Christopher Dantzler, of Baldwin, charged in bribery scheme involving emergency housing
A Baldwin man was among three people indicted on fraud and conspiracy charges in a scheme that involved the payment of bribes and kickbacks in exchange for $122 million intended to provide emergency housing for recently released inmates in New York City during the COVID-19 pandemic, federal prosecutors said.
Christopher Dantzler, 49, of Baldwin, Julio Medina, 64, of Clifton Park, and Weihong Hu, 59, of Manhattan, were indicted by a U.S. Eastern District grand jury on five counts including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, according to a news release Thursday.
Dantzler and Hu, prosecutors said, worked with Medina, whose nonprofit organization Exodus Transitional Community worked with the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice to house recently released inmates. Prosecutors said the trio received $122 million in public funds over three years. Medina also previously served as a member and chairman of the New York City Board of Correction.
Prosecutors said Medina asked Hu and Dantzler for kickbacks and bribes to award them business for emergency housing. The bribes included a $1.3 million town house for Medina.
Hu operated two hotels in Queens and a catering company to house and feed former inmates in June 2020 during the pandemic. Dantzler was hired to provide security at the hotels although his security firm was unlicensed and did not in fact provide any security services, prosecutors said.
Prosecutors said Dantzler and Hu paid Medina $2.5 million in cash and benefits in exchange for steering about $51 million in public funds from the Emergency Housing Program.
Dantzler’s security company also received about $21 million in public funds, including about $9 million that Dantzler kept for personal funds, prosecutors said.
Medina’s nonprofit also paid $12 million in public funds to Hu’s hotels, while prosecutors said her catering company received $17 million in emergency housing funds.
A representative at Exodus declined to comment Thursday.
"These three defendants allegedly pocketed millions of dollars from public funds allocated for emergency housing during the pandemic," FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Dennehy said in a statement. "This alleged kickback scheme abused a program designed to provide a vulnerable population with healthier, unexposed lodging alternatives, to finance enhancements to the defendants’ lifestyles."
Attorneys for Medina and Dantzler declined to comment.
Ben Brafman, an attorney for Hu, said, "My strong feeling is that Ms. Hu is a victim in this case and not a coconspirator with anyone."
The Mayor's Office of Risk Management referred the case to the Department of Investigation, which prompted the investigation, officials said.
Authorities arrested Dantzler Thursday morning on Long Island, Hu in Manhattan and Medina in the Bronx, prosecutors said.
They appeared Thursday afternoon in Eastern District court in Brooklyn where each defendant pleaded not guilty. Medina’s bail was set at $250,000 and Dantzler’s bail was set at $750,000. Bail information for Hu was not available.
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
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