WORLD WORLDWIDE USA New York NY New York City NYC the city THE CITY News Journal Update - FBI again raids an Adams aide, tenant TikTok, subway slowdown

 

Dear New Yorkers,

Two Bronx houses owned by Winnie Greco, a top aide to Mayor Eric Adams, were raided Thursday morning by federal authorities — along with the offices of a Queens mall that hosted Adams campaign operations.

THE CITY and Documented previously uncovered strong evidence of potentially illegal straw donations tied to the mall. Greco was deeply involved in eight separate fundraising events at the New World Mall that generated tens of thousands of dollars for Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign.

Greco has a long history with the mayor, and has been the subject of multiple stories by THE CITY. She is a longtime advisor to Adams, dating back to his start as Brooklyn borough president a decade ago, and she has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for his two mayoral campaigns. Greco is currently on the city payroll as the $100,000-a-year Asian affairs liaison to Adams. A spokesperson said she had been put on leave as of Thursday.

An ongoing investigation by THE CITY unearthed allegations of illegal “straw” donations at events she organized, plus unethical behavior while she has served as the mayor’s primary link to the city’s Asian American communities. The Department of Investigation opened a probe in November following THE CITY’s reporting.

Yesterday, the FBI surrounded Greco’s houses on Gillespie Avenue In Pelham Bay and “carried out law enforcement activity,” as a spokesperson confirmed to THE CITY. That makes Greco the second major fundraiser for Adams whose home was raided by federal officials in the past four months. In November, the Brooklyn home of Adams’ chief fundraiser, Brianna Suggs, was raided by the FBI. It wasn’t immediately clear if those probes were related.

Read more about Greco and the FBI raid here.

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Weather scoop by New York Metro Weather Friday's Weather Rating: 5/10. Noticeably warmer, with lots of sunshine and high temperatures in the upper 40s. Much less windy, too, which will help it feel more comfortable for most of the day. The vibes are all right!

Our Other Top Stories

The office in charge of fulfilling rent history requests is an obscure and understaffed state agency called the Division of Housing and Community Renewal. And now, thanks to TikTok, it has seen a major shift in the past month as New Yorkers go viral with videos that encourage tenants to research their rights in rent-stabilized apartments. While the office typically receives about 750 rent history requests every week, that has recently more than doubled to about 2,000.  Service along the A and C lines was severely disrupted on Thursday after a train conductor, Alton Scott, was slashed at Rockaway Avenue at around 3:40 a.m. The incident did not end there: An MTA official with knowledge of the situation told THE CITY that representatives of union management appeared at the Manhattan terminals on the A and C lines — the 207th and 168th Street stations — and advised train crews not to staff their scheduled trains. Union officials denied that the service disruption on the A and C lines was a wildcat strike: “There was no slowdown,” Richie Davis, president of Transport Workers Union Local 100 said. “We are allowed to initiate safety on behalf of our members.” We recently mapped the stories we’ve done across the five boroughs since launching in 2019. See how THE CITY has covered your neighborhood here.

Reporter’s Notebook

Pilot for Public Charging

New York unveiled its first public e-bike charging station for delivery workers in Cooper Square in Manhattan on Thursday, with five more to be installed in the coming weeks, Mayor Eric Adams said. The stations are an effort to support e-bike users and prevent lithium-ion battery-related fires, like the deadly Feb. 23 blaze in a Harlem apartment building that killed one and injured 17. The city Department of Transportation will select 100 delivery workers to participate in the pilot, which will later extend to the Brooklyn Army Terminal, Essex Market, Washington Heights and Downtown Brooklyn. Those interested in joining the pilot can apply here. “This type of infrastructure is critical to enhancing safety for not just the delivery workforce but the entire community at large,” said Alejandro Grajales of Los Deliveristas Unidos.

— Claudia Irizarry Aponte

Ka-Ching: Casino Planning

The Resorts World casino in Queens has unveiled details of its bid for one of three full-service casino licenses to be issued downstate by the state Gaming Facility Location Board. The $5 billion proposal would include an additional 350,000–square–foot casino floor, a 7000-seat arena, a $50 million innovation center and 1,600 new hotel rooms. The plan comes with carrots for the community, too: The gaming giant has also proposed constructing a new 54-acre park and 3,000 apartments on the soon-to-be-vacated Aqueduct racecourse site, which would cost another $5 billion. If approved, the South Ozone Park casino — the only one currently operating within the five boroughs  and the second-highest grossing one outside Nevada — would be able to offer in-person table games in addition to its current all-electronic gaming.

— Haidee Chu

Things To Do

Here’s what’s going on around the city this week.

Friday, March 1: First Friday, an evening of salsa dancing, music and a curator-led exhibition tour of Bronx Calling: The Sixth AIM Biennial (Part One). Free from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Bronx Museum.  Saturday, March 2: Lower East Side Street Tree Care, an event hosted by NYC Parks that teaches volunteers how to care for local trees. Free from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Sara D. Roosevelt Park in Manhattan. Sunday, March 3: Winter Wildlife Hike: Marine Ecology, a walk to learn about seals, birds and other wildlife that visit NYC shores in the winter. Free from 1 to 2 p.m. at Coney Island Beach & Boardwalk in Brooklyn.

THE KICKER: The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s blockbuster new exhibition about the Harlem Renaissance opened this week. (Apparently this time, they’re trying to get it right.)

Thanks, as always, for reading. Make it a great Friday.

Love,

THE CITY

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