| Building Manager Detained
for Fraud Accused of Straw Man for
Bail Then Halting Guilty Plea
by
Matthew & Russell Lee, Patreon Substack
SDNY
COURTHOUSE,
June 25 –A Queens building
manager jailed on charges of
defrauding COVID programs of
$2.2 million was in criminal
court in 100 Centre Street
before Justice Michele S.
Rodney on June 25. Inner City
Press was there.
The issue
was the source of her bail
money. The prosecutors alleged
she had used a "straw donor"
with a recently opened account
in Valley National Bank to pay
the bail - thus, she remained
detained.
Out in Jackson
Heights, tenants of the
buildings she managed have
complained of deteriorating
conditions. She herself had
the air of a well-weathered
tenement.
The last
case of the day for Justice
Rodney was also said to be the
last case of the career of the
Legal Aid lawyer who had it.
Only his client was not all-in
on pleading guilty.
He
was asked about a sharp
object; he said he hadn't had
one, had only gotten into a
physical altercation.
It's an
"in concert" theory, the
retiring lawyer said. In
concert with his brother, who
already pled guilty, Justice
Rodney pointed out, that case
is over. She mulled putting
the change of plea proceeding
over as well.
The
retiring lawyer asked for more
time. It was past 5:40 pm when
the defendant finally, and
haltingly, pled guilty.
Sentencing is set for July 30,
presumably with another
lawyer.
***
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