On Tuesday, November 25th, prosecutors secured another conviction in the long, drawn-out New York City public housing and bribery case that has resulted in 70 convictions over the past ten years. According to reports, the scam involved public housing employees selecting specific contractors to do work for them in exchange for bribes.

The U.S. Justice Department claims that the various defendants willingly and intentionally accepted over $2.1 million in bribes in exchange for awarding contracts worth over $15 million. Considering that around one out of every 17 New York City residents takes advantage of this public housing, this pay-for-play scam’s impact has been far reaching.

The NYCHA is the largest public housing authority in the country and receives around $1.5 billion in federal funding every year. Investigators determined that the bribery scams likely impacted about 33% of the developments.

This bribery scam was so massive that when authorities cracked the case and made their initial arrests back in February of 2024, it was the largest single-day bribery takedown in the history of the U.S. Justice Department. 70 individuals were arrested and charged, and now, all of them have been convicted. The charges laid out against the 70 individuals included fraud, bribery, and extortion. Three of the individuals were convicted after jury trials, 56 defendants decided to plead guilty to felony offenses, and 11 defendants pleaded guilty to misdemeanor offenses.

The U.S. Justice Department confirmed that sentencing hearings remain ongoing, but so far, many of the sentences imposed on the responsible parties are as high as 48 months in prison. Collectively, all the defendants are expected to pay back $2.1 million in restitution and forfeit around $2 million in criminal proceeds.

These convictions were made possible thanks to the hard work of the DOI, HUD-OIG, HIS, DOL-OIG, and the IRS-CI.

Fraud, Bribery, and Extortion in Brooklyn

In Brooklyn, fraud penalties can vary depending on whether the charge is levied as a misdemeanor or a felony. Misdemeanors generally only result in a year or less behind bars in jail, while a felony can result in much lengthier sentences that will be served out in prison. Felonies also typically result in court-ordered restitution, fines, probation, a restriction on your civil liberties, and a permanent criminal record. Both bribery and extortion can also be charged as misdemeanors or felonies. As the most serious charge, extortion, bribery, or fraud could result in a maximum penalty of up to 25 years in prison.

Typically, some of the key factors that could impact your potential sentence is the type of charge you’re facing, whether your charges are on the state or federal level, your prior criminal history, and the amount of money involved in the schemes.

If you’ve recently been accused of committing fraud, bribery, or extortion in Brooklyn, then our team of experienced lawyers can help. We’ll work together to strategize on how to best defend yourself against your charges. Schedule a free case review now by leaving your contact information on our online form.