San Mateo, South San Francisco and San Carlos residents could soon be allowed to water landscaping only two days per week, the California Water Service announced Wednesday.

The water provider said customers in its Bayshore District, which serves roughly 200,000 people in San Mateo County, will enter “stage 2” of the agency’s tiered water conservation plan in light of worsening drought conditions.

Ken Jenkins, chief water resource sustainability officer, said the decision was made based on growing water use and dwindling snowpacks and reservoir levels as the region’s experienced consecutive dry months amid its rainy season. He said in January the district saw an 8.4% increase in water use over the same month in 2020, and February’s numbers are expected to yield similar results.

The district entered stage 1 of the six stage Water Shortage Contingency Plan in August last year. Stage 1 bans runoff from irrigation, requires shut-off nozzles on hoses when washing vehicles and bans hosing down driveways or sidewalks except for “health and safety purposes.” Stage 2 builds on that, introducing lawn watering schedules. It also requires restaurants to serve water only by request.

Lawn or other landscaping watering will be allowed on staggered days of the week depending on street addresses. Those with odd numbers may water on Tuesday and Saturday, even numbers on Wednesday and Sunday.

Stage 3 would implement water budgets, setting limits for monthly use. Jenkins said there are currently no plans for such measures but that “conditions can change quickly.”

“Based on our ongoing assessment of supply and demand we would make that decision if the situation warranted it,” he said. “As we have from the beginning of the drunk we will continue to monitor … and make any decisions in the future based on those local conditions.”

Stage 2 aims for a maximum of 20% reductions in total water use — in line with the Gov. Gavin Newsom’s call last year for the state to reduce consumption by 15%. Stage 3 would aim for a 20% to 30% reduction.

Roughly 87% of the state, including San Mateo County, is within a “severe drought” classification, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System. That’s better than October of last year when a similar portion of the state was in an “extreme drought.” Now less than 13% of the state falls within the category.

Severe drought classification entails a longer fire season, stress on trees and plants and inadequate grazing land. Two months ago, 67% of the state was within the category.

Hetch Hetchy, the reservoir that supplies much of the Bay Area with water, is also above normal capacity for this time of year, at 81% compared with a 71% average, according to the California Department of Water Resources. But despite a strong start to the rainy season, limited precipitation in recent months has caused snowpacks, relied on to feed the reservoir, to dwindle, down to 59% of average for this time of year. For the northern part of the state in particular the outlook is worse, with snowpacks at just 52% of average.

Additionally, experts have warned soils could still be parched from prior consecutive dry years, causing runoff from melting snow to be absorbed prematurely. Higher than normal temperatures could also cause increased evaporation.

The district was last in stage 2 in 2015 and 2016, though Jenkins said the tiers have since been adjusted and stage 2 at the time more closely resemble current stage 3 restrictions.

The California Public Utilities Commission will need to approve the California Water Service’s request to move to Stage 2 before the additional restrictions can be enacted. If approved, the restrictions would go into place April 15.

Enforcement includes the possibility of fines up to $100, or flow restrictors to limit water use in the case of repeated fines or “egregious” violations, Jenkins said. He said enforcement measures would rely largely on reports but that “proactive” enforcement could be carried out if reduction targets were not met.

“Our preference is to work with our customers versus penalizing them,” he said. “In most cases, customers are very receptive to making the changes that are needed once they understand why they’re needed.”

The utility will hold a public meeting April 6 to provide information on the new measures, including on conservation programs and tools available. Go to www.calwater.com/stage2 to attend the meeting or for more information.

corey@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200, ext. 105

The post Water guidelines in works for San Mateo, South San Francisco and San Carlos residents | Native Information appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SAN FRANCISCO – Former San Francisco City Hall public official Mohammed Nuru agreed in a plea agreement filed today to plead guilty to honest services wire fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair, and Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Mark H. Pearson.  

Today’s development follows the January 15, 2020, 79-page federal complaint filed against then San Francisco Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Mohammed Nuru charging him with public corruption and describing a long-running scheme involving multiple bribes and kickbacks during his tenure as DPW’s Director.  Nuru, 59, of San Francisco, served as DPW’s Director from 2011 until charges were brought against him in 2020.  Nuru was also charged in a second federal complaint filed on January 28, 2020, with lying to a federal agent in the course of the San Francisco City Hall corruption investigation.  Today, in anticipation of entering his plea agreement resolving his cases, Nuru was arraigned today on an information – a charging document – that charges him with his sweeping scheme to defraud the San Francisco public of its right to his honest services in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 1346.

“Mohammed Nuru admits to a staggering amount of public corruption in his plea agreement,” said Acting United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds.  “For years, Nuru held a powerful and well-paid public leadership position at San Francisco City Hall, but instead of serving the public, Nuru served himself.  He took continuous bribes from the contractors, developers, and entities he regulated.  He now faces a prison sentence for enriching himself at the expense of the public as he sat in high office.  Federal authorities will investigate public corruption wherever it leads in San Francisco and throughout the district.”  

“Today’s announcement, while significant, is by no means the end of the FBI’s investigation into the corrupt conduct we have uncovered in San Francisco city government,”  said FBI Special Agent in Charge D. Fair.  “We will continue to hold accountable those who seek to personally benefit by corrupting the fair administration of public business and we will persist in our commitment to protect the integrity of the institutions that serve the people of San Francisco.”

“Our communities place great trust and responsibility in our public figures.  Mohammed Nuru ultimately betrayed this trust when he abused his power to defraud the City and County of San Francisco and its people,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Mark H. Pearson.  “We will not tolerate public corruption and will hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.  Today’s guilty plea is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners towards obtaining justice.”

Nuru signed today’s plea agreement and the agreement has been filed with the United States District Court in preparation for Nuru’s upcoming appearance to enter his guilty plea orally.  As the plea agreement outlines, before Nuru was appointed Director of DPW in 2011 he became DPW’s Deputy Director of Operations in 2000.  The Deputy Director of Operations is DPW’s second most senior position, behind only the Director.  In 2014, Nuru was also appointed to the Board of the Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA) and eventually served as its Chair.  As Deputy Director and eventually Director of DPW, and as Chair of the TJPA, Nuru exercised great influence over San Francisco (the City) business and policy, including public contracts, permits, and construction projects.  His power and influence extended beyond DPW’s jurisdiction to numerous other City departments and agencies, making him one of the most powerful public officials in the City.

Nuru admits in his plea agreement to a spectrum of public corruption involving bribery and kickbacks he received while in DPW leadership.  His admissions are summarized below:

Walter Wong:

In his plea agreement, Nuru admits he received a stream of bribes from Walter Wong.  Wong did business in the City through Walter Wong Construction, among other businesses. In exchange for Wong’s bribes, Nuru helped Wong secure City contracts.  Sometimes Nuru provided Wong with confidential insider City information on competitors’ bids or specifications.  At other times Nuru allowed Wong to structure the requirements for the City’s Request for Proposals (RFP) for projects ahead of time, to tailor their requirements to ensure that Wong’s company would be the most-qualified bidder.  Nuru also helped Wong expedite permit approvals.

Nuru admits in his plea agreement that his “corrupt relationship” with Wong began in approximately 2008 when Nuru was the Deputy Director for Operations at DPW.  Wong installed a gate for free at Nuru’s San Francisco home in exchange for future business with DPW and the City. Wong continued to perform construction services for free, or nearly free, at Nuru’s San Francisco home and later primarily at Nuru’s vacation ranch property in Colusa County. 

