“Rosita Joseph brazenly fleeced her employer so she could inflate her salary and make extravagant purchases, including luxury vacations. The more than $900,000 money should have gone to growing the company or directly into the pockets of workers, instead of Ms. Joseph’s own bank account,” said District Attorney Bragg.

“Juan Escobar allegedly defrauded the system and lined his own pockets at the expense of the safety of his workers,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Workers should be afforded every protection possible. I am grateful to the prosecutors in my office for their commitment to protecting the City’s workers.”

“The New York State Insurance Fund provides critical insurance coverage to injured workers, including those in some of our most dangerous industries like construction and manufacturing,” said District Attorney Bragg. “By intentionally underreporting payrolls, scammers save millions in premiums at the expense of hardworking New Yorkers who put their physical safety on the line. I thank the New York State Insurance Fund and the New York State Department of Labor for their ongoing partnership as we continue to root out insurance fraud.”

“When the bidding process is rigged, we all lose,” said District Attorney Bragg. “The market suffers from a lack of quality competition, developers are prevented from hiring the best companies at fair prices, and – importantly – honest, law-abiding companies are pushed out by those that broke the law. I hope this indictment sends a message that the Manhattan D.A.’s Office and our partners at the DOI and NYPD will not tolerate bribery, corruption, or fraud. We will use our combined expertise and resources to ensure free competition and a fair market.”