Dozens of current and former employees of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) were charged with bribery and extortion, marking the largest number of bribery charges filed in a single day by the Justice Department.
The charges involve accepting over $2 million in bribes from contractors for Housing Authority contracts, leading to more than $13 million in awarded work.
“This culture of corruption at NYCHA ends today,” U.S. attorney Damian Williams said.
The corruption primarily involved smaller contracts for building repairs, which bypassed the public bidding process.
NYCHA’s chief executive condemned the actions, emphasizing the impact on residents and the agency’s achievements.
“We will not allow bad actors to disrupt or undermine our achievements,” Lisa Bova-Hiatt said.
The Housing Authority faces various challenges, including maintaining old buildings, addressing a housing waiting list, and collecting rent, despite receiving substantial federal funding.
Mayor Eric Adams has prioritized affordable housing, aiming to create 100,000 new homes to alleviate the city’s housing shortage.
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