1 year ago
NEW YORK — Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg released a multi-count indictment Wednesday of former Department of Buildings Commissioner Eric Ulrich, accusing him of abusing his position and in his role as a former adviser to Mayor Eric Adams.
Ulrich surrendered to authorities and was expected to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon. He was among seven people charged in the wide-ranging indictment.
The charges are more expansive than previous reporting has suggested: Ulrich is accused not only of misdeeds as head of the city’s buildings department, but also his role as a one-time confidante to Adams and as a former member of the City Council, where he served as a Republican lawmaker from 2009 through 2021.
“We allege that Eric Ulrich accepted or solicited more than $150,000 worth of bribes in less than two years by monetizing each elected and appointed role he held in New York City government," Bragg said.
"At every possible turn, he allegedly used his taxpayer-funded positions as City Councilmember, then senior mayoral advisor, and finally Department of Buildings commissioner to line his pockets.”
Ulrich’s attorney, Samuel Braverman, told POLITICO he would refrain from commenting until after the arraignment Wednesday afternoon.
Manhattan prosecutors, along with the city’s Department of Investigation, have accused Ulrich of accepting $150,000 in cash and gifts over a two-year period covering each of the three jobs in government. In general, the indictment lays out multiple cases where Ulrich is accused of nudging city government to help a particular friend or acquaintance and then receiving money or gifts in exchange.
In particular, the indictment alleges Ulrich used his position to benefit brothers Joseph and Anthony Livreri, who own a Queens pizzeria, and Michael Mazzio, who owns a towing company, by expediting various inspections and violation remedies at businesses run or connected to the trio. In exchange, Bragg alleged that Ulrich received money he used to gamble at an illegal gaming club in Ozone Park, which was partially owned by Joseph Livreri.
Attempts to reach attorneys for them were not immediately successful.
Bragg further accused Ulrich of using his position in the Adams administration to grant similar favors — along with pushing a beneficial zoning request — to benefit developer Mark Caller, chief executive of development firm Marcal Group. In exchange, Bragg alleges, Caller provided Ulrich with a discounted luxury beachfront apartment.
Caller’s lawyers, Benjamin Brafman and Jacob Kaplan, released a statement saying that Caller didn’t commit any crime, “as Mr. Ulrich obtained an apartment in one of Mr. Caller’s buildings at a market rate,” adding that he did not know any of the other men mentioned in the indictment.
Additionally, to assist Paul Grego — a filing representative with clients seeking decisions before the buildings department — Ulrich expedited decisions favorable to Grego’s clients, made personnel decisions at the agency on the advice of Grego and connected the private sector representative to other high-ranking figures at the agency, according to the indictment.
In exchange, Bragg alleges Grego bought Ulrich a bespoke suit and a painting by Francisco Poblet, whom the district attorney described as "the last surviving apprentice of Salvador Dali."
Finally, the indictment alleges Ulrich accepted money from a former correction officer named Victor Truta in exchange for approaching a city commissioner about hiring members of Truta’s family. Attorneys for Truta and Grego could not be immediately reached.
Ulrich is expected to plead not guilty at Wednesday's arraignment.
The former lawmaker and commissioner, who recently penned a children’s book, was spotted walking into the district attorney’s office Wednesday morning holding a copy of Bill O’Reilly’s book: “Killing Jesus: A History.”
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