Nuru admits that, in exchange for Wong providing construction and other things of value, he exercised his official influence and took actions to benefit Wong.  In one example outlined in the plea agreement, Nuru used DPW’s emergency contract process, which did not require a public bidding process, to direct construction work to Walter Wong Construction on a navigation center located at 1515 South Van Ness Street and on the Jelani House (a housing shelter), resulting in City payments to Wong’s company during fiscal years 2017-2018 and 2019-2020.  In another example, Nuru used his position and official influence to direct DPW, the Market Street Association, and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to purchase Christmas lights from one of Wong’s businesses, regularly leading to tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of purchases.

Nuru further admits in his plea agreement that:

 o between approximately 2008 and January 2020, Wong provided in excess of $260,000 in labor and materials for work on Nuru’s San Francisco home and Colusa County ranch.
 o Wong paid for home furnishings for Nuru, including a chandelier, kitchen appliances, and furniture.
 o Wong paid for Nuru to travel to China multiple times and to South America on one occasion, which included reimbursing Nuru in cash for the cost of international flights.  Wong paid for Nuru and Sandra Zuniga, his girlfriend at the time, to accompany Nuru to South America and paid for their stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Santiago, Chile. 
 o On multiple occasions, Wong handed Nuru envelopes of cash, often as much as $5,000 at a time. 

Walter Wong was charged in June 2020 with conspiracy to defraud the public of its right to honest services and with conspiracy to engage in money laundering, both involving Nuru.  Wong entered a guilty plea and agreed to cooperate with the government’s San Francisco City Hall corruption investigation.

Multimillion-Dollar Mixed-Use Development:

Nuru admits he received free travel, gifts, and benefits, for working with Walter Wong to use Nuru’s official position to benefit a billionaire developer from China, referred to as DEVELOPER 1 in the plea agreement, who was developing a large multimillion-dollar mixed use project in San Francisco.  Wong, who worked as a consultant for DEVELOPER 1 on several of his large developments in the City, introduced Nuru to DEVELOPER 1.  Nuru met with Wong, another Department of Building Inspection official, DEVELOPER 1, and others over dinner on multiple occasions and discussed DEVELOPER 1’s projects.  Nuru never paid for the dinners.  Nuru admits that he also met with DEVELOPER 1 multiple times in China.  According to Nuru, DEVELOPER 1 owned multiple hotels in China, including five-star hotels.  Nuru received gifts from him, including free hotel stays. 

Nuru admits that, in exchange, he used his official position and influence to help DEVELOPER 1 obtain necessary approvals for his large, multimillion-dollar mixed-use project.  Nuru admits, among other things, that he told Sandra Zuniga that DEVELOPER 1 was upset because he had spent large amounts of money and had provided “a whole list of things” that Nuru said “we need to get done[.]”  Nuru admits that whenever DEVELOPER 1 or one of his employees notified him of an issue, Nuru directed one of his DPW managers to solve the problem and expedite the process.  Nuru also used his official influence with other City officials to solve problems encountered by DEVELOPER 1 that fell within the other City officials’ area of responsibility.

Recology:

Recology Inc. is a waste management company headquartered in San Francisco and the parent company of Sunset Scavenger Company, Golden Gate Disposal & Recycling Company, and Recology San Francisco (referred to as the “SF Recology Group” and, collectively with Recology Inc., as “Recology”).  Recology Inc. provided refuse collection and disposal services for residential and commercial customers in the City, as well as for the City itself, through the SF Recology Group.

As Director of DPW, Nuru presided over the process governing the rates Recology could charge in San Francisco.  Nuru recommended to the Rate Board whether to approve any rate increase for Recology.  Nuru also influenced “tipping fee” rates that Recology charged DPW when DPW dumped materials at a Recology facility, Sustainable Crushing.  Nuru could approve, deny, or affect operational changes that Recology wanted to make in San Francisco which, Nuru admits in his plea agreement, gave him the ability in his official capacity to affect Recology’s business. 

Nuru admits he accepted numerous valuable items from Recology and used his official position to help Recology’s business.  Among other things, Recology paid for soil to be delivered to Nuru’s ranch property in Colusa County, for expensive meals for Nuru, and for a two-night trip to New York on the City’s business in December 2017. 

Nuru admits that he also requested Recology to pay, and Recology did pay, hundreds of thousands of dollars to a San Francisco non-profit (Non-Profit A) in the form of donations for a cleaning program known as Giant Sweep.  Non-Profit A would then donate the payments to another non-profit that administered funds for the Giant Sweep program.  Nuru admitted he could then access the funds for a variety of other uses—including procuring goods and services for staff meals and appreciation events, volunteer programs, merchandise, community support, and events from specific vendors—in addition to their originally designated purpose for Giant Sweep.  From 2014 through the end of 2019, Recology donated approximately $150,000 per year for Giant Sweep, in $30,000 installments—for a total of approximately $750,000.

Nuru also admits he requested Recology hire his son.  Recology hired him and paid him, between 2015 and 2017, approximately $17,000.  Recology also funded a paid internship for Nuru’s son at a different non-profit organization and, between 2017 and 2018, paid approximately $23,600 to fund the paid internship.

Nuru admits he requested that Recology fund his DPW holiday parties.  Between 2016 and 2019, Recology paid approximately $60,000 for that purpose.  Recology made the payments through the Lefty O’Doul’s Foundation, a non-profit organization run by Nick Bovis. 

Two former Recology executives, Paul F. Giusti and John F. Porter, have been charged in this investigation.  Giusti was charged in November 2020, and Porter was charged in April 2021.  Both men were charged with bribery of Nuru and money laundering involving Nuru.  Giusti pleaded guilty in August 2021 to engaging in a conspiracy to bribe Nuru and is cooperating with the government’s San Francisco City Hall corruption investigation.  Porter’s charges remain pending.

The three subsidiaries of Recology, Inc. now have new leadership and have implemented enhanced corporate compliance programs to end any corrupt practices.  Recology resolved corporate charges brought against them through a deferred prosecution agreement with the government.  Pursuant to the agreement, the companies paid a $36 million fine, agreed to implement enhanced corporate compliance programs, and agreed to fully cooperate in the government’s San Francisco City Hall corruption investigation.

Nick Bovis:

Nuru admits in his plea agreement that he received multiple bribes from restaurateur Nick Bovis.  The bribes were in exchange for Nuru using his official acts and influence to assist, or to promise to assist, in public business opportunities with the City.  The bribes included free meals and entertainment for Nuru, his family, and associates at restaurants owned by Bovis and thousands of dollars in free appliances for Nuru’s ranch property.  Nuru also anticipated and expected tens of thousands of dollars in kickbacks from proceeds that Bovis would earn from the City concessions or contracts awarded due to Nuru’s official acts or influence to assist Bovis.

In one plea agreement example, Nuru admits he helped Bovis in a plan to win a bid for a restaurant lease at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).  Bovis expected to make money from the SFO concession, and Nuru expected Bovis would continue to provide bribes in exchange for Nuru’s help with the airport concession process and other public contracts.

In another example, Nuru admits he gave Bovis a price list of appliances that Nuru wanted for his ranch in or about 2018, a time when Bovis was seeking Nuru’s assistance with the SFO concession and other City business opportunities.  Bovis purchased the appliances and brought them to Nuru’s ranch.  Nuru accepted them as an exchange for his continued official acts and influence to help Bovis, and he did not pay for them.  The appliances were worth approximately $22,000.

