The Mob Infiltrates the DOB

"The Buildings Department has a history of corruption scandals," says The New York Times, such as the plumbing inspector extortion cases in 2002, but now the DOB can add mob infiltration to its list of black marks on its record. Yesterday prosecutors accused the Lucchese crime family of installing three of its associates in the DOB, who then participated in bribery, abuse of power, gambling, drug-trafficking, extortion, and loan-sharking. Three others from the DOB were also accused, and 27 of the 29 people named in the indictment have been arrested, according to the Times. Last year, the long string of accusations against the DOB led to scrutiny from the Department of Investigation, which in turn led to the resignation of former Buildings Commissioner Patricia Lancaster. The new commish, Robert D. LiMandri, expressed an intent to crack down on the department. Regarding the Lucchese family indictment, he told the Times: “As a precaution, the department has visited all of the buildings associated with the investigation to ensure safety, and we expect to complete all reinspection work soon...These former inspectors are accused of betraying the public and this department for their own selfish gain, and they should be prosecuted to the full extent under the law.”
Mob Infiltration Is Seen in New York City Agency [NY Times]
Agency With a History of Graft and Corruption [NY Times]
Image of Gaetano Lucchese, co-founder of the Lucchese crime family, from Wikipedia Commons

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What a surprise--corruption at the DOB! Not that it has anything to do with my own tale of DOB woe but I am glad to see some light shining on this sinkhole of humanity.

Posted by: wasder at October 2, 2009 9:56 AM

At least the mobsters had some motivation to get stuff approved.

Posted by: Stonergut at October 2, 2009 10:05 AM

I wish I could say I'm shocked...but I'm not.

Posted by: East New York at October 2, 2009 10:19 AM

Now here is a LEGITIMATE issue for Thompson - schools, crime and general services are better than ever and are truly a non-starter....but Bloomberg has been in office for 8 years and development has been a big part of his agenda - so there really is no excuse for all the problems at DOB - cranes, concrete, bribes and now Mob infiltration. It really undercuts Bloombergs - CEO of the City credibility.

Lets see what Bill can do with this -> my guess nothing (and if he does get in I bet it will be even worse with him at the helm) BUT, this is a real issue and a major failing of Bloomberg's Administration served up on a silver platter in OCTOBER - wonder if the timing of this takedown was a gift to Thompson from outgoing Morgy?

Posted by: fsrg at October 2, 2009 10:33 AM

No surprises here. I always suspected the DOB had these issues. I wish Commissioner Bob Limandri the best in cleaning up the mess left by his vestigial predecessor.

Posted by: Crescent Hill at October 2, 2009 10:51 AM

As much as I appreciate the fact that this sort of high level corruption is getting weeded out, I would love to see some of the lower level shenanigans such as are ensnaring me get investigated to. The run of the mill inspectors, while not necessarily tied to the mob, are none-the-less of dubious stock and make capricious decisions that seem to have no basis in the facts at hand.

Posted by: wasder at October 2, 2009 10:59 AM

Wow, shocking. Of all the things the Mob would infiltrate, who would've thougth construction.

Posted by: Crownlfc at October 2, 2009 11:05 AM

FSRG;

While I agree with you that alot remains to be done, I do give BB some credit here. The DOB has been improved from the seventh circle of hell to perhaps the 2nd. Also, the modernization of the previously-byzantine building code will help.

When I first saw this post my reaction was "This is news?".

Some years ago someone a friend did some work on his house without a permit. Someone called it into the DOB, and he had to go down there. He went up to the service desk,and told the desk he wanted to get it resolved (meaning, get the permits). In broad daylight, in front of every one, the person at the DOB told him: "You want it resolved? It will cost you X amount of dollars" meaning that this was the bribe he would have to be paid. And the tone of his statement made it clear that if the bribe were not paid, my fried would NEVER get a permit. He had to pay the bribe.

Posted by: benson at October 2, 2009 11:17 AM

benson--I wish they would give me this option at this point. Its crazier than that now. I would pay a reasonable bribe in a second to get this resolved.

Posted by: wasder at October 2, 2009 11:24 AM

Wasder - "capricious decisions" is precisely the mot juste!

Posted by: Arkady at October 2, 2009 11:29 AM

I don't actually think capricious even describes my situation. Random, yet malevolent and detached from reality, is more like it. And unremediable. And before they even hear your case they come back and hit you for double the original fine for not complying with something that they haven't ruled on. Crazy!

Posted by: wasder at October 2, 2009 11:31 AM

Benson I am huge BB supporter (I think he is the greatest mayor in NYC history) but whether he has improved things is certainly debatable (the Crane & Concrete scandals are very big and resulted in deaths) but in the end irrellevant - these scandals are happening deep into BB watch and he cant really escape it, that being said I think it is totally offset by his many acomplishments however, if Thompson needs a legitimate issue (and he does, cause all his other points are frankly pathetic or wrong) this is one.
Will it sway the tide - I doubt it (in fact Thompson seems like such an empty suit, I doubt he'll even be able to make hay about it) but it is an issue - this is a black mark against Bloombergs amazing record, no doubt about it.

Posted by: fsrg at October 2, 2009 11:31 AM

Bada building!

***Bid half off peak comps***

Posted by: Brownstones Half Off at October 2, 2009 11:32 AM

List the buildings in question...

Posted by: IMBY at October 2, 2009 11:49 AM

And what...no Bklyn? Come on boys, we have to have bragging rights over the Bronx and Manhattan for christsakes!

Brooklyn DOB needs a house cleaning anyway after all the crap Hinkson left upon her jettison, inherited by Mossad and now in Comm. Lee's lab.

There's a lot of "dead wood" around that should be tossed by Lee.

Posted by: Action Jackson at October 2, 2009 1:15 PM

Carmine Francomano Jr. noted in the article & indictment was the building inspector for one of the buildings my office designed and never asked us for a bribe when he came to inspect the building... I guess we were lucky?

Posted by: myrtleandwashingtonave at October 6, 2009 4:10 PM

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October 2, 2009

The Mob Infiltrates the DOB

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