Acting Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, together with New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Mark G. Peters, announced the indictment of a former National Grid employee who infiltrated the public utility and corrupted a number of its employees.
He and other defendants are charged with enterprise corruption and related offenses for operating a shadow utility company that violated city regulations and procedures, installing illegal gas meters across Brooklyn for landlords willing to pay $1,300 to $2,500 per meter.
A total of 37 defendants, including seven National Grid employees, have been charged in connection with the enterprise.
Acting District Attorney Gonzalez said, “We simply will not allow the lucrative real estate market in Brooklyn to feed criminal activity and potentially endanger lives. These defendants showed contempt for rules and regulations specifically put into place to protect public safety. And they did this with callous disregard on a regular basis. We will continue to protect Brooklyn residents by pursuing criminal prosecutions of landlords and others who put profits ahead of safeguards.”
Commissioner Peters said, “These defendants ignored safety for personal profit, skirting critical steps and undermining the gas authorization process, according to the charges. Our public report issued today demonstrates how this charged criminal enterprise took root, putting the safety of New Yorkers at risk, and sets out the reforms necessary to safeguard against similar activity in the future. I thank Acting District Attorney Gonzalez and his team of dedicated prosecutors for their partnership in this case, working with DOI to stop corruption of the gas installation industry in this City.”
The Acting District Attorney identified Weldon “Al” Findlay, 47, of Snyder Avenue, Brooklyn, as the alleged mastermind and leader of the enterprise.
Findlay, who worked for National Grid until 2010, and six other defendants are charged with enterprise corruption, which carries up to 25 years in prison. The other 30 defendants charged in connection with the case include landlords, property managers, and contractors who arranged for, installed, or received illegal gas service.
Some of the defendants were arraigned this morning before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on an indictment in which they are variously charged with enterprise corruption, first-degree falsifying business records, second-degree criminal tampering and second-degree commercial bribing.
The defendants are being arraigned throughout the day on indictments in Brooklyn Supreme Court and others are being arraigned on felony complaints in Brooklyn Criminal Court.
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The Acting District Attorney said that, according to the indictment, the enterprise consisted of a pattern of criminal activity in connection with the illegal installation of gas meters in exchange for cash at 33 residential properties across Brooklyn, including Williamsburg, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn Heights, Bushwick, Crown Heights, Midwood, and Borough Park, in addition to homes in parts of Queens.
Findlay is alleged to have formed the enterprise, and to have directed its criminal activities throughout the period covered by the indictment, namely January 12, 2016 to June 30, 2016.
The Department of Buildings and National Grid have inspected every property identified in connection with the investigation, and ensured that there is no risk to public safety.
According to the investigation, when a landlord with a new or renovated apartment wanted to avoid either the expense of the required tests, or possible delays associated with compliance, the landlord contacted Findlay, who would arrange for illegal service through his criminal enterprise.
Landlords could be confident that National Grid employees setting up the account and providing gas service would violate or ignore any rules or regulations that would prevent or delay the supply of gas.
Three of the property owners and managers were separately charged by criminal complaint for hiring Findlay to illegally unlock meters at locations where National Grid had terminated service.
This would allow the residences to receive gas temporarily, at least until National Grid noticed the increase in gas usage and sent a technician to lock the line again.
I guess you have not seen the rents for an apartment in NYC, You can not get an studio apartment less then 2000 unless you live in the projects or section 8, It was all about greed bottom line
Almost every judge on the Court was elected or appointed through a corrupt political system of bribery. So now they’re going to judge others and hold them to a higher standard.
You cant get more parnasa than what is determined on rosh hashana by going against torah. Whatever you think you gain that way is lost in another way. Everything is in the hand of heaven except fear of heaven
Even though we all hate the national grid and their laziness, Yaakov (8) has a point.
by some Yidden unfortunately money is its own religion & the primary one & with many of them there is the added ilness of liberalism
I am in the plumbing line but stay away from gas service emaning for the most part i don’t get involved in gas piping & Much of my work is outside Nyc limits ever since the big gas explosion in nyc a couple of years ago con ed response has become slower more paper work & bs all on line nothing in person or by phone & i Am sure national Grid has followed at ;least withThe D.O. B. p;lumbers can sometimes self certify
I miss Crown Heights very much. However, New York City is absolutely insane and nearly impossible to live in. Gas company, the electric utility, parking enforcement, Building Department, all harass and abuse their customers in a way that doesn’t happen anywhere else. Read the article: no unsafe conditions, and these people paid for the gas, they just went around the idiots at National Grid to get meters faster. I’m not saying it was right, but I sure do understand them.
Chevra, Pls stop doing illegal activities whether you feel they are justified or not. You do not want your wife and kids visiting you in prison.
#3 & #4. What you have described is known in the velt as “situational morality.” Meaning it is ok to lie or to steal or to risk other people’s lives if you think you need/deserve the gelt. You have it all wrong – we are held to a higher standard not to lie or cheat whether for a few measly dollars or for a tempting big pile of money. A person is either 100% honest or not and HaShem knows the difference .Mind games don’t kasher crimes. What kind of morals can we expect from our kinderlach when they read… Read more »
When you finish a building you need to have a gas sign off from national grid they take ages to do one of my buildings I finished over a year so if you skip that process you can start collecting rent a year early now if you have 30 Apartments in your buildings think of what money your loosing so unfortunately some pepole got pieces and yes it’s a chillul hashem
Read what they are being blamed of doing is that Con Ed holds people hostage making them wait months to get a meter so all these guys did was help arrange a quicker meter if any of us were in that situation we would do the same. Every month homeowners and building owners haveing apartments sitting its $1000s of dollars, Dan Likav Schus every jew is precious.
BS”D not condoning illegal activity and it certainly is not worth jail for a few measly bucks but in NYC with its antiquated laws favoring tenants and no rent increases maybe they had to take extreme measures or lose their buildings
National, Grid is nasty,slow to respond. Their only aggressive when it comes to collecting money.
Sounds like greed… not nice
Don’t really have all the facts & details, but seems like a chillul Hashem. They might have had good intentions. Life can be complicated & confusing. Only thing that’s really clear is how badly we need Moshiach!