Nick Bovis pleaded guilty in May 2020 to wire fraud and honest services wire fraud involving Nuru and agreed to cooperate in the government’s San Francisco City Hall corruption investigation. 

Florence Kong:

Nuru admits in his plea agreement that he accepted a gold Rolex watch from Bay Area businesswoman Florence Kong.  The watch was valued at approximately $36,550.  Nuru admits he used his official position to benefit Kong’s businesses and did so in exchange for the Rolex and for cash, free meals, and other items of value provided by Kong, including an iron fence that Kong installed at Nuru’s ranch.  In one example, Nuru states that he used his official position to direct business to SFR Recovery Inc., a recycling business that Kong owned. 

Florence Kong was charged and pleaded guilty to bribery of Nuru and to making false statements to FBI agents during the investigation.  She was sentenced in February 2021 to one year and one day in prison and ordered to pay a $95,000 fine.

Balmore Hernandez, William Gilmartin, & Alan Varela:

Nuru admits in his plea agreement that between 2013 and January 2020 he accepted a series of bribes and kickbacks from Balmore Hernandez, William Gilmartin, and Alan Varela in exchange for past and future official actions benefitting their City business ventures.  Nuru received free meals and entertainment, cash, and free labor and materials for his ranch – including a brand new tractor.  Nuru also expected to receive a portion of the proceeds  from anticipated City contracts awarded to them or their associates as a result of Nuru’s official acts or influence on their behalf.

In one example, Nuru admitted he helped Varela and Gilmartin’s joint venture win a DPW supply contract and a related lease with the Port of San Francisco (the “Port”) to operate an asphalt recycling plant and a concrete plant on the Port’s land.  In the early stages, Nuru helped the group prepare their proposal by providing them inside non-public information on the project.  The non-public information was delivered to Hernandez through emails or phone calls or through regular dinning meetings in San Mateo with Gilmartin and Hernandez.  Gilmartin paid approximately $20,000 for the dinners, with the parties agreeing that Nuru’s dinners were worth approximately $7,000.

Nuru admits that Gilmartin promised him $100,000 for his official assistance to pressure a large developer to select one of Gilmartin and Varela’s joint-venture partners for a large project in San Francisco.  The large developer complied with Nuru’s request because, as Nuru admits, the large developer needed DPW approvals for the project and for other large developments in the City.

Nuru admits that he received approximately $25,000 in cash from Hernandez and received approximately $250,000 in free labor and materials from Hernandez at Nuru’s ranch. 

Nuru also requested the group give him a tractor.  In February 2019, Alan Varela delivered a new tractor to the Nuru’s ranch, a benefit valued at approximately $20,000.

Balmore Hernandez was also charged in connection with this investigation.  He pleaded guilty to honest services wire fraud in October 2020 and agreed to cooperate in the government’s San Francisco City Hall corruption investigation. 

William Gilmartin was charged in connection with this investigation.  He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud in May 2021 and agreed to cooperate in the government’s San Francisco City Hall corruption investigation.
Alan Varela was charged in connection with this investigation.  He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and was sentenced in September 2021 to two years in prison and ordered to pay a $127,000 fine. 

Sandra Zuniga Money Laundering:

Nuru admits that in or about 2010 he bought a 10-acre lot in Colusa County and developed it into his vacation ranch with free labor and materials provided by City contractors seeking favors from him. Nuru admits he also used the proceeds of his crimes to pay the mortgage.  To conceal and launder the source of the proceeds, Nuru states he funneled the money through Sandra Zuniga who made the monthly $1,000 mortgage payments out of her checking account. Nuru admits that from 2014 through August 2017, he typically gave Zuniga approximately $1,000 per month, generally in cash, and she deposited the money into her bank account.  She then made the $1,000 payment towards the mortgage.  In this way, Zuniga paid at least $42,000 of the mortgage.

Zuniga was charged and pleaded guilty in March 2021 to engaging in a conspiracy to launder money with Nuru.  She agreed to cooperate in the government’s San Francisco City Hall corruption investigation.

Other Bribes:

Nuru admits in his plea agreement that around 2018 he accepted a bribe of $20,000 in cash from a former government employee in exchange for Nuru using his position to help a particular person obtain an engineering job with the City. Nuru received the cash in three installments of $10,000, $5,000, and $5,000.  Ultimately, the individual failed to maintain employment with the City.

Nuru also admits he accepted cash bribes from a prominent developer in San Francisco.  The cash bribes usually consisted of a few thousand dollars.  The developer would later call Nuru when he had any problems with DPW-related approvals or other matters that Nuru could help resolve. 

In his plea agreement, Nuru admits guilt and agrees to plead guilty to one count of honest services wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 1346.  If convicted of the count, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or not more than the greater of twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss of the crime. 

The government indicates in the plea agreement its intent to ask for up to a 108 month (9 year) sentence for Nuru.  However, any sentence imposed by the court will follow only after the court’s consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Today, in a procedural step towards orally entering his guilty plea, Nuru was arraigned and pleaded not guilty before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero to an information charging him with a count of honest services wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 1346. 

Nuru’s next appearance is currently set before United States District Judge Susan Illston on January 14, 2022, at which he is currently scheduled to formally enter his guilty plea pursuant to his plea agreement.  Nuru remains out of custody on bond.
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This case is part of a larger federal investigation targeting public corruption in the City and County of San Francisco.  To date, 12 individuals and three corporate entities have been charged, including two high-ranking San Francisco public officials, Nuru and Harlan Kelly.  Multiple city contractors and facilitators have been charged.  Allegations in the complaint filed against Harlan Kelly assert that he received thousands of dollars in airfare, meals, jewelry, and travel expenses, along with repair work on his house.   

The case is being prosecuted by the Corporate and Securities Fraud Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.  The case is being investigated by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation. 

The post Former San Francisco Public Works Director Admits To String Of Briberies And Corruption Throughout Years In Workplace | USAO-NDCA appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SAN FRANCISCO – Former San Francisco City Hall public official Mohammed Colin Nuru was sentenced today to 84 months (7 years) in federal prison for honest services wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan, and Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Mark H. Pearson. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge William H. Orrick.

Nuru, 59, was first arrested on January 17, 2020, following the filing of a 79-page federal criminal complaint against him. Nuru was then the Director of the San Francisco Department of Public Works (DPW) and had held that position since 2011, when he was elevated from the DPW Deputy Director of Operations position that he had held since 2000. The complaint charged Nuru with honest services Fraud in public office, alleging a long-running scheme of bribes and kickbacks during his DPW tenure. A second federal complaint filed January 28, 2020, charged Nuru for lying to a federal agent following his arrest.

On January 6, 2022, Nuru pleaded guilty to the charge of defrauding the public of its right to his honest services, in violation of 18 USC §§ 1343 and 1346.

“Mohammed Nuru’s prison sentence is punishment for more than a decade of public corruption,” said United States Attorney Stephanie Hinds. “As San Francisco’s Department of Public Works Deputy Director and then its Director, Nuru owed the people of San Francisco a duty of faithful, honest services. Instead, he betrayed that duty. For at least twelve years, Nuru shook down contractors eager for city business, trading his authority and influence for millions of dollars in cash, construction work, travel, meals, and gifts. His abhorrent conduct erodes the public’s trust in its government, and this case demonstrates the justice system can and will punish corrupt public officials.”

