“Our role is to keep people trusting us and to keep faith in the system so I certainly would never want to do anything but support this and do not believe that I have done so,” said Rotman. “I regret submitting anything without the necessary detail to demonstrate why expenses fell within exceptions.”
“Now, it's even bigger, of course,” said Gordon, who is now a distinguished lecturer and faculty director of the executive masters in public administration program at Baruch College’s Marxe School of Public and International Affairs. six people who raised money for Mayor Eric Adams' 2021 mayoral bid were charged in a straw donor scheme“When the integrity of that program is corrupted, all New Yorkers suffer,” Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg said in a statement at the time.
In early February, a fraud alert was placed on Rotman’s card and agency staff told her to refrain from using it, according to internal emails obtained by Gothamist. “From my recollection, the charges to the P-Card flagged for fraud related to purchases from retailers which did not appear to be for the benefit of the CFB,” Ma wrote in the memo obtained through a FOIL request.“I let Rocvil and Colon know that I would discuss with Rotman her P-Card use, which I did over multiple difficult verbal conversations,” Ma wrote.In a March memo, Rocvil reviewed 40 receipts totaling $2,606.94. He said the CFB would only reimburse Rotman for four receipts — worth $229.
An portion of an internal memo sent by Mario Rocvil Jr. to Rotman noting what sort of situations are permissible to expense.He also noted that the balance of the 24 receipts, which totaled more than $1,700 and included more meals, a Metrocard and an unspecified purchase at the grocery store Key Food, required justification memos specifying how each of the purchases related to CFB business.On March 27, two weeks after Rocvil sent Rotman the finance memo, he left the agency.
threatening services, expense records show that Rotman spent nearly $40,000 of taxpayer money between last October and this March to spruce up her personal office and create a new staff lounge. To outfit the space, Rotman spent $21,763 on furniture and design services, according to invoices, receipts and credit card statements obtained by Gothamist through a FOIL request. The space included a tan leather couch, leather swivel bar stools and high-top tables, new paint and lighting, and even pillows embroidered with the agency's initials: CFB.