The Brooklyn district attorney and the city's Department of Investigation have announced charges Monday against more than a half-dozen contractors they say allegedly tried to bribe NYCHA supervisors to win contracts in Brooklyn public housing developments.
Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez says that the case began after a NYCHA official reported a bribery attempt, which led to an undercover investigation that allegedly showed a more widespread problem. "This is significant corruption because honest contractors stand no chance of doing the work if you have to corrupt the process in order to be awarded the contract" says Gonzalez.
Nine contractors surrendered on Monday to face charges of bribery in the third degree. If convicted, they face up to seven years in jail.