“Mohammed Nuru’s long-running scheme of bribes and kickbacks ultimately earned him seven years in prison. Today’s sentence sends a clear message that public officials who abuse their power for personal gain will be punished,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan. “The FBI’s investigation into this case is not over. We will continue to unravel and disrupt corruption within the city of San Francisco.”

“Corruption happens in the shadows, often with the help of professional enablers who perpetuate fraudulent schemes and the corrupt who launder and hide their illicit wealth. The Oakland Field Office of IRS Criminal Investigation has dedicated resources to unraveling the truth behind the extensive web of corruption, which Mohammed Nuru presided over, during his tenure leading the San Francisco Department of Public Works,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Mark H Pearson. “Today’s sentencing is a true reflection of the collaborative commitment between IRS-CI, the FBI, and the USAO-NDCA to protect public welfare, the people in our communities, and bring justice to light.”

In his plea agreement, Nuru admits to a pervasive corruption scheme involving bribery, kickbacks and fraud that spanned at least his last 12 years in office. During that time, Nuru sat not only as Deputy Director of Operations and then Director at DPW but also as a member of the Board of the Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA). Appointed to the TJPA board in 2014, Nuru eventually became his Chair. From these positions, Nuru exercised substantial power and influence over San Francisco (the City) business and policy, including its public contracts, permits, and construction projects. Nuru’s authority made him a powerful public official in the city.

Nuru’s admissions detail his broad array of graft in office, and a sample of them are below:

Walter Wong: Nuru’s corrupt relationship with San Francisco-based contractor Walter Wong began in 2008. Nuru accepted envelopes of cash containing as much as $5,000 at a time from Wong, and Wong bribed Nuru with more than $260,000 in construction labor and materials provided to Nuru’s San Francisco home and his vacation ranch property located in Stonyford in Colusa County. Wong also paid for Nuru to travel to China multiple times and to South America, footing the bill for international flights and a stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Santiago, Chile, for Nuru and his then-girlfriend Sandra Zuniga, another city official. In exchange, Nuru helped Wong secure City contracts by structuring the City’s Request for Proposals (RFPs) to ensure Wong’s company secured the contract, by providing Wong with confidential information on competitors’ bids, and by helping Wong expedite permit approvals.

Recology: Recology Inc. is a waste management company headquartered in San Francisco and the parent company of Sunset Scavenger Company, Golden Gate Disposal & Recycling Company, and Recology San Francisco (collectively referred to as Recology) that provided collection and disposal services for residential and commercial customers located in the city and for the city itself. In his DPW Director’s position, Nuru presided over the process governing the rates that Recology could charge, including “tipping fee” rates that Recology charged DPW when DPW dumped materials at a Recology facility. In exchange for favorable treatment from Nuru, Nuru describes that Recology bribed him with soil delivered to his Colusa County ranch, expensive meals, and a two-night trip to New York in December 2017. At Nuru’s request, Recology also donated hundreds of thousands of Dollars to a San Francisco non-profit for a cleaning program that Nuru could access and use for other purposes, and Recology further funded DPW holiday parties with $60,000 in donations. Recology also arranged and funded the hiring of a Nuru family member.

Nick Bovis: Nuru received multiple bribes from restaurateur Nick Bovis, including free meals and entertainment for Nuru, his family, and associates at restaurants owned by Bovis and thousands of dollars in free appliances for Nuru’s ranch property. Nuru also expected tens of thousands of dollars in kickbacks from proceeds that Bovis would earn from City concessions or contracts awarded to Bovis. In exchange, Nuru used his official acts and influence to assist Bovis in obtaining public business and contracts with the City.

Florence Kong: Nuru accepted a gold Rolex watch valued at $36,550, cash, and an iron fence installed at Nuru’s ranch from businesswoman Florence Kong. In exchange, Nuru used his official position to benefit Kong’s businesses, including a recycling business owned by Kong.

Balmore Hernandez, William Gilmartin, & Alan Varela: In a series of bribes and kickbacks from Balmore Hernandez, William Gilmartin, and Alan Varela, Nuru received a brand new tractor for his vacation ranch, free meals, and cash. Nuru also expected to receive a portion of the proceeds from anticipated City contracts awarded to them. In exchange, Nuru exercised his official authority and influence to benefit their City business ventures.

These are just examples of some of the bribes Nuru admitted in his plea agreement. Multiple other individuals paid Nuru in exchange for favorable official acts from him.

In addition to the sentence of imprisonment, United States District Judge William H. Orrick ordered a three year term of supervision of Nuru upon his release from prison. He also ordered the forfeiture to the United States of Nuru’s vacation ranch property in Stonyford, California. Nuru will surrender to begin serving his sentence on January 6, 2023.

This case is part of a larger federal investigation targeting public corruption in the City and County of San Francisco. To date, twelve individuals and multiple corporate entities have been charged, including another high-ranking San Francisco public official, the former San Francisco Public Utilities Commission General Manager Harlan Kelly. Charges against Harlan Kelly remain pending. Multiple city contractors and facilitators have also been charged.

The case is being prosecuted by the Corporate and Securities Fraud Section of the US Attorney’s Office. The case was investigated by the FBI and IRS-CI.

The post Former San Francisco Public Works Director Sentenced To Seven Years In Federal Jail | USAO-NDCA appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

SAN FRANCISCO – Former San Francisco City Hall public official Mohammed Colin Nuru was sentenced today to 84 months (7 years) in federal prison for honest services wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan, and Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Mark H. Pearson. The sentence was handed down by United States District Judge William H. Orrick.

Nuru, 59, was first arrested on January 17, 2020, following the filing of a 79-page federal criminal complaint against him. Nuru was then the Director of the San Francisco Department of Public Works (DPW) and had held that position since 2011, when he was elevated from the DPW Deputy Director of Operations position that he had held since 2000. The complaint charged Nuru with honest services Fraud in public office, alleging a long-running scheme of bribes and kickbacks during his DPW tenure. A second federal complaint filed January 28, 2020, charged Nuru for lying to a federal agent following his arrest.

On January 6, 2022, Nuru pleaded guilty to the charge of defrauding the public of its right to his honest services, in violation of 18 USC §§ 1343 and 1346.

“Mohammed Nuru’s prison sentence is punishment for more than a decade of public corruption,” said United States Attorney Stephanie Hinds. “As San Francisco’s Department of Public Works Deputy Director and then its Director, Nuru owed the people of San Francisco a duty of faithful, honest services. Instead, he betrayed that duty. For at least twelve years, Nuru shook down contractors eager for city business, trading his authority and influence for millions of dollars in cash, construction work, travel, meals, and gifts. His abhorrent conduct erodes the public’s trust in its government, and this case demonstrates the justice system can and will punish corrupt public officials.”

“Mohammed Nuru’s long-running scheme of bribes and kickbacks ultimately earned him seven years in prison. Today’s sentence sends a clear message that public officials who abuse their power for personal gain will be punished,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean Ragan. “The FBI’s investigation into this case is not over. We will continue to unravel and disrupt corruption within the city of San Francisco.”

