Bring Back Cease & Desist Real estate agents went to residents and offered to buy their homes, even though the residents had expressed no interest in selling. The solicitations included door-to-door visits, mailings, and phone calls. In some cases, the agents used high-pressure tactics. They stoked fears that the residents’ neighbors and friends were all planning to leave the neighborhood, and despicably attempted to play up racial anxieties. They also fabricated claims about impending drops in property values. Some experts said it was actually the fears fed by unscrupulous real estate brokers that destabilized home values. This type of solicitation, known as “blockbusting,” was prohibited by law from 1971 until 1994. In the years that followed, state officials implemented a “cease-and-desist” list. Homeowners who did not wish to receive real estate solicitations could put themselves on a list, and brokers could be punished for contacting addresses on that list. Since that time, specific neighborhoods needed to be renewed as eligible for the ceaseand desist list. After those renewals, individual property owners could then put themselves back on the list. Through the work of the Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association and the Greater Woodhaven Development Corporation, Woodhaven had been designated a cease-anddesist zone, but the designation expired after five years, thus requiring renewal by the Secretary of State. In 2010, after prolonged efforts by the WRBA and the GWDC, Woodhaven was named one of only seven Queens neighborhoods in which homeowners could choose to prevent solicitations from real estate agents. Now, however, the cease-anddesist list is expired yet again. TIMES, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2014 • 12 RAN CLINIC OF PHONY CLAIMS Used Unneeded Tests To Dupe Medicare by Robert Pozarycki Federal agents cuffed last Wednesday, Dec. 3, 10 people indicted for a multi-million Medicare and Medicaid fraud scheme in which poor people were paid to undergo unnecessary tests at clinics in Elmhurst, Jamaica and Brooklyn, prosecutors announced. According to U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara, the alleged conspirators filed more than $70 million in fraudulent health insurance claims and received $25 million in payments. The suspects were identified as Victor Lipkin, 49, of Jackson Heights; Vadim Zubkov, 46, of Brooklyn; Eduard Zavalunov, 33, of Rego Park; Nikoloz Chochiev, 39, of Brooklyn; Anatoliy Fatakhov, 57, of Fresh Meadows; Mariana Swaffar, 49, of Ridgewood; Jacqueline Pinez, 30, of Queens; Jonathan Oliver, 51, of Jamaica; Jason Brissett, 30, of Brooklyn; and Gilbert Trotman, 50, of Queens. All were charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and health care fraud; Lipkin, Zubkov and Zavalunov— the alleged ringleaders—were additionally indicted for conspiracy to launder the proceeds from the scheme. If convicted, each suspects faces up to 20 years behind bars, three years’ probation and fines of $250,000 or twice the illegal gain, whichever is greater. “As alleged, these defendants corrupted financially strapped people and fleeced Medicare and Medicaid to the tune of tens of millions of dollars,” Bharara said. “The scheme enriched the defendants and burdened Medicare and Medicaid, but the scheme has been exposed and ended.” “Adding insult to injury, the defendants preyed upon vulnerable members of our community, exploiting the less fortunate in furtherance of their criminal activity,” added George Venizelos, assistant director-incharge of the FBI’s New York office. “Health care fraud wastes tax dollars, increases costs for the public and destroys the integrity of our health care system.” “Thanks to the collaborative efforts of our investigators, along with our federal partners, this criminal network was dismantled -SEE SCAM ON PG. 57- Teen Slashed Near Ridgewood School by Robert Pozarycki Words exchanged between two teenagers led to a bloody fight outside Grover Cleveland High School on Monday morning, Dec. 8, as one of the combatants slashed his foe with a knife, police said. Reportedly, the assault occurred at 9:20 a.m. Monday across the street from the high school located at 2127 Himrod St. Law enforcement sources said the two male teenagers, ages 16 and 17, got into a verbal dispute outside the location; both are Grover Cleveland students. Seconds later, it was reported, a fight ensued, during which the 16-year-old male slashed his rival in the leg. Two School Safety agents worked to break up the battle and were injured in the process, authorities noted. Officers from the 104th Precinct responded to the scene. The 16-year-old suspect was taken into custody on assault charges; police also recovered the weapon used in the assault. The 17-year-old male was taken to Elmhurst Hospital Center for treatment of his injuries, while the injured agents were removed to Wyckoff Heights Medical Center; all are expected to recover. NNeewwss FFroomm TThhee Woodhaven Residents’ Block Association by Alexander Blenkinsopp For years, unwanted real estate solicitations were a problem in Queens and other parts of New York City. -SEEWRBA ON PG. 58- SUBSCRIBE TO THE Times Newsweekly Established in 1908 as Ridgewood Times Serving All Queens And Brooklyn + BEST Community Coverage + LARGEST Classified Pages + MORE Local Features & Columns FOR ONLY $2500 You Can Get The Times Newsweekly Mailed To Your Home For 52 Weeks ($30.00 Outside Queens & Brooklyn) FILL IN COUPON AND MAIL WITH CHECK NAME_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ADDRESS_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ CITY___________________________ ZIP_____________ PHONE_______________________________________________ (circle one) NEW SUBSCRIPTION RENEWAL WE ACCEPT ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS CALL 1-718-821-7500 Times Newsweekly P.O. 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