‘Heroes’ to zeroes: The $2M NYCHA bribery scandal hall of shame

The NYCHA workers charged in the largest single-day bribery takedown in Justice Department history include a father who boasted about lavish globetrotting vacations, an administrator named a “hero” by his local project, a superintendent selected to partake in a “leadership academy” — and even an employee once suspended for appearing naked in bed with a woman during a staff video call.

In total, 70 current and former employees of the nation’s biggest public housing authority were charged Tuesday in a “classic pay-for-play” corruption scheme, which saw superintendents and administrators pocketing a collective $2 million over 10 years in bribes to secure work contracts at their properties.

The charges, brought by the US Southern District of New York Attorney’s office, represent the largest number of federal bribery raps brought in a single day in Department of Justice history.

“Instead of acting in the interests of NYCHA residents, the City of New York or taxpayers, the 70 defendants charged today allegedly used their jobs at NYCHA to line their own pockets,” said US Attorney Damien Williams.

Here are some of the NYCHA workers charged:

Dwarka Rupnarain allegedly collected at least $83,100 in bribes from $508,000 worth of contracts while serving as the superintendent for three different Bronx housing projects between 2007 and 2022, according to court filings.