By Tiffany Williams –
A crooked camera contractor and the IT insiders who fattened themselves on homeless-shelter funds have all folded in Brooklyn federal court, wrapping up a kickback racket that siphoned more than a million dollars from a charity meant to help New York’s poorest.
Luis Camarena, who raked in revenue from contracts to install surveillance cameras at shelters run by a Brooklyn-based non-profit, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Hector Gonzalez. He admitted he conspired to hand slices of that revenue to the Organization’s own employees—the same insiders who approved the payments that fed his business. When he’s sentenced, Camarena faces up to five years in prison. He is the fourth and final defendant to cave.
The earlier dominoes fell just weeks ago. Gary DSilva, Jonathan Velazquez, and Pradeep Nigam all pleaded guilty to the same or similar charges. DSilva and Velazquez worked inside the Organization’s Management Information Systems department, steering contracts to Camarena and to Nigam, whose companies handled cameras and IT services. The pair rubber-stamped payments to both men while secretly cashing in on the profits. Nigam played along, funneling money to companies tied to the relatives of the two insiders. Each of the three co-defendants also faces up to five years behind bars.
All four have agreed to cough up $1,025,647.78 in restitution to the Organization.
According to the superseding indictment and courtroom disclosures, DSilva and Velazquez never told their employer about their financial stake in Camarena’s business. They greased contracts worth roughly $1.6 million toward his company and another $1.9 million toward Nigam’s outfit. In one telling episode, DSilva used a personal email account to send Nigam an invoice for Nigam’s own business to submit to the Organization.
The haul was hefty—and now it’s being clawed back. As part of their pleas, DSilva and Velazquez each agreed to forfeit about $714,000. Nigam will give up roughly $413,000. Camarena is surrendering about $224,000. Prosecutors say those numbers match the illicit proceeds each man pocketed.
What was supposed to be a safety net for indigent New Yorkers instead became a personal ATM for a crew willing to raid homeless-shelter funds for their own gain. Now they’re all facing the bill—and the time.