with them.

It is inconceivable to me that I could ever be able to do what these men and women did. I would like to hope I could have. However, the veterans have.

They left ordinary lives as teenagers office workers, factory workers, farmers, accountants, and what have you and were able to go to war and “rise to the occasion,” or as they say today, “step it up to the next level.” The highest level.

Few of them are left now. But today their sacrifice should be remembered.

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WPCNR COMMUNITY ALERT. From Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore, March 30, 2015:

Editor’s Note: This is the second of  Westchester District Attorney Janet DiFiore’s columns to alert county residents of typical scams  they should be aware are being tried on residents currently. This column is particularly timely. We appreciate the District Attorney for beginning a practice WPCNR has long advocated law enforcement organizations practice: preemptive information. This month’s column explains a current scam that was worked on persons we know. They recovered their money. Ms.DiFiore explains how Check Washing operates:

Check Washing is a disturbing trend that begins with mail being stolen for the purpose of obtaining personal and business checks. A person may become aware they have been a victim of check washing only after checking their balance and realizing more money is missing than they expect.

Check washing is an easy way for someone to turn “your” money into “their” money.  It’s the chemical erasing of the handwritten parts of the check you have written.  Criminals remove the “payee” portion and the “amount”. Your signature remains intact. They use solvents such as acetone, brake fluid and bleach. Once the check is “washed”, the payee and/or the amount of the check can be altered.  The thief often inflates the amount. $45 dollars becomes $645 dollars as an example.

Tips for minimizing your risk of check washing include:

• Never put outgoing bills in your house mail box. Avoid placing your mail in street mail boxes. In some cases thieves have targeted them.  It’s strongly recommended that you take your outgoing mail to your local post office.
• Minimize the number of checks you write. Your best option is to pay bills on line using a secure computer. This minimizes the possibility of your checks being stolen through the mailing process.
• When writing out checks, use a gel ink pen (preferably black) so the ink will permeate the fibers of the check. There are brands that advertise that they are non-erasable.
• Never leave blank spaces on the payee or amount lines. Write large and use XXs to fill in space.
• Shred cleared checks returned along with your bank statements.
• Review your bank statements immediately. You have a limited time frame in which to report fraudulent transactions. When fraud is detected, it is necessary to report it within 30 days (UCC Code 4-406).
• If possible, have your new checks delivered to your bank.

Investigate any of the following:

• A call from a bill collector for a payment you know you mailed.
• A check is declined by a merchant when you have not bounced any checks.
• A merchant notice about a bounced check you did not write.
• A notice from a check verification company regarding a problem of which you were not aware of.
• A call from your local bank branch informing you someone you don’t know or they don’t recognize is trying to cash your check.

In 2014, the Westchester County District Attorneys office created an Identity Theft Unit in response to an exploding number of ID theft, credit card fraud and check washing complaints. The Unit vertically prosecuted and investigated 226 cases, resulting, so far, in 83 felony convictions.

Those prosecutions represent increases of 350% in ID theft complaints and a 1,200% increase in felony guilty pleas from one year earlier. If you suspect you are a victim of  check washing, immediately report it to the police.

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Councilwoman Milagros Lecuona on her appearance on PEOPLE TO BE HEARD last fall.

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. By John F. Bailey. June 1, 2015:

Pending receipt of a promised copy from the Mayor’s office of the Matrix Consulting report on the operations of the  White Plains Department of Public Works, WPCNR contacted White Plains Councilwoman Milagros Lecuona on her impressions of the report.

I asked her Monday morning what her feelings were about the report which was cited by Mayor Tom Roach as the basis for the removal of Mr. Nicoletti. Ms. Lecuona voted not to remove Mr. Nicoletti.

Ms. Lecouna in a statement to WPCNR was troubled writing: