About Ernest Johnson

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Bookkeeper Indicted For Stealing Approximately $325,000 From Carroll Gardens Plumbing Supply Company

Allegedly Used Funds to Travel to Disney World and Poconos Resort, Pay for Airline Tickets, Motel Stays And Restaurant Meals

Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson today announced a 159-count indictment charging a former bookkeeper with stealing almost $325,000 from a family-owned plumbing supply business in Carroll Gardens by repeatedly writing checks from the company’s bank account to pay her credit card bills instead of paying vendors.

District Attorney Thompson said, “This defendant almost ruined a hardworking family’s small business by allegedly stealing a huge amount of money to fund her travels and pay her bills. Luckily her alleged scheme was uncovered before that could happen. She will now be held accountable.”

The District Attorney said that the defendant, Elizabeth Nero, a.k.a., Elizabeth Leone, 55, of 45-30 Pearson Street, in Long Island City, Queens, was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on an indictment in which she is charged with one count of second-degree grand larceny, 79 counts of first-degree falsifying business records and 79 counts of second-degree forgery. She was ordered held on bail of $20,000 bond or $10,000 cash and to return to court on May 20, 2015.

The District Attorney said that, according to the indictment, in approximately December 2010, the defendant was hired to work as a bookkeeper for Hicks Street Plumbing and Heating Supply, Inc., located on Hicks Street, in Carroll Gardens, which is owned by Matthew Ruggiero. It is alleged that between July 2011 and October 2013, the defendant used the company’s checking account to pay her own bills, specifically forging the name of Mr. Ruggiero or his wife, on company checks and using them to pay her credit card bills, instead of paying the company’s vendors and suppliers.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, among other things, the defendant used the money to pay for airplane tickets, accommodations at a resort in the Poconos, travel to Disney World, motel stays and restaurant meals.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, in order to conceal her alleged theft the defendant “whited out” the designated payee, i.e., her Chase, Discover or American Express account, after the checks were cashed and an image of the cancelled check appeared on the company’s bank statement. After “whiting out” her payee, the defendant would allegedly write in the name of a vendor or supplier.

The case was investigated by Brooklyn District Attorney Financial Investigator Rosa Velasquez and New York City Police Department Detective John Munari, of the NYPD Financial Crimes Task Force.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Kurtz, of the District Attorney’s Frauds Bureau, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Felice Sontupe, Chief of the Frauds Bureau, and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney William E. Schaeffer, Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division.

An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Four Teenagers Indicted in Connection With Early Morning Assault Of Two Off-Duty Police Officers in Bensonhurst

Four Teenagers Indicted in Connection With Early Morning Assault
Of Two Off-Duty Police Officers in Bensonhurst

Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson today announced that four teenagers have been indicted in connection with an attack on two members of the New York City Police Department outside of a Bensonhurst residence last month, leaving one of the victims, an off-duty detective, badly beaten.

District Attorney Thompson said, “These teenagers allegedly attacked two off-duty Police Officers who identified themselves and simply asked the teens – in the early hours of a Sunday morning – to stop jumping on cars and making a lot of noise in a residential neighborhood. We will now seek to hold them accountable for their conduct.”

The District Attorney identified the defendants as Joseph Nacmias, 17, of 274 Mayfair Drive North; Jason Chalhon,17, of 2672 East 66^th Street; Vito Morgera, 17, of 2725 Mill Avenue; and Michael Peterson,17, of 6623 Avenue T, all of Mill Basin, Brooklyn. The defendants are variously charged in a six-count indictment with second-degree assault, third-degree assault, resisting arrest and unlawful possession of marijuana. They will be arraigned in Brooklyn Supreme Court at a later date. The top count carries a penalty of up to seven years in prison.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, on February 8, 2015, at approximately 12:20 a.m., in the vicinity of 15th Avenue, in Bensonhurst, NYPD Detective Daniel Alessandrino heard a rowdy group of teenagers creating a disturbance outside of his home. Alessandrino, who was off-duty, went outside to check on the situation and saw a group of about 15 to 20 teenagers, mostly males, making a lot of noise and banging and jumping on cars.

Alessandrino, who was followed out of the house by his girlfriend, off-duty NYPD Officer Jaline Bernier, told the teens he didn’t want any trouble and asked them to leave the area, to which defendant Nacmias allegedly replied: “What are you going to do? Call a cop?” Alessandrino then identified himself and Officer Bernier as members of the NYPD. Nacmias then allegedly replied: “I don’t care. I’ll kill a cop. A cop is going to die tonight.”

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, Nacmias then lunged at Alessandrino and began punching him about the head and body. When Alessandrino pushed Nacmias away, he allegedly attacked Bernier. When Alessandrino tried to intervene, he was allegedly pushed to the ground and surrounded by the teens, who then kicked, punched and stomped on him, including kicking him in the head. They were arrested shortly thereafter.

