Public Housing Spotlight
on NYCHA

Issue 45
Published on February 16, 2000

(Click Here for NYCHA "preliminary" Audit
by NYC Comptroller Alan Hevesi)

(Click Here for Directory of Issues)

Do you hear what I hear?

Again, we waited with hope! But, the only thing that the grapevine hints at is that other CAD inspectors/supervisors are under investigation. It seems that exactly what Tony DiAlto, other inspectors and I predicted to the NYCHA IG's office has begun. I know that at least 3 of us told the IG people:

"When this is over, we fear that you guys will wind up forgetting any charges against NYCHA brass, and will instead parade a group of lowly contract inspector 's before a TV camera to show off another 'Successful Investigation', ala the 'crooked Inspectors' they had force marched in front of the cameras just a few years prior."

But both Steve Gruberger and John Kilpatrick (IG Investigators) put on a great act. You would have thought we questioned their very soul: "Oh, no! That's one thing we can assure you. We will gladly go as high as the information leads."

Now, why should you believe us?

Because we're releasing the tapes!

I've converted a copy of the audio tape into the Real Audio format. If you don't already have the FREE Real Audio player, you'll need to fill out a form and download it. (click here).

I loaded two versions. The whole conversation (25 minute, <3 Meg CLICK HERE), or, if you have a very slow connection (or attention span . . . ), a smaller (6 minute, <1 Meg CLICK HERE) file containing only the first 6 minutes of the conversation.

The background noise on the tape is a result of our being in Tony's car, in a rainstorm, and his wipers were going part of the time. During the first part of the tape, he's driving under an Expressway. By the last half, we're parked on a quiet street, so that's much clearer.

The dings come from the Freeware version of an audio editor I used to reduce the tape hiss. Unless you purchase the full package, it will ding every so often.

(On future tapes, which we will post, Tony "remembers" a lot more than he did on this initial go round. I don't believe he was being deceptive; I really believe that the extent and amount of bribery and other corruption was so great that Ol' Tony just needed more time to remember even most of it.)

We will still keep much data and tape evidence to ourselves, until that independent investigation we pray for finally begins. But other taped info that has thus far been held, along with some newly received documents, will now be published. During the next few weeks (or months?), Spotty will be rather busy. This info will cover a range of topics, from the mishandled (or worse) DOI investigation through the ATIS contract and beyond.

The series of Corruption Tapes will begin with Richard "Tony" DiAlto chronicling just some of his own bribe-taking. The tape was made within a month or so from when Tony first asked my help in getting his story to the IG. And DOI has had a copy of this tape since February 7, 1997, when DOI picked it up at my house!

If you've read the Corruption Issue, you know the general story. For those with no Web access, I'll briefly explain the beginning.

Tony didn't trust the IG's office, and he hoped that by enlisting help he'd decrease the chance of his getting screwed by them . He explained that if someone NOT involved with the corrupt ring of inspectors was with him as he met with anyone from the IG/DOI, they'd be more likely to fulfill any promises they made at the meeting. Because Tony wanted a deal that would get him full immunity in return for his giving up the names of the crooked contractors and inspectors. And he worried that if he went alone, they'd pull a fast one and he'd wind up in prison.

Later, about a dozen other honest NYCHA employees joined the group. All wanted only that one guarantee: The investigation wouldn't be aborted if it began to touch on politically hung NYCHA employees or NYCHA Executives.

Guess what?

One executive gets named as a taker of $ and the IG orders the entire investigation halted. They refuse to receive the evidence! Tony calls and tells me that they threatened putting him in jail if he even spoke to any of us again. The Inspector General himself meets with me at my local restaurant to ask if I'll forget letting the media hear the story.

And Tony? He disappears!

© MM Public Housing Spotlight and John Ballinger. All rights reserved.

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Contact Jack Ballinger at nychaspotlight@netscape.net
for a Real Audio sound clip containing a
conversation wherein DOI Investigator
John Kilpatrick discusses how he learned
that 2 NYCHA execs attended
a Mafia connected contractor's funeral .

Contact Jack Ballinger at nychaspotlight@netscape.net
for a Real Audio sound clip containing
the (3 Meg) confession of Tony DiAlto.
Tony was a member of a group of
corrupt Contract Inspectors working at NYCHA.
Neither Tony nor the person he confessed to
sharing his bribes with (Richard Penesi)
were ever charged, let alone prosecuted, by DOI.

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Public Housing Spotlight on NYCHA

Do you hear what I hear?

Now, why should you believe us?

Because we're releasing the tapes!

Guess what?

And Tony? He disappears!

© MM Public Housing Spotlight and John Ballinger. All rights reserved.

Links to all Issues are at page bottom

Public Housing Spotlight

Directory page with Issue overviews. | Current Issue of the Public Housing Spotlight | Special NYCHA Corruption Issue | ATIS (Timekeeping System) Issue | Spotty's Home |

Public Housing Spotlight
on NYCHA

Public Housing
Spotlight

Directory page with Issue overviews. |
Current Issue of the Public Housing Spotlight |
Special NYCHA Corruption Issue |
ATIS (Timekeeping System) Issue |
Spotty's Home |