**NYCHA OIG is a separate, independent agency, and does not

**NYCHA OIG is a separate, independent agency, and does not report to NYCHA**

NEW YORK CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY

OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

The New York City Housing Authority Office of the Inspector General (“NYCHA OIG”) is a law

enforcement agency within the New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), responsible for

investigating criminal activity, corruption, fraud, and misconduct by NYCHA employees, tenants, and

contractors/vendors. NYCHA OIG has the authority to:

• Make arrests and refer for prosecution

• Investigate complaints

• Issue subpoenas and compel testimony

• Perform investigations on behalf of COIB

• Review NYCHA policies and provide recommendations for improvement or correction

All NYCHA employees are REQUIRED to report any and all information concerning any misconduct,

criminal activity, etc., they know, or should reasonably know, to the OIG and may be do so

anonymously. Failure to report may result in disciplinary action, including, but not limited to,

termination, suspension, or other remedial action.

The NYC Whistleblower Law protects employees against retaliation (demotion, suspended,

terminated, poor evaluation, etc.) for reporting corruption or misconduct. Employees who feel they

have been retaliated against should report it the OIG.

NYCHA OIG INVESTIGATIONS

• Tenant Fraud: Failure to report full household income or unauthorized occupants

• Contractor/Vendor Fraud: Bribery, conspiring to win contracts, failing to pay prevailing wages,

defrauding NYCHA

• Employee Misconduct: Misuse of resources, taking bribes, fraud, corruption, financial

relationships between supervisors and subordinates, theft, conflict of interest or any other type of

misconduct or criminal activity

HOW TO CONTACT NYCHA OIG

Phone: (212) 306-3355/3356

Email: [email protected]

DOI online complaint form: https://a032-secure.nyc.gov/p/ofcomplaint.html

Mailing address:

NYCHA Office of the Inspector General

180 Maiden Lane

New York, NY 10038

New York City Housing Authority

Office of the Inspector General

Ralph M. Iannuzzi

Inspector General

Presented by:

Lynette Wade

Assistant Counsel to the Inspector General

NYCHA OIG

Lynette.Wade@nycha.nyc.gov

OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

The New York City Housing Authority Office of the Inspector General

(“NYCHA OIG”) is an independent law enforcement agency, within the

New York City Department of Investigation (“DOI”), responsible for

investigating allegations of criminal activity, fraud and misconduct

involving NYCHA employees, tenants, or contractors/vendors.

DOI is the oldest law enforcement agency in the United States and is the

City’s independent inspector general with criminal and civil investigatory

authority over more than 45 mayoral agencies,

entities/boards/commissions/authorities, elected officials, employees,

contractors, and those who receive benefits from the City.

NYCHA OIG has the authority to:

• Investigate complaints/allegations against NYCHA employees,

tenants, contractors and vendors

• Perform investigations on behalf of COIB

• Execute search warrants and issue subpoenas

• Make arrests and refer for prosecution

• Conduct system-wide investigations, reviews, studies, and

audits, and issue recommendations regarding NYCHA

operations, policies, programs, and practices

NYCHA OIG AUTHORITY

DOI / NYCHA OIG AUTHORITY

• Chapter 34 of the NYC Charter

– Establishes DOI as a law enforcement agency and sets the agency's

powers and jurisdiction

• NYC Conflicts of Interest Law

– Chapter 68 2603 (e)(2): gives DOI power to investigate COI allegation

• New York City Whistleblower Law

– Protects employees from retaliation and gives DOI authority to investigate

claims of retaliation

• Mayoral Executive Order 16

– DOI responsibilities, processes of investigation and disciplinary

proceedings, duties to cooperate and report.

EO-16: DUTY TO COOPERATE

Under EO-16, all NYCHA employees MUST cooperate fully with

the Commissioner of DOI and the Inspectors General.

Failure to cooperate or interference with, any investigation conducted

by the Commissioner, or any Inspector General “shall constitute

cause for removal from office or employment or other appropriate

penalty.”

EO-16: DUTY TO REPORT

Under EO-16, all NYCHA employees are REQUIRED to report all

information that they know, or should reasonably know, concerning

any misconduct, criminal activity, corruption, etc., to the OIG.

Failure to report as required “above shall constitute cause for removal

from office or employment or other appropriate penalty.”

Note: Your identity as a complainant will be protected, and

complaints may be made anonymously.

RETALIATION

The NYC Whistleblower Law prohibits retaliation (demotion,

suspension, termination, poor performance evaluation) against an

employee that reports corruption or any other misconduct to

NYCHA OIG or DOI.

If an employee thinks they have been retaliated against, they must

report it to NYCHA OIG, and we will investigate the issue. If we

find that there was retaliation, we may recommend that the

employee be restored to their status before the employee made the

complaint.

NYCHA OIG INVESTIGATIONS

• Tenant Fraud: underreporting income, unauthorized occupants

• Contractor/Vendor Fraud: bribing NYCHA employees,

providing false or incorrect information to win bids, failing to

pay prevailing wage

• Employee Misconduct: Misuse of resources, taking bribes,

fraud, corruption, criminal activity, conflicts of interest, etc.