Alessandrino suffered swelling and lacerations about the eye, nose, jaw, head, arm and knee, broken teeth and bruising of his chest and shoulder. Bernier suffered swelling of the eye and pain in her face.

The case was investigated by Detective Natalya Edelshteyn of the New York City Police Department’s 62^nd Precinct Detective Squad, under the supervision of Captain William Taylor, Commanding Officer.

The case was additionally investigated by Detective Investigator Kolawole Olosunde, under the supervision of Chief Investigator John Bilich, of the District Attorney’s Investigations Bureau.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Farin Chasin and James Slattery of the District Attorney’s Trial Bureau V – Orange Zone, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Thomas C. Ridges, Chief.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, March 16, 2015

Former Executive Director Indicted For Stealing $85,000 From North Flatbush Business Improvement District

Allegedly Used Funds to Buy Beyonce Tickets, Jewelry, Clothing and Shoes;
Additionally Charged With Collecting Unemployment While Working at BID

Brooklyn District Attorney Ken Thompson, together with New York City Department of Investigation Commissioner Mark G. Peters, today announced an indictment charging the former executive director of the North Flatbush Business Improvement District with siphoning off approximately $85,000 from the group’s budget to pay for personal expenses, such as food, clothing and entertainment. She also is alleged to have collected unemployment insurance benefits when in fact she was employed by the BID and not eligible to collect.

District Attorney Thompson said, “The 150 small business owners who joined the North Flatbush BID paid into it with the expectation that those funds would be used to promote their businesses. Instead, the defendant allegedly used the BID’s accounts as her own personal piggy bank, spending non-stop on everything from airline tickets to chocolates. She will now be held accountable. ”

Commissioner Peters said, “This individual is accused of stealing public funds from neighborhood businesses for personal gain. This type of charged conduct sabotages an entire community. DOI was pleased to work with the Brooklyn District Attorney on this important investigation. ”

The District Attorney said that the defendant, Sharon Davidson, 63, formerly of 318 Flatbush Avenue and currently residing in Riverhead, in Suffolk County, was arraigned today before Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Danny Chun on an indictment in which she is charged with one count each of second- and third-degree grand larceny, three counts of second-degree criminal possession of a forged instrument, one count of first-degree scheme to defraud, and 17 counts of first-degree offering a false instrument for filing. He released her without bail and ordered the defendant to return to court on May 13, 2015.

The District Attorney said that, according to the indictment, between February 2, 2010 and December 16, 2013, the defendant engaged in a scheme to steal approximately $90,000, including about $85,000 from the North Flatbush BID and about $5,000 in unemployment insurance benefits.

The District Attorney said that, according to the investigation, Davidson was employed by the North Flatbush BID from June 2009 to January 2014. As executive director she was entrusted with access to all of the BID’s bank accounts, debit cards and checks, and was responsible for maintaining its financial books and records and paying expenses associated with the BID’s activities, such as economic development, street maintenance, and neighborhood promotion and enhancement programs to benefit its approximately 150 retail members.

It is alleged that between February 2, 2010 and December 16, 2013, Davidson repeatedly made unauthorized withdrawals from the BID’s bank accounts, including withdrawing cash from automated teller machines, deposited checks intended for the BID into her personal bank accounts, wrote checks to herself out of the BID’s accounts, and used BID debit cards to make hundreds of unauthorized purchases. Among the charges to the BID’s debit card were: $3,000 at Fresh Direct, $4,000 at Talbots, $600 for Beyonce concert tickets, $600 at Weight Watchers, $400 on manicures and pedicures, $13,000 paid through Paypal for items such as shoes, clothing, jewelry and makeup, and numerous purchases from restaurants. As a result, the defendant allegedly stole $85,691.36.

It is additionally charged that the defendant, whose salary was $30,000 a year and who was in charge of maintaining the BID’s third-party payroll service to issue her paychecks, caused the payroll service to end on October 14, 2011. Then, a few weeks later, on November 2, 2011, she allegedly applied to the New York State Department of Labor for unemployment insurance benefits. Davidson subsequently received benefits for nearly four months, during which time she was still gainfully employed by the BID. Davidson thus allegedly received $5,190 in unemployment benefits to which she was not entitled.

The District Attorney said that the alleged theft was discovered during an audit conducted by New York City’s Department of Small Business Services, which oversees the City’s BIDs and which subsequently alerted the New York City Department of Investigation.

The case was investigated by Chief Forensic Auditor Ivette Morales and Special Investigator Nicole Clyne, under the supervision of Inspector General Andrew Sein and Associate Commissioner William Jorgenson of the New York City Department of Investigation.

The District Attorney thanked the New York State Department of Labor and the New York City Department of Small Business Services for their assistance in the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Sabrina Thanse and Meredith Weill, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Emily Bradford, Deputy Chief of the District Attorney’s Public Integrity Bureau, and the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney William E. Schaeffer, Chief of the District Attorney’s Investigations Division.

An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.