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The pinnacle of 1 of the most important operators of homeless shelters in Ny city was fired on Monday as Bronx prosecutors opened a prison investigation into allegations of a protracted sample of sexual abuse and economic misconduct that had gone mostly unchecked by his Business and town.
The chief, Victor Rivera, had helped uncovered the Bronx Dad or mum Housing Community, and in excess of 20 years experienced overseen its development into a major company of housing and solutions whilst the city’s homeless inhabitants climbed to history quantities.
The investigation and dismissal of Mr. Rivera followed an investigation by The Big apple Situations, which found that ten Women of all ages, such as homeless Ladies staying in his Business’s shelters, had accused him of sexual assault and harassment. Two of These Gals explained Mr. Rivera experienced coerced them into carrying out oral sex. Mr. Rivera also employed his nonprofit, the Bronx Father or mother Housing Community, to counterpoint himself and his family, The Instances found.
Hrs once the story was released, Mayor Invoice de Blasio requested a sweeping audit of the town’s $2 billion homeless shelter operation. The Bronx Parent Housing Network is among about 70 teams that operate shelters for the town.
In a statement unveiled on Monday, the board of directors in the Bronx Mother or father Housing Network said it had fired Mr. Rivera, sixty, and condemned what it named his “abhorrent and abusive conduct.” In response on the Instances’s conclusions, the town experienced previously directed the nonprofit to rent an attorney to evaluate Mr. Rivera’s steps, along with the team mentioned it supported the Gals who experienced occur ahead.
“B.P.H.N. recognizes how tricky this should be and is dedicated to serve as a resource for their therapeutic, not an obstacle,” the board explained inside the statement.
Mr. Rivera has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, and in a prior statement mentioned he had normally taken care of Girls with respect. He called the allegations “unfair, baseless and without merit.”
A spokeswoman for that Workplace of the Bronx district lawyer, Darcel D. Clark, said prosecutors have been investigating the allegations while in the Times’s Tale but didn't specify if they might study the accusations of sexual abuse or financial improprieties, which involved Mr. Rivera steering contracts to his associates and entangling his nonprofit with for-gain ventures he ran.
“We have been investigating wherever the evidence prospects,” the spokeswoman, Patrice O’Shaughnessy, stated.
Tim Gilbert, a spokesman for your Bronx Mum or dad Housing Network, declined to answer certain questions about why the board experienced not acted faster when accusations mounted towards Mr. Rivera.
“We are looking into these concerns and cannot focus on the main points for the time being,” Mr. Gilbert stated.
Mr. Rivera’s treatment method of ladies were widely mentioned inside the Bronx Dad or mum Housing Community lately, former workers told The Situations.
The Business compensated a put together $a hundred seventy five,000 in confidential settlements in 2017 and 2019 to two previous staff members who accused Mr. Rivera of sexual harassment and assault, records showed. One of these experienced explained to the Big apple police that Mr. Rivera slapped her and forced her to complete oral sex in a very shelter wherever she worked.
A homeless girl also complained into the The big apple Department of Social Products and services, which oversees shelter operators, about being sexually harassed by Mr. Rivera in 2017. But the town referred her criticism again on the Bronx Father or mother Housing Community, which determined it absolutely was unfounded. And a former worker despatched a companywide electronic mail in 2018, alluding to Mr. Rivera’s abusive conduct and mentioned he was quitting since like a father of a younger Woman, he would “be devastated to are aware that she will be preyed upon by a predator which includes leverage more than her.”
Mr. Rivera Started the Bronx Father or mother Housing Network in 2000 with Others from his church. Considering the fact that just 2017, his Firm has gained $274 million in city funding to run Virtually 70 web pages of homeless housing.
But as city funding came in, Mr. Rivera’s individual fortunes also grew. He enmeshed his for-financial gain housing firms with the finances of his nonprofit, steered beneficial contracts to buddies and associates, and provided Careers to numerous members of his family members, The Moments identified.
A whistle-blower explained to the town Section of Social Services about Mr. Rivera’s nepotism and conflicts of curiosity in 2017, and the city placed the group over a Distinctive view list. But Mr. Rivera continued to seek out means to profit himself and his associates, The Situations identified.
The nonprofit’s board for years was crammed with mates and associates of Mr. Rivera, The Moments uncovered. In the previous assertion, an attorney for your Bronx Father or mother Housing Community mentioned all of the board associates with opportunity conflicts experienced resigned. From the Firm’s early days, the attorney stated, Mr. Rivera had relied on his individual contacts to construct his Procedure.
The Bronx Guardian Housing Network board on Monday named Ululy Rafael Martinez, an attorney, as its new president.
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