“Corruption happens in the shadows, often with the help of professional enablers who perpetuate fraudulent schemes and the corrupt who launder and hide their illicit wealth. The Oakland Field Office of IRS Criminal Investigation has dedicated resources to unraveling the truth behind the extensive web of corruption, which Mohammed Nuru presided over, during his tenure leading the San Francisco Department of Public Works,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Mark H Pearson. “Today’s sentencing is a true reflection of the collaborative commitment between IRS-CI, the FBI, and the USAO-NDCA to protect public welfare, the people in our communities, and bring justice to light.”

In his plea agreement, Nuru admits to a pervasive corruption scheme involving bribery, kickbacks and fraud that spanned at least his last 12 years in office. During that time, Nuru sat not only as Deputy Director of Operations and then Director at DPW but also as a member of the Board of the Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA). Appointed to the TJPA board in 2014, Nuru eventually became his Chair. From these positions, Nuru exercised substantial power and influence over San Francisco (the City) business and policy, including its public contracts, permits, and construction projects. Nuru’s authority made him a powerful public official in the city.

Nuru’s admissions detail his broad array of graft in office, and a sample of them are below:

Walter Wong: Nuru’s corrupt relationship with San Francisco-based contractor Walter Wong began in 2008. Nuru accepted envelopes of cash containing as much as $5,000 at a time from Wong, and Wong bribed Nuru with more than $260,000 in construction labor and materials provided to Nuru’s San Francisco home and his vacation ranch property located in Stonyford in Colusa County. Wong also paid for Nuru to travel to China multiple times and to South America, footing the bill for international flights and a stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Santiago, Chile, for Nuru and his then-girlfriend Sandra Zuniga, another city official. In exchange, Nuru helped Wong secure City contracts by structuring the City’s Request for Proposals (RFPs) to ensure Wong’s company secured the contract, by providing Wong with confidential information on competitors’ bids, and by helping Wong expedite permit approvals.

Recology: Recology Inc. is a waste management company headquartered in San Francisco and the parent company of Sunset Scavenger Company, Golden Gate Disposal & Recycling Company, and Recology San Francisco (collectively referred to as Recology) that provided collection and disposal services for residential and commercial customers located in the city and for the city itself. In his DPW Director’s position, Nuru presided over the process governing the rates that Recology could charge, including “tipping fee” rates that Recology charged DPW when DPW dumped materials at a Recology facility. In exchange for favorable treatment from Nuru, Nuru describes that Recology bribed him with soil delivered to his Colusa County ranch, expensive meals, and a two-night trip to New York in December 2017. At Nuru’s request, Recology also donated hundreds of thousands of Dollars to a San Francisco non-profit for a cleaning program that Nuru could access and use for other purposes, and Recology further funded DPW holiday parties with $60,000 in donations. Recology also arranged and funded the hiring of a Nuru family member.

Nick Bovis: Nuru received multiple bribes from restaurateur Nick Bovis, including free meals and entertainment for Nuru, his family, and associates at restaurants owned by Bovis and thousands of dollars in free appliances for Nuru’s ranch property. Nuru also expected tens of thousands of dollars in kickbacks from proceeds that Bovis would earn from City concessions or contracts awarded to Bovis. In exchange, Nuru used his official acts and influence to assist Bovis in obtaining public business and contracts with the City.

Florence Kong: Nuru accepted a gold Rolex watch valued at $36,550, cash, and an iron fence installed at Nuru’s ranch from businesswoman Florence Kong. In exchange, Nuru used his official position to benefit Kong’s businesses, including a recycling business owned by Kong.

Balmore Hernandez, William Gilmartin, & Alan Varela: In a series of bribes and kickbacks from Balmore Hernandez, William Gilmartin, and Alan Varela, Nuru received a brand new tractor for his vacation ranch, free meals, and cash. Nuru also expected to receive a portion of the proceeds from anticipated City contracts awarded to them. In exchange, Nuru exercised his official authority and influence to benefit their City business ventures.

These are just examples of some of the bribes Nuru admitted in his plea agreement. Multiple other individuals paid Nuru in exchange for favorable official acts from him.

In addition to the sentence of imprisonment, United States District Judge William H. Orrick ordered a three year term of supervision of Nuru upon his release from prison. He also ordered the forfeiture to the United States of Nuru’s vacation ranch property in Stonyford, California. Nuru will surrender to begin serving his sentence on January 6, 2023.

This case is part of a larger federal investigation targeting public corruption in the City and County of San Francisco. To date, twelve individuals and multiple corporate entities have been charged, including another high-ranking San Francisco public official, the former San Francisco Public Utilities Commission General Manager Harlan Kelly. Charges against Harlan Kelly remain pending. Multiple city contractors and facilitators have also been charged.

The case is being prosecuted by the Corporate and Securities Fraud Section of the US Attorney’s Office. The case was investigated by the FBI and IRS-CI.

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Lorde performs at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco on May 3, 2022, Roman Gokhman/STAFF. This story will be updated with photos as soon as they become available.

SAN FRANCISCO — It’s been a hot minute since Lorde last visited the Bay Area.

The New Zealand artist’s last show, at Oakland Arena in 2018, took place when most of the country didn’t know the difference between a pandemic and epidemic. Heck, Oakland Arena was the Oracle back then. After initially delaying a new album, 25-year-old artist Ella Yelich-O’Connor returned with Solar Power, her most complicated work so far.

At her concert Tuesday at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, the third to last of her Solar Power North American tour, Lorde made it clear that she has missed her fans as much as they have missed her.

“I wished I could call you up,” Lorde said of her time away from the music scene, back home in New Zealand. “I know I don’t seem like it, but I’m shy. A lot of my life has been spent very isolated, very alone. These rooms full of you … have made me feel very cared for, very supported.”

She said this before her band kicked into “Liability,” one of a handful of songs from older albums, which she sprinkled into a 21-song set; first a little at a time and then a lot at once for a climactic finish. The show was broken up into three segments representative of the time of the day. Driving the point home was a giant sundial, which consisted of a rotating platform, a 45-degree ladder that Lorde and her touring musicians would sometimes climb, and a Lorde-sized drum (the fulcrum of the ladder), in which she’d duck into a couple of times, including once to change outfits while everyone watched her silhouette. At the back of the stage was a video screen that projected, mostly a sun that was illuminated various colors to assist in the theme; dark at first, then pink and purple to signify daybreak, and so on.

If that sounds like a lot… it was actually a bit underwhelming. The stage was lit in sepia tones most of the night. The band members, doing performance art, were as motionless as possible. If they were having fun on stage, they didn’t show it. While performing, Lorde often had a musician or singer positioned next to her, but unmoving; sometimes facing the back of the stage. The biggest issue with the show as the pacing, which buried most of the slower songs in the first two acts. It was Lorde’s will, for sure, and those songs represented some of the heavier themes of Solar Power.

“We’re gonna have a great show, but right now we need to have a cry,” she said before sitting down inside the drum with one of her crew/mannequin for “Stoned at the Nail Salon.” There was a lot of crying to get through, with only occasional energetic pit stops like “Buzzcut Season,” “The Louvre” and “Secrets From a Girl (Who’s Seen It All).” Periodic glances at attendees in the building showed that the fans were into the sad vibes. The thousands packed shoulder to shoulder remained standing (not that they had room to sit down). They had clearly connected with the material.

Lorde, meanwhile, performed a noticeable amount of these songs for two-thirds of the show while seated, either on the ladder, in the drum or on the moving sundial platform itself. A couple of times she leaned against the ladder. Dancing songs, these were not.

