DISTRICT ATTORNEY - NEW YORK COUNTY

NEWS RELEASE
February 8, 2008

Contact: Barbara Thompson
212-335-9400

Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau announced today the conviction after trial of Alan Risi and Joanne Ruscillo.  Alan Risi was convicted of two counts of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the First Degree, E felonies.  Joanne Ruscillo was convicted of one count of Offering a False Instrument for Filing in the Second Degree, an A misdemeanor. 

The charges arose from bids that were submitted to the City of New York Department of Citywide Administrative Services (“DCAS”).  In 2001, the city of New York had purchased 19 security doors for use in City buildings from Alan Risi’s company, Georal International, for approximately $50,000 each; however, the doors were never used. 
           
In March 2006, DCAS solicited sealed bids for the 19 doors being sold as surplus property.   Alan Risi submitted a bid on behalf of Georal International for a total of $10,000.  Joanne Ruscillo, an acquaintance of Risi’s, submitted a bid as “director” of a company called Integrated Security Corp. for a total of $35,000.   New York City requires that all bidders affirm in their bid documents that the bids were submitted “without collusion or fraud,” and both defendants signed that affirmation.  An official at DCAS noticed that both companies listed the same address, and an investigation revealed that Alan Risi was the owner of both Georal International and Integrated Security Corp. 

After a trial before Acting Supreme Court Justice Arlene Goldberg that lasted four days, the jury convicted Alan Risi of offering false documents with the intent to defraud the City into selling the doors to a company it believed was completely unaffiliated with Georal International and Alan Risi.  Joanne Ruscillo was convicted of submitting documents to the City that she knew contained false statements, namely, that she was the “director” of a company that she did not own or operate.

Risi, was previously convicted in January 2005, of Grand Larceny in the Third Degree, a class D felony.  In that case, Risi submitted false invoices to the City for payment of materials used to maintain doors in City buildings.  As a result, he is a predicate felon, and faces a minimum of 1 ½ - 3 years in state prison and a maximum of 2-4 years for each count, and the counts could run consecutively.  After his conviction yesterday, RISI was remanded. Ruscillo faces a maximum sentence of up to one year in jail.

Risi will be sentenced on February 25, 2008; Ruscillo’s sentencing is scheduled for March 20, 2008.

Mr. Morgenthau thanked DOI and DCAS for their participation in the investigation leading to the indictments in this case.