In the US District Court indictment, the payoffs ranged from $500 to as much as $15,000. The Court is also seeking the forfeiture of $170 million, according to one broadcast report.
"These defendants committed a breathtaking betrayal of the public trust, and in doing so, they undermined a bedrock of this city's finances, and that is a fair and honest tax-assessment system," said Manhattan US Attorney James Comey.
According to various published reports, buildings included in the scam were 9 W. 57th St., 450 Lexington Ave., 17 Battery Pl., 1 United Nations Plaza and 52 Broadway. No developers or owners have been named in the suit.
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John Salustri
John Salustri has covered the commercial real estate industry for nearly 25 years. He was the founding editor of GlobeSt.com, and is a four-time recipient of the Excellence in Journalism award from the National Association of Real Estate Editors.