Lorde began with “Leader of a New Regime,” with a story of a ruined earth, and worked through “Homemade Dynamite” at the back of the stage and “Buzzcut Season,” during which the “sun” against the back of the stage glowing pink. The crowd was ready to explode by this point, and the people moving on the floor created a wave-like effect from above.

Lorde performs at Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco on May 3, 2022,

Following “Fallen Fruit” she disappeared backstage and returned not with the orange jacket and black pants in which she started the show but in a poofy white dress. On several songs like “The Path,” she performed on the ladder itself, some bandmates standing behind her.

Lorde introduced “Ribs” as a song she wrote when she was 15, and asked the crowd to dance like they were still 15. While fans sang along to most of the songs, the older material clearly still hit harder.

“It feels so good to be out of bed,” she said, after earlier in the show saying she was recovering from a recent illness.

Other highlights from these first two parts of the show included the mood-boosting “Secrets From a Girl (Who’s Seen It All)” and the bassy “The Louvre,” after which Lorde announced there was a “slight sundial malfunction.”

This meant that the majority of the dance-ready songs got held to the last segment of the show. And while the first two segments represented the themes of the album, the last segment was by far the best entertainment of the night.

Reappearing from the drum, in which she’d just changed to a pink cocktail dress, Lorde was ready to get her evening within an evening started. She and her band breezed through “Mood Ring” and “Sober” before launching into “Supercut,” on which she finally broke out into that signature jerky dancing and hopping around onstage.

The new album’s title track—which Lorde said she wrote about in Martha’s Vineyard in an attempt to catch that salty, summer, beach feeling—was sandwiched between the night’s two biggest melodic highlights: “Perfect Places” and “Green Light” (still one of the best pop songs of the last decade). It was all an impeccable 25-minute stretch. Perhaps these songs work better together, all at once. But tossing a few in earlier in the set would have made getting to this moment a happier experience.

She rounded off the show with “Oceanic Feeling” and an encore of two of her biggest hits, “Royals” and “Team.”

Bay Area singer-songwriter Remi Wolf opened the concert in her second or third local performance in recent months, following her headlining show at the Regency Ballroom in January. Wearing a summery dress, Remi Wolf danced around to her band’s surf-pop guitars and funky rhythms. Her 30-minute set included “Disco Man,” “Monte Carlo,” “Sexy Villain” and “Photo ID.” She showed off her most impressive belting on power ballad “Liz,” some rapping on “Woo!” and did a faithful Janis Joplin impression on a cover of “Piece of My Heart.”

Follow editor Roman Gokhman at Twitter.com/RomiTheWriter.

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San Mateo, South San Francisco and San Carlos residents could soon be allowed to water landscaping only two days per week, the California Water Service announced Wednesday.

The water provider said customers in its Bayshore District, which serves roughly 200,000 people in San Mateo County, will enter “stage 2” of the agency’s tiered water conservation plan in light of worsening drought conditions.

Ken Jenkins, chief water resource sustainability officer, said the decision was made based on growing water use and dwindling snowpacks and reservoir levels as the region’s experienced consecutive dry months amid its rainy season. He said in January the district saw an 8.4% increase in water use over the same month in 2020, and February’s numbers are expected to yield similar results.

The district entered stage 1 of the six stage Water Shortage Contingency Plan in August last year. Stage 1 bans runoff from irrigation, requires shut-off nozzles on hoses when washing vehicles and bans hosing down driveways or sidewalks except for “health and safety purposes.” Stage 2 builds on that, introducing lawn watering schedules. It also requires restaurants to serve water only by request.

Lawn or other landscaping watering will be allowed on staggered days of the week depending on street addresses. Those with odd numbers may water on Tuesday and Saturday, even numbers on Wednesday and Sunday.

Stage 3 would implement water budgets, setting limits for monthly use. Jenkins said there are currently no plans for such measures but that “conditions can change quickly.”

“Based on our ongoing assessment of supply and demand we would make that decision if the situation warranted it,” he said. “As we have from the beginning of the drunk we will continue to monitor … and make any decisions in the future based on those local conditions.”

Stage 2 aims for a maximum of 20% reductions in total water use — in line with the Gov. Gavin Newsom’s call last year for the state to reduce consumption by 15%. Stage 3 would aim for a 20% to 30% reduction.

Roughly 87% of the state, including San Mateo County, is within a “severe drought” classification, according to the National Integrated Drought Information System. That’s better than October of last year when a similar portion of the state was in an “extreme drought.” Now less than 13% of the state falls within the category.

Severe drought classification entails a longer fire season, stress on trees and plants and inadequate grazing land. Two months ago, 67% of the state was within the category.

Hetch Hetchy, the reservoir that supplies much of the Bay Area with water, is also above normal capacity for this time of year, at 81% compared with a 71% average, according to the California Department of Water Resources. But despite a strong start to the rainy season, limited precipitation in recent months has caused snowpacks, relied on to feed the reservoir, to dwindle, down to 59% of average for this time of year. For the northern part of the state in particular the outlook is worse, with snowpacks at just 52% of average.

Additionally, experts have warned soils could still be parched from prior consecutive dry years, causing runoff from melting snow to be absorbed prematurely. Higher than normal temperatures could also cause increased evaporation.

The district was last in stage 2 in 2015 and 2016, though Jenkins said the tiers have since been adjusted and stage 2 at the time more closely resemble current stage 3 restrictions.

The California Public Utilities Commission will need to approve the California Water Service’s request to move to Stage 2 before the additional restrictions can be enacted. If approved, the restrictions would go into place April 15.

Enforcement includes the possibility of fines up to $100, or flow restrictors to limit water use in the case of repeated fines or “egregious” violations, Jenkins said. He said enforcement measures would rely largely on reports but that “proactive” enforcement could be carried out if reduction targets were not met.

“Our preference is to work with our customers versus penalizing them,” he said. “In most cases, customers are very receptive to making the changes that are needed once they understand why they’re needed.”

The utility will hold a public meeting April 6 to provide information on the new measures, including on conservation programs and tools available. Go to www.calwater.com/stage2 to attend the meeting or for more information.

corey@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200, ext. 105

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Designs for the San Francisco outpost are particularly swell — it will sit amidst the skyline atop a … [+] former Macy’s department store.

Chotto mat

Chotto Matte, a high-voltage destination for Nikkei cuisine, is growing. Not just with one new locale or a souped-up renovation — new locations in Doha, Riyadh, San Francisco, and London (the brand’s second location in the city) are in the works, with properties in Washington and Manchester to follow. “We’ve also secured Rome, Beverly Hills and Milan,” describes founder Kurt Zdesar, “and we’re in the final stages of signing Philadelphia, Las Vegas and Nashville.”

Doha will open at the end of next month, with Marylebone, London, to follow in April. Riyadh and San Francisco are set to open by the end of 2022.

It’s an ambitious expansion, particularly in the wake of a global pandemic that shuttered over 100,000 restaurants in the US alone.

“Warren Buffet said it best,” explains Zdesar via Facetime. “When everyone else is buying, selling. When everyone else is selling, buy.” The pandemic left restaurant real estate ripe for the picking, and he in a position to negotiate on pricing.”Not only was I getting AAA sites but I’m getting huge support from landlords. While I likely would have opened five restaurants over these next few years, I’m taking on upwards of 10.”

