14 charged for separate
construction schemes, NYC
building inspectors included
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2 – WINTER 2018 — New York Construction Report
The New York City Department of
Investigation and Acting Brooklyn Dis-
trict Attorney Eric Gonzalez have
charged 14 individuals, including two
inspectors from New York City Depart-
ment of Buildings, for construction
fraud in three separate schemes.

Others charged on Oct. 25 included
property managers and developers, a
private asbestos inspector and a
plumber. In a two-year probe conducted by
the DOI, authorities alleged that city
building inspectors Hiram Beza and
Dean Mulzac were receiving pay-offs
in the form of cash or gifts. The two
allegedly issued rubber stamp paperwork for inspections they never
performed from six property managers who were also charged.

Investigations revealed that Beza accepted payoffs in the form of
home renovations from contractors whose projects he illegally ap-
proved. In one case, a contractor built him a new kitchen to pass in-
spection. Mulzac, on the other hand, took a pair of earrings for his
girlfriend worth $100 from a property owner who owned a jewelry store,
the acting DA asserted.

“These investigations are a testament to our continuing commitment
to keep people safe as developers too often are willing to take short-
cuts at the risk of public safety to rapidly get their properties to market,”
said Gonzalez.

He also said that he will continue working with the DOI to ensure
that nobody “sells the safety of the people of Brooklyn” for their per-
sonal benefit.

Beza and Mulzac were both charged with third degree bribe receiv-
ing, classified as a class D felony, official misconduct, and a class A
misdemeanor. Beza was also charged with offering a false instrument
for filing in the first degree which is a class E felony.

Property managers and developers charged in connection with the
scheme, said to have been run by Mulzac and Beza are: Ruben Badalov
of Queens, Yoel Blum of Spring Valley, Zev Chaskelson of Brooklyn,
Yakhiel Firgiyev of Queens, Matan Hacohen of Bellerose, and Amritpal
Sandhu of Cedarhurst.

Badalov, Blum, Chaskelson, Hacohen and Sandhu were charged with
third degree bribery, classified as a class D felony. Chaskelson, Firgiyev
and Hacohen were also charged with giving unlawful gratuities which is
a class A misdemeanor. Additionally, Firgiyev was charged with reward
official misconduct in the second degree, a class E felony.

All of the individuals allegedly involved in the city building inspection
scheme were arrested Oct.25. If convicted, those charged with a class
D felony will face seven years imprisonment, a class E felony four years
imprisonment, and a class A misdemeanor one year imprisonment.