TENANT FRAUD

• Former Tenant 1: Defrauded NYCHA of approximately

$114,000 charged with conspiracy to steal government funds

(federal)

– Did not report that her husband lived with her, or his

income

– Moved out of her apartment into a home with her husband,

then rented the Section 8 apartment to an unauthorized

occupant for approximately $1,000 a month

CONTRACTOR/VENDOR FRAUD

• Contractor 1: Bribery

– Offered money to NYCHA staff in order to secure work in a

development

• Contractor 2: Fraud and failure to pay prevailing wage

– Submitted false certified payrolls to NYCHA

– Failed to pay “prevailing wages” on NYCHA jobs, by using day laborers,

paying only 1/3 of the prevailing wage

– Demanded kick-backs of up to $2,000 from workers

NYCHA Property:

• Employees MAY NOT use NYCHA resources, including time, computers, staff,

equipment, vehicles, property, etc., for any non-NYCHA purpose.

• NYCHA employees MAY NOT borrow or take any NYCHA property or equipment,

new, old, or going in the trash.

Employment:

• Employees may work second jobs, but it cannot conflict with your NYCHA job.

Before taking a second job, contact the NYCHA Law Department for guidance.

• Employees CANNOT discuss possible future employment with a company with

which you are currently dealing in your NYCHA job.

• Employees CANNOT participate in a not-for-profit organization’s business dealings

with NYCHA or any other City agency.

• After you leave NYCHA, you can NOT appear before NYCHA on behalf of a

private entity for one year. Also, you may never disclose or use for private advantage

any confidential NYCHA information that you learn while working at NYCHA.

EMPLOYEE MISCONDUCT

Supervisors and Subordinates:

• Supervisors CANNOT enter financial relationships with subordinates.

• Supervisors CANNOT ask a subordinate to work on a political campaign or make a

political contribution.

• Supervisors CANNOT hire subordinates for any outside work

• Supervisors CANNOT request or demand that subordinates perform personal

errands for them

Interactions with Tenants and Contractors

• Employees MAY NOT accept bribes, gifts, tips, or anything of value from tenants,

contractors/vendors, or anyone doing or wanting to do business with NYCHA,

simply for performing your NYCHA job. (or for any other reason!)

• Employees MAY NOT solicit, perform or accept any outside work/jobs from

tenants, contractors/vendors

• Employees MAY NOT perform any unsanctioned work for NYCHA tenants or

contractors.

Bribery: any offer of a benefit to a public servant on the understanding that the public

servant's official action will be influenced. (NYS Penal Law, Section 200.00)

Gratuity: Any unauthorized payment or other benefit, even a "tip" or lunch money,

beyond the salary and official benefits paid by NYCHA, to public servants for doing

anything in connection with their job (NYS Penal Law, Section 200.35)

Official Misconduct: When a public servant purposely commits an unauthorized act

related to their job or does not perform a duty related to the job or required by law, in

order to obtain some benefit, or injure or deprive another person of a benefit. (NYS

Penal Law, Section 195.00)

EMPLOYEE MISCONDUCT

Criminal Activity- Bribes, Tips, and Gratuities

EMPLOYEE MISCONDUCT

Former Employee A: Official misconduct

– Employee arrested for “selling” a recently vacated NYCHA apartment to

someone for $2,000 and altering NYCHA records to make it look like the

former authorized tenant still lived in the apartment.

– In addition to official misconduct, employee was charged with:

• Bribe Receiving in the Third Degree

• Tampering with Public Records in the First Degree

• Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree

• Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree

• Receiving Reward for Official Misconduct in the Second Degree

– Charges carry a sentence of up to seven (7) years in prison

EMPLOYEE MISCONDUCT

Honorable Mentions

Off the Clock Behavior:

Employees may violate Code of Conduct even when you are NOT on the clock!

Off-Site/After Hours Activities

(with co-workers)

• Happy Hour

• Parties

• Dates and other personal

settings

The Code of Conduct and all

responsibilities follow you any

time and any place you are

interacting with other NYCHA

or City employees

Social Media Use

Instagram, Facebook, Clubhouse,

SnapChat, TikTok, etc., all forms

social media and contact.

• Posts/Comments

• Instant/direct messages

• Text/photo messages

(personal or NYCHA)

• Email

(personal or NYCHA)

Make smart decisions about what

you post/comment and your

overall online activity

REQUIRED NOTIFICATIONS

You MUST notify NYCHA OIG within three (3) days if you:

• Get arrested

• Receive a criminal summons or desk

appearance ticket (“DAT”)

• Are indicted or convicted of any crime

You may report this by phone, email, and/or in person.

Failure to make this required notification may result in

disciplinary action.

OIG CONTACT INFORMATION

Email:

ig@nycha.nyc.gov

Phone:

(212) 306-3355 / 3356

Online:

DOI Website

(https://www1.nyc.gov/site/doi/contact/contact-doi.page)

Mail:

NYCHA Office of the Inspector General

NYC Department of Investigation

180 Maiden Lane

New York, NY 10038

The End.