'Brazen' Bribery Scheme Busted At Brooklyn NYCHA Complexes: DA

BROOKLYN, NY — A "brazen" bribery scheme uncovered Monday at two Brooklyn public housing complexes could be just a peek at widespread corruption in New York City Housing Authority's contracting process, according to officials.

Nine contractors who tried to bribe NYCHA superintendents for repair jobs were charged this week after a years-long investigation where undercover Department of Investigation employees posed as employees at the Red Hook West and Lafayette Gardens Houses, prosecutors announced.

But officials said Monday more arrests are likely on their way as investigators continue to look into the contracting process used for small public housing repairs.

"We think the conduct is widespread around the city — it is definitely not limited to these two developments," Department of Investigation Commissioner Margaret Garnett said at a press conference. "We're continuing to investigate."

Monday's charges come after superintendents at each of the Brooklyn NYCHA developments reported a contractor trying to bribe them to the city's Department of Investigation back in 2018 and 2019, according to officials.

"...As this investigation shows, corruption cannot take root when honest employees step forward and report it," Garnett said. "DOI commends the NYCHA employees who embraced the affirmative obligation that all employees of the City of New York have to report wrongdoing to DOI. Their willingness to report helped reveal these vendors’ charged conduct, which placed taxpayer-funded business up for sale to the highest dishonest bidder."

After the reports from the superintendents, DOI gave audio and video recording devices to the employees and eventually placed their own undercover investigators at each of the housing complexes to pose as superintendents, who under NYCHA policy are allowed to select contractors for repairs that cost $10,000 or less.

Contractors were caught, often on video, handing up to $1,000 in cash, hundreds of dollars on gift cards and even bottles of Johnnie Walker scotch in exchange for the jobs over the next few years, according to the investigation.

The bribes were given in exchange for various jobs at the developments, including tile work, installation of tub enclosures, repairing windows and putting in fences, officials said.

The investigation has prompted DOI officials to suggest NYCHA change its process for hiring contractors.

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said the rules that let an individual building superintendent choose a contractor, while efficient, can be a "conduit to fraud and corruption" given that it removes the bidding process used for bigger repair jobs.

DOI recommended NYCHA have their own department staff step in as the point of contact for the small repair jobs, add more pre-checks for contractors before they are hired and create a price-point guide so contractors are prevented from overcharging for the repairs.

Here's a list of those who were charged on Monday:

• Lakhwinder Kumar, 47, and Kumar Construction Corp., of South Ozone Park, Queens
• Charanjit Singh, 58, Satbir Singh, 71, and Fine Touch Construction, of Floral Park, Queens
• Davinder Singh, 45, Nishan Singh, 56, Yuvi Development Inc., and NB Builders, of Hicksville, New York
• Surinder Singh, 59, Guriqbal Singh, 28, A. Peter Luger Construction, PKG Contracting Corp. and Heera and G. Builders, of South Richmond Hill, Queens
• Jaswant Banga Singh, 57, and Khushi Construction Inc., of New Hyde Park
• Bakhshish Chand, 68, and Amar Contracting, of Richmond Hill, Queens.

The charges range from third-degree bribery, first-degree offering a false instrument for filing, giving unlawful gratuities and fifth-degree conspiracy, prosecutors said.