Developer Charged With Bribery of DOB Inspector
Monday was a bad day for small-time developer Vauguens Michel. When a DOB inspector checking out a construction site of Michel’s at 514 Maple Street noticed that another of his properties just five lots away had illegal excavation work going on, the 49-year-old Brooklyn resident offered $500 to try to convince the inspector not write…
Monday was a bad day for small-time developer Vauguens Michel. When a DOB inspector checking out a construction site of Michel’s at 514 Maple Street noticed that another of his properties just five lots away had illegal excavation work going on, the 49-year-old Brooklyn resident offered $500 to try to convince the inspector not write him up. Rebuffed, Michel doubled down with an offer of $1,000. You see, sites with excavation deeper than five feet are required to have shoring and bracing. The hole at 504 Maple (at right) was between 12 and 14 feet deep. Michel may have been playing the game as he thought it was played, but this one backfired in his face. The inspector reported him immediately and the developer was arrested yesterday by the city’s Department of Investigation on charges of Bribery in the Third Degree, a class D felony, and Rewarding Official Misconduct in the Second Degree, a class E felony. In all, he could be looking at up to seven years in the clinker. Do any readers have any anecdotes of inspector bribery they’d care to share? GMAP P*Shark
Photo by Nicholas Strini for Property Shark
good to know. i’m gonna call 311 on my neighbors for not shoring up my building. i think he dug deeper than 7 feet.
If everyone agrees with 10:15’s POV, then we are in a sad state of affairs.
10:15 made a great point. This wasn’t about the inspector having morals or taking his job seriously, this is about the inspector not being stupid enough to take a bribe for something THAT risky.
I’m sure this happens all too much, but this maybe the first guy at DOB that actually had some morals.
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bingo! you think this guy just came up with the idea that maybe– maybe– $$$ could make DOB look the other way? the shame of it is this happens ** all the time ** & many larger developers aren’t as clumsy about it. also, once you get out of the extended “brownstone” areas of Brooklyn, by all accounts it’s like the wild west.
Q: does the name Eduardo Gutierrez ring any bells for ya’ll?
wwib
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“Anon 10:15am, WTF?
Illegal to take bribes regardless of the amount ($100 or $1000) or the DOB or zoning violation (bad wiring or unsafe excavation).
Don’t attempt to diminish when someone is doing something illegal. Period.”
The commenter at 10:15 was not condoning violating the law or even stating that certain fraudulent behavior is deserving of greater punishment (though certainly that is the case most of the time). That people are more likely to violate the law when the consequences are lower or the risk of being discovered are minimal is a logical conclusion.
“But, even if the inspector who does take bribes, is much less likely to do so for egregious and visible and dangerous condition, which could very likely end up with publicity, scandal, etc.”
Anon 10:15am, WTF?
Illegal to take bribes regardless of the amount ($100 or $1000) or the DOB or zoning violation (bad wiring or unsafe excavation).
Don’t attempt to diminish when someone is doing something illegal. Period.
A crime is a crime. Play the game, do the time.
I hope DOB and DOI are able to put more of these scumbags, small fry and big time developers / builders / contractors / architects behind bars and not building (or destroying) in our fair city.
Maybe the guy had morals. And maybe most of them do.
But, even if the inspector who does take bribes, is much less likely to do so for egregious and visible and dangerous condition, which could very likely end up with publicity, scandal, etc.
Taking $100 to overlook some (very often) inconsequential bldg reg. not likely to ever be of consequence. To do so for something that could blow up in face and there would be consequences.
Gee, if NYC can propose to give cash to students who do well in public schools (you know, show up and take tests and actually do well on them), public school parents who attend PTA meetings, etc., then maybe NYC can pony up some cash awards for DOB inspectors who actually report violations!!!
While we’re at it, how about some caseh prizes for Traffic Officers who have the lowest quotas of bogus parking ticket creations!
My oh my, the list could go on. DOB is so over the top old, crusty, dusty and beaurocratic…and with overwhelmed resources, it’s a joke we even include them in the Building process. Of course, if the inspector’s jobs and scope of responsibilities and overall accountability for all were re-defined to actually prevent all the OBVIOUS law breaking that is rampant here, life would be much, much better.
DOB needs a complete overhaul in my book.
I can dream. I can vent.
Jerry