Global expansion isn’t a green concept to the Australian-born, British-based food magnate. Zdesar started his career at KFC franchise Southern Fast Foods (as a manager by 18, no less), moving upwards to open Nobu’s first London restaurant before launching Ping Pong, his brand of dim sum restaurants. Add in a consulting gig or two (at London’s Hakkasan and Paris’ Les Bains) and he’s well versed in bottling lightning.

He sold his shares in Ping Pong and opened Chotto Matte on London’s Frith Street in 2013, offering Nikkei cuisine as a buzzing, bicultural dining experience with blown-out theatrics and art-covered spaces. Miami followed in 2018 — an impressive space with a retractable roof and a 33,000-pound volcanic boulder — and a two-level space in downtown Toronto in 2019.

Doha will open at the end of next month, with Marylebone, London, to follow in April. Riyadh and San … [+] Francisco are set to open by the end of 2022.

Chotto mat

What is Nikkei cuisine? A hyper-specific facet of Peruvian cuisine born from the Japanese migrants who arrived in Peru in the late 1800s to work on coastal sugar plantations. Japan’s government wanted to relocate young farmers by moving them to countries experiencing agricultural booms. Tens of thousands made the journey.

Like many marginalized immigrant communities, they adapted their culinary traditions to fit their location, making familiar recipes with foreign Peruvian ingredients. Nikkei – the Japanese word for emigrants – now signals the cuisine of this diaspora. (For guests who are confused about these bi-cultural offerings on the menu, servers are quick to explain Nikkei’s roots.)

At Chotto Matte, that means black cod carefully marinated in yuzu, aji and miso and caramelized on a binchotan grill, or broccoli and huacatay (a Peruvian black mint sauce) similarly charred. Vibrant yellowtail ceviches are plush with leche de tigre, toasted Peruvian corn, sweet potatoes and bright slivers of onions. Anticuchos, or small pieces of octopus, chicken, or salmon, are sliced ​​small, skewered and grilled until they’re juicy and packed with flavor. Drinks pairing run the gamut of local wines, sake and fluffy pisco sours.

Rich, smokey binchotan-grilled pulpo served with fluffy purple Peruvian potatoes and yuzu is a … [+] Hallmark of the bi-cultural cuisine of Peru and Japan.

www.studiolau.com

On any given weeknight a DJ will set up camp by the entrance. Weekends are filled with everything from drag brunches to contemporary dance shows. “We aren’t in the business of entertainment, but we do entertain,” explains Zdesar. Dinner at Chotto Matte is a highly sensory experience — sushi is torched tableside, floor-to-ceiling graffiti glows in low light and performers weave between tables.

Zdesar’s rollout strategy is to “enter markets where something like this doesn’t exist.” Are Nikkei ingredients available in that market? Are there other Nikkei restaurants?

He looks into the locations of top-performing restaurants in the world. What cities are they in? What neighborhoods? “In DC, all the top-performing restaurants surround the White House. So, we can’t be too far from there.”

Zdesar handles much of this research himself. “Not only is this a financial commitment and an investment risk, but the space needs to speak to me and have the right space for our concept.”

San Francisco’s rooftop perch is slick, spacious, and centralized in the city’s core.

Chotto mat

In Manchester, that means “an 18,000 square foot rooftop space in a growing city. Folks who have opened there in the last few years have done exceptionally well,” says Zdesar. Designs for the San Francisco outpost are particularly swell — Chotto Matte will sit amidst the skyline atop a former Macy’s department store currently undergoing a massive renovation that will transform the building into a retail center and expansive event hub. In Los Angeles, Chotto Matte wants to inhabit a spacious rooftop overlooking Beverly Hills.

Doha (located in the St. Regis Marsa Arabia) and Riyadh (in the King Abdullah Financial District) will fall under a new franchise system put in place by Chotto Matte to facilitate global expansions. Management will be handled locally, with the brand’s UK headquarters overseeing strategy and marketing. Zdesar assures them do limit openings to ensure they launch each new space efficiently and properly. “We can only grow to the capabilities of management.”

Down the road, they plan to open a training school in Miami, where new staff can decamp and train before joining an opening team. “We would get better use of our Miami location and it’s a purpose-driven expansion – our current biggest limitation is building our teams.”

To secure success at each new Chotto Matte, key members of new locations — head chefs, executive chef, sushi restaurant managers — are sent to busy locations for a quality-check retreat of sorts. “If they can run that location, we know they’ll be fine wherever they go,” Zdesar says. “It’s an investment, but we see it as an insurance policy.”

The Toronto Space is neon-hued and nestled between soaring buildings in the city’s finance … [+] district and Union Station, Toronto’s transit hub.

Chotto mat

No matter the location, each Chotto Matte will have the brand’s signature performative element. “We’re thinking of full theatrical nights, proper installations and allocating areas where performers can work freely.” An Italian company is on board to help boost experiences, curate uniforms and find local artists.

“Anytime we do anything like that the reaction, uptake and uplift in the business is phenomenal,” he continues. “These experiences are garnering us millions of interactions on social media.”

“I think the whole global dining experience is going to shift towards entertaining,” says Zdesar. After years shut inside, does a restaurant exist simply as a place for nourishment, or does it need more reasons to draw in diners? “We’re looking at a new model of what a restaurant is today – it touches all senses.”

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Ukraine’s 41 and a half million people are well aware of the military buildup along its eastern border with Russia. The threat is a big concern for San Francisco’s JustAnswer. One-third of its workforce — 252 people — live in Ukraine.

“A lot of our engineering, a lot of our critical functions are done there,” said CEO Andy Kurtzig. “So it’s very scary, and even more scary on a personal level because these are all our friends.”

We connected with Nadya Semen, JustAnswer’s country manager based in Lviv near the border with Poland. She believes Russia has already initiated cyberattacks.

If you’re on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live

“We are experiencing a set of cyberattacks on different websites and banking system and some governmental websites were down. So it’s weird,” she said.

She has an 18-year-old son and an 11-year-old daughter. Their safety has already been threatened.

“Two times during class for weeks, I had to pick up my kid from school because someone called that there is a bomb in the school,” she said.

JustAnswer has developed its own action plan. It puts the current threat level at moderate to high because of some military activities. As the threat rises to high and to realized threat, that will initiate more action to protect its workers.

RELATED: Biden says US has reason to believe Russia ‘intends to attack’ Ukraine: ‘I’m convinced’

“We are moving people from the east to the west as we speak and give them time of and putting them up in hotels and then actively helping them move across the country from the more dangerous parts of Ukraine,” CEO Kurtzig said.

Stress levels are rising. School children are drilled about evacuating to shelters, which frightened Nadya’s daughter.

VIDEO: Bay Area Ukrainians worried about Russian invasion, many praying for peace

“She was stressed by that, so she was asking me, ‘When are we supposed to expect the real worst to come here? So why are Russians doing this? Why people are starting to worry? I really can be killed now?'”

Andy Kurtzig and his family lived in Ukraine for six months in 2019, prior to the Russian threat. The people and the culture of Ukraine captivated them.

“We love them,” he said. “We’ve been working with them for a long time, and we’re committed to them.”

As part of that commitment, Kurtzig said he has made arrangements to be able to pay them from Poland, even with cryptocurrency if necessary. He is also supplying them with satellite phones and alternatives if the internet or electricity is lost.

Copyright © 2022 KGO-TV. All rights reserved.

