Scandals

DOB Inspectors Arrested on Bribery Charges, Mob Connections

It’s no wonder opening a restaurant in New York is such a flustercluck. First there was news, back in April, that the State Liquor Authority was taking bribes, and now it turns out that Department of Buildings employees have been doing the same. That’s not exactly shocking (we’ve long wondered how “expediters” work their magic to get their clients Certificates of Occupancy that might otherwise take months), but the kicker is: The DOB was all mobbed up! The Times reports that a two-year-old investigation into the Luchese family’s connections with illegal gambling has led to the arrest of 27 people, six of whom are DOB employees suspected of bribery. Three of the building inspectors are Luchese family associates who also dealt in gambling, drug trafficking, extortion, and loan sharking. Good times!

Mob Infiltration Is Seen in New York City Agency [NYT]

DOB Inspectors Arrested on Bribery Charges, Mob Connections