Feds Probe NYC Councilmember, Governor's Aide for BHRAGS Bribes

0:00It's March 30th, from your city to your ears. This is Canada News Today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn are probing New York City Council member, Farah Lewis and her sister, Debbie Lewis, and A to Governor Kathy Hocal. Four, possible bribes or kickbacks tied to city money funneled to a migrant shelter operator called BHAGS. The investigation also pulls in Edu Hermelon, husband of a state assembly member who chairs the Brooklyn Democratic Party. B-H-R-A-G's landed its first emergency shelter contract back in 2022 amid the big wave of asylum seekers hitting the city. Since then, they've scored more than a dozen deals for homeless services, racking up over $200 million in total. These folks are heavy hitters in Brooklyn's Democratic machine, a group that's been hit with scandals left and right in recent years. No one from their camps return calls for common and spokes people for the US attorney's office stayed silent, too.

1:01The probe stems from a search warrant signed on March 19th, which lets investigators grab evidence and dig deeper into potential crimes. Keep in mind, a warrant like this doesn't guarantee charges is just the Fed's turning up the heat. As Brooklyn politics simmers under the scrutiny, we'll keep watching how these city contracts and connections play out in the bigger picture.