Matthew Podolsky, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that Joy Harris, a former superintendent for the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), was sentenced to 41 months in prison. Harris was convicted of soliciting and accepting over $50,000 in bribes from contractors in exchange for awarding approximately $500,000 in contract work. The sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan after a one-week trial.
Acting U.S. Attorney Matthew Podolsky stated: "Joy Harris was given a position of public trust in New York City. She used that position to demand bribes in exchange for approving important repair work at NYCHA buildings. As today’s sentence shows, those who abuse positions of public trust—at any level of government—to seek personal gain will face a harsh penalty."
NYCHA is noted as the largest public housing authority in the country and receives over $1.5 billion annually from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Contracts under a certain value allowed superintendents like Harris to hire contractors without multiple bids, requiring only certification that work was satisfactorily completed for payment.
From 2015 through 2021, Harris worked at four different NYCHA developments in Manhattan as an assistant superintendent and superintendent. During this time, she demanded cash bribes from contractors both before awarding contracts and after completion when payment approval was needed. The bribes typically amounted to 10% of the contract value.
Of the 70 NYCHA employees charged with bribery and extortion offenses arrested in February 2024, 61 have pled guilty while three were convicted after trial including Harris who is the first to be sentenced among them.
The authorities urge anyone with information related to illegal conduct by NYCHA employees to contact OIGNYCHA@doi.nyc.gov or call (212) 306-3356. Those involved are encouraged to self-disclose through the SDNY Whistleblower Pilot Program at USANYS.WBP@usdoj.gov.
In addition to her prison term, Harris has been sentenced to three years supervised release and ordered restitution amounting to $54,150 along with forfeiture of an equal amount.
Mr. Podolsky commended investigative efforts by various departments including New York City's Department of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations; HUD Office of Inspector General; U.S Department Labor's Office Inspector General working collaboratively as part HSI Document Benefit Fraud Task Force alongside Special Agents Task Force Officers within Southern District New York's U.S Attorney’s Office Public Corruption Unit led prosecution handled Assistant Attorneys Jerry J Fang Jacob R Fiddelman Catherine Ghosh Meredith C Foster aided Paralegal Specialists Jayda Foote Nandita Vasantha OCDETF operation seeks disrupt dismantle criminal organizations using prosecutor-led intelligence-driven multi-agency approach further details found https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF
