New York City\u2019s public housing residents deserve a City Hall that serves the public, not personal interests. That\u2019s the core issue raised by a newly unsealed federal indictment in the Southern District of New York (SDNY) charging Anthony Herbert, the former Citywide Public Housing Liaison at the New York City Mayor\u2019s Office, with bribery, kickback, and fraud offenses.<\/p>\n
Federal officials say Herbert worked for the Office of the New York City Mayor\u2019s Community Affairs Unit (\u201cCommunity Affairs\u201d) from in or about February 2022 through in or about September 2025. In that period, he first served as the Brooklyn Borough Director for Community Affairs from in or about February 2022 through in or about February 2023, and then served as the Citywide Public Housing Liaison until in or about September 2025. In that latter role, he was responsible for engaging with residents and leadership of the New York City Housing Authority (\u201cNYCHA\u201d) on behalf of City Hall.<\/p>\n
Herbert was arrested and is expected to be presented before a U.S. magistrate judge, and the case is assigned to a U.S. district judge, according to the announcement.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s crucial to separate allegations from proof. The press release states, \u201cThe charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.\u201d<\/p>\n
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton presented the case as an abuse of public trust connected to Herbert\u2019s role as City Hall\u2019s liaison to public housing residents.<\/p>\n
\u201cNew Yorkers deserve honest and competent public officials,\u201d said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. \u201cAs alleged, at a time when Anthony Herbert was serving as City Hall\u2019s liaison to the City\u2019s public housing residents, he engaged in blatant pay-to-play schemes to enrich himself. The women and men of the Southern District of New York are committed to holding accountable government officials who abuse their positions of trust to benefit themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
IRS Criminal Investigation said the alleged conduct turned a government role into a personal money-making operation.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s alleged Anthony Herbert used his position in the NYC Mayor\u2019s Office to create a side hustle of bribery and fraud,\u201d said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Harry T. Chavis, Jr. \u201cHe allegedly took advantage of his role to line his pockets by offering unfair advantages to certain businesses. Today\u2019s indictment is the result of the incredible partnership between IRS-CI special agents and SDNY investigators, and now Herbert will face justice for his alleged criminal acts.\u201d<\/p>\n
NYC\u2019s Department of Investigation described what it says the indictment claims, including alleged dollar amounts and alleged actions involving City contracts and publicly funded payments.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis former Mayor\u2019s Office official was responsible for engaging with members of the community on behalf of the Mayor\u2019s Community Affairs Unit, first as the Brooklyn Borough Director and then as the liaison between residents and leadership of public housing, and City Hall,\u201d said DOI Commissioner Jocelyn E. Strauber. \u201cHe allegedly exploited this position of trust and influence to enrich himself, accepting $16,000 in bribes and kickbacks in return for favors, including pressuring other government officials to give City contracts to one company, and steering publicly-funded financial assistance payments to a second business, according to the indictment. As charged, he allegedly filed false financial disclosures with the City omitting the payments he received to conceal his criminal conduct. I thank the IRS and the United States Attorney\u2019s Office for the Southern District of New York for their partnership on this investigation and for their commitment to hold accountable City employees who abuse their position for their own gain.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to the press release, prosecutors describe one alleged scheme involving a particular individual referred to as the \u201cSecurity Company Executive.\u201d They allege Herbert solicited and received thousands of dollars in cash payments in exchange for advising and pressuring other City officials to award City contracts to the security guard company, including contracts for services at NYCHA developments.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors also describe a second alleged scheme involving a director of a funeral home referred to as the \u201cFuneral Home Director.\u201d According to the announcement, Herbert allegedly advised, pressured, and fraudulently induced other City officials to approve payments under a financial assistance program for burial services for low-income families. In exchange, prosecutors allege he received thousands of dollars in kickbacks from the proceeds of those reimbursement payments.<\/p>\n
The press release also alleges that in or about April 2021, Herbert submitted a fraudulent loan application\u2014on behalf of a fictitious baked goods company he claimed to operate\u2014to induce a bank to issue him a $20,418 loan pursuant to the federal Paycheck Protection Program established in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n
Herbert, 61, of Brooklyn, is charged with two counts of bribery, one count of honest services wire fraud, one count of federal program fraud, one count of extortion under color of official right, and one count of wire fraud. The press release lists statutory maximum penalties for each charge and notes that the statutory maximum penalties are prescribed by Congress and provided for informational purposes only, as any sentencing will be determined by the judge.<\/p>\n
The allegations outlined by investigators focus on whether a public position was used to deliver favors in exchange for private payments. If government decision-making is influenced by bribes or kickbacks, it can erode trust among residents who expect City contracts and public assistance programs to be handled fairly.<\/p>\n
At the same time, the justice system requires proof in court, not assumptions. The press release is explicit about the legal standard: \u201cThe charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
New York City\u2019s public housing residents deserve a City Hall that serves the public, not personal interests. That\u2019s the core issue raised by a newly unsealed federal indictment in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3681,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,9,65],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3680","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-local-nyc-politics","category-mayor","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n