Several New York City employees were arrested Thursday for their alleged role in a scheme to steal the identities of homeless shelter residents and defraud a pandemic-era relief program.
Eighteen people, including nine public employees, engaged in a broad criminal conspiracy that included the manufacture of ghost guns, burglary and defrauding a state pandemic relief program, according to four indictments filed Thursday by the Manhattan district attorney.
What started as an investigation into ghost guns ended with the bust of an alleged identity theft scheme in Manhattan involving public servants.
“As alleged, the takedown of a sophisticated ghost gun manufacturing operation uncovered wide-ranging schemes, including the link to a massive fraud and a planned burglary,” said District Attorney Bragg. “These alleged schemes were orchestrated and largely operated by city employees, many of whom abused their positions of public trust for personal gain. We see a clear link between those engaging in violent crimes and traditional white-collar fraud at the same time. My Office will continue leveraging the expertise and tools available at our disposal to dismantle these types of interconnected schemes, no matter how complex they are. I thank all of our prosecutors, analysts and investigators for their hard work and diligence in following the facts and uncovering this series of criminal activity.”
“Every day, MTA workers ensure that our public transportation operates smoothly, helping millions of New Yorkers arrive safely to their destinations. As alleged, Rashon Eagle and Abdellahi Mohammed assaulted two of these workers, who were just doing their jobs, in addition to a Good Samaritan,” Bragg said in a statement. “MTA workers and passengers should not have to fear for their safety when on our buses and subways, and those who jeopardize their safety will be held accountable.”
