In a stunning turn of events, New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) is now grappling with a massive corruption scandal involving dozens of its employees. A total of 70 current or former NYCHA workers are facing charges for their alleged involvement in a bribery scheme, accused of accepting millions of dollars in exchange for work contracts.

According to prosecutors, superintendents and assistant superintendents within the NYCHA demanded bribes from contractors in order to secure repair or construction projects on NYCHA properties. If the contractors refused to comply, the employees would award the work to someone else. These illicit transactions, amounting to over $2 million in total, took place across nearly a third of all NYCHA buildings spread throughout the five boroughs of New York City.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams, who spearheaded the investigation, described this culture of corruption as "classic pay-to-play." He stated that the defendants demanded bribes exceeding $2 million from contractors, in return offering them contracts worth over $13 million for NYCHA building projects. Williams emphasized that this widespread corruption has now come to an end with the charges filed against the accused employees.

This bribery scandal marks the largest single-day bribery takedown in the history of the U.S. Justice Department, underscoring the gravity of the situation. NYCHA, being the largest public housing authority in the nation and receiving more than $1.5 billion annually from the federal government, serves as a crucial lifeline for one in 17 New Yorkers residing in NYCHA buildings.

The illicit contracts, mostly valued at less than $10,000 each, encompassed essential repairs such as plumbing and window maintenance. They were awarded without a bidding process, enabling superintendents and assistant superintendents to directly hire workers. However, the employees would withhold payment to the contractors unless they received a kickback, as per federal investigators.

To address this alarming situation, all charged NYCHA employees have been immediately suspended, ensuring that they will no longer have any involvement in the authority's operations. NYCHA CEO Lisa Bova-Hiatt expressed zero tolerance for such misconduct, emphasizing that those involved violated the trust placed in them by residents, colleagues, and the entire city. Bova-Hiatt also reaffirmed NYCHA's commitment to integrity and transformation, vowing to continue implementing significant changes to prevent any future corrupt practices from occurring.

As this scandal rocks NYCHA to its core, the city must now grapple with the implications of this large-scale corruption case and work towards restoring public trust in the vital services provided by the authority.