“Alan Burak now faces significant prison time for his elaborate, fraudulent scheme. He defrauded twelve individuals out of millions of dollars, including loved ones who trusted him for financial advice,” said District Attorney Bragg. “I hope this conviction sends a message that those who steal hard earned money will be held accountable.”
“As alleged, Jake Udeh used his supervisory role at the Department of Buildings to help his co-conspirators leapfrog those abiding by the rules for as little as $500 a project,” said District Attorney Bragg. “Over the course of the alleged conspiracy, those cash bribes combined with international travel costs totaled more than $75,000. DOB plays a critical role in ensuring the safety of the more than 1 million buildings and construction sites in New York City. Together with our partners at the Department of Investigation, we root out fraud that undermines this mission and rewards bad actors.”
“New Yorkers were building their businesses as food vendors when Mohamed Orabi allegedly took advantage of their limited knowledge of local regulations to scam them out of thousands of dollars,” said District Attorney Bragg. “This is an ongoing investigation – if you have been scammed, please call our office’s Immigration Affairs Unit hotline at 212-335-3600 or via WhatsApp at 347-371-0877. Interpreters are available to assist non-native English speakers, and we encourage all to reach out regardless of immigration status.”
“Access to affordable housing in Manhattan is scarce. These defendants scammed the system to illegally increase the prices of affordable apartments that were meant for income-qualified tenants,” said District Attorney Bragg. “These individuals are now facing accountability for their corrupt acts as developers, including paying restitution and creating new affordable units. We will continue to zero in on bad actors who scam New Yorkers looking for accessible housing or defraud the systems meant to help them.”
-“Elhadji Sene was sentenced to significant time in state prison for stealing the identities and hard-earned money of countless individuals and for unlawfully possessing a loaded firearm. I hope today’s sentencing sends a message that people who steal the identities of vulnerable New Yorkers will be held accountable,” said District Attorney Bragg. “If you are a victim of identity theft, please call us at 212-335-8900.”
