ADVISOR FOR HISPANIC AFFAIRS TO FORMER

QUEENS BOROUGH PRESIDENT FINED $2,000 FOR

USING POSITION TO GET A FREE TRIP TO COLOMBIA
Today, the New York City Conflicts of Interest Board (Board)
announced that it has recently concluded a settlement with a now-former
employee of the Queens Borough Presidents Office (QBPO) who used his
position as Advisor for Hispanic Affairs to get a free trip to Colombia.

In a public disposition of the Boards charges, the former QBPO
employee admitted that, while working for the former Queens Borough
President, he was tasked with selecting a dance group to represent Queens in
the 30
th
International Week of Bolivarian Culture in Duitama, Colombia,
from July 21 through 27, 2010, and that he selected himself to be a member
of the delegation that would travel, for free, to Colombia. He then travelled
with the dance group on the seven-day trip at the expense of the Colombian
government and without the knowledge or authorization of the Queens
Borough President. The former QBPO employee acknowledged that his
conduct violated the Citys conflicts of interest law, which prohibits City
employees from using their position to obtain a personal or private advantage
for themselves. As a penalty, the Board fined him $2,000. A copy of the
settlement follows this release.

Bre Injeski, Deputy Director of Enforcement, handled this case for the
Board.

The Board gratefully acknowledges the work of its confidential
investigative arm, the New York City Department of Investigation (DOI),
DOI Commissioner Mark G. Peters, DOI Inspector General John Tseng, and
Special Investigator Alexander Dillon.

The Conflicts of Interest Board is the Citys ethics board and is
charged with administering and enforcing the Citys the conflicts of interest
law, located in the New York City Charter, Chapter 68. The Board does not
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Carolyn Lisa Miller
September 30, 2014 (212) 442-1419
miller@coib.nyc.gov

Richard Briffault
Chair

Fernando Bohorquez
Board Member

Anthony Crowell
Board Member

Andrew Irving
Board Member

Erika Thomas-Yuille
Board Member
____________

Mark Davies
Executive Director

Wayne G. Hawley
Deputy Executive Director
& General Counsel

Carolyn Lisa Miller
Director of Enforcement

Julia Davis
Special Counsel &
Director of Annual
Disclosure

Alex Kipp
Director of Training &
Education

Varuni Bhagwant
Director of
Administration

Derick Yu
Director of Information
Technology


CITY OF NEW YORK
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST BOARD
2 Lafayette Street, Suite 1010
New York, New York 10007
(212) 442-1400
Fax: (212) 442-1407 TDD: (212) 442-1443




comment on settlements, except as set forth above. For more information about the Board or the
law, please visit the Boards website http://nyc.gov/ethics.