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San Francisco workers are moving from pandemic hotels to homeless people

Christien Kafton of KTVU reports.

SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco’s shelter-in-place hotel program for its non-accommodating residents is coming to an end.

The city said it is working to ensure those staying in the hotels don’t end up back on the streets.

In April 2020, not long after the COVID pandemic became a looming threat, San Francisco mobilized to evacuate homeless residents from large gathering places. They relocated 3,700 people to 25 accommodations in hotels across the city.

The city’s Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) said the scheme had always been a temporary measure and is now being phased out.

“This program was a FEMA-sponsored emergency response and was always intended to be temporary,” said HSH’s Emily Cohen.

The department said it is working to seize this unique opportunity and has already moved 915 people from accommodation in hotels to longer-term housing solutions.

San Francisco is dissolving hotels for the homeless program

KTVU’s Candese Charles reports.

“As we move through the pandemic, closer to recovery, we are learning more about COVID. We really want to make sure we build on the opportunity that we’ve had over the past 20 months to build on those relationships with people in the SIP hotels and transitioning them into permanent homes,” said Cohen.

Nicole McDonald is in an emergency shelter trying to get out of homelessness. She said she was frustrated that more people weren’t being let in.

“I stay there myself and I see that they don’t let people into the shelters,” McDonald said. “They’re getting more people out of the shelters, they’re telling them there aren’t any beds available.”

The Department for Homelessness and Supportive Housing said the city’s emergency shelters are not yet operating at full capacity. The department said it’s not that easy to refill beds. There must be all-round services for those seeking protection, and with the Omicron variant still posing a threat, security must come first.

“Congregate Shelters continue to play a very important role in responding to the homeless, but we must do so responsibly in the context of COVID,” said Cohen.

The city said it aims to close the last of the Shelter-in-Place hotels by September.

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SAN FRANCISCO – Former San Francisco City Hall public official Mohammed Nuru agreed in a plea agreement filed today to plead guilty to honest services wire fraud, announced Acting United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds, Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Craig D. Fair, and Internal Revenue Service–Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Mark H. Pearson.  

Today’s development follows the January 15, 2020, 79-page federal complaint filed against then San Francisco Department of Public Works (DPW) Director Mohammed Nuru charging him with public corruption and describing a long-running scheme involving multiple bribes and kickbacks during his tenure as DPW’s Director.  Nuru, 59, of San Francisco, served as DPW’s Director from 2011 until charges were brought against him in 2020.  Nuru was also charged in a second federal complaint filed on January 28, 2020, with lying to a federal agent in the course of the San Francisco City Hall corruption investigation.  Today, in anticipation of entering his plea agreement resolving his cases, Nuru was arraigned today on an information – a charging document – that charges him with his sweeping scheme to defraud the San Francisco public of its right to his honest services in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 1346.

“Mohammed Nuru admits to a staggering amount of public corruption in his plea agreement,” said Acting United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds.  “For years, Nuru held a powerful and well-paid public leadership position at San Francisco City Hall, but instead of serving the public, Nuru served himself.  He took continuous bribes from the contractors, developers, and entities he regulated.  He now faces a prison sentence for enriching himself at the expense of the public as he sat in high office.  Federal authorities will investigate public corruption wherever it leads in San Francisco and throughout the district.”  

“Today’s announcement, while significant, is by no means the end of the FBI’s investigation into the corrupt conduct we have uncovered in San Francisco city government,”  said FBI Special Agent in Charge D. Fair.  “We will continue to hold accountable those who seek to personally benefit by corrupting the fair administration of public business and we will persist in our commitment to protect the integrity of the institutions that serve the people of San Francisco.”

“Our communities place great trust and responsibility in our public figures.  Mohammed Nuru ultimately betrayed this trust when he abused his power to defraud the City and County of San Francisco and its people,” said IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Mark H. Pearson.  “We will not tolerate public corruption and will hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.  Today’s guilty plea is a direct result of the hard work and dedication of IRS Criminal Investigation and our law enforcement partners towards obtaining justice.”

Nuru signed today’s plea agreement and the agreement has been filed with the United States District Court in preparation for Nuru’s upcoming appearance to enter his guilty plea orally.  As the plea agreement outlines, before Nuru was appointed Director of DPW in 2011 he became DPW’s Deputy Director of Operations in 2000.  The Deputy Director of Operations is DPW’s second most senior position, behind only the Director.  In 2014, Nuru was also appointed to the Board of the Transbay Joint Powers Authority (TJPA) and eventually served as its Chair.  As Deputy Director and eventually Director of DPW, and as Chair of the TJPA, Nuru exercised great influence over San Francisco (the City) business and policy, including public contracts, permits, and construction projects.  His power and influence extended beyond DPW’s jurisdiction to numerous other City departments and agencies, making him one of the most powerful public officials in the City.

Nuru admits in his plea agreement to a spectrum of public corruption involving bribery and kickbacks he received while in DPW leadership.  His admissions are summarized below:

Walter Wong:

In his plea agreement, Nuru admits he received a stream of bribes from Walter Wong.  Wong did business in the City through Walter Wong Construction, among other businesses. In exchange for Wong’s bribes, Nuru helped Wong secure City contracts.  Sometimes Nuru provided Wong with confidential insider City information on competitors’ bids or specifications.  At other times Nuru allowed Wong to structure the requirements for the City’s Request for Proposals (RFP) for projects ahead of time, to tailor their requirements to ensure that Wong’s company would be the most-qualified bidder.  Nuru also helped Wong expedite permit approvals.

Nuru admits in his plea agreement that his “corrupt relationship” with Wong began in approximately 2008 when Nuru was the Deputy Director for Operations at DPW.  Wong installed a gate for free at Nuru’s San Francisco home in exchange for future business with DPW and the City. Wong continued to perform construction services for free, or nearly free, at Nuru’s San Francisco home and later primarily at Nuru’s vacation ranch property in Colusa County. 

Nuru admits that, in exchange for Wong providing construction and other things of value, he exercised his official influence and took actions to benefit Wong.  In one example outlined in the plea agreement, Nuru used DPW’s emergency contract process, which did not require a public bidding process, to direct construction work to Walter Wong Construction on a navigation center located at 1515 South Van Ness Street and on the Jelani House (a housing shelter), resulting in City payments to Wong’s company during fiscal years 2017-2018 and 2019-2020.  In another example, Nuru used his position and official influence to direct DPW, the Market Street Association, and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to purchase Christmas lights from one of Wong’s businesses, regularly leading to tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of purchases.

Nuru further admits in his plea agreement that:

 o between approximately 2008 and January 2020, Wong provided in excess of $260,000 in labor and materials for work on Nuru’s San Francisco home and Colusa County ranch.
 o Wong paid for home furnishings for Nuru, including a chandelier, kitchen appliances, and furniture.
 o Wong paid for Nuru to travel to China multiple times and to South America on one occasion, which included reimbursing Nuru in cash for the cost of international flights.  Wong paid for Nuru and Sandra Zuniga, his girlfriend at the time, to accompany Nuru to South America and paid for their stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Santiago, Chile. 
 o On multiple occasions, Wong handed Nuru envelopes of cash, often as much as $5,000 at a time. 

Walter Wong was charged in June 2020 with conspiracy to defraud the public of its right to honest services and with conspiracy to engage in money laundering, both involving Nuru.  Wong entered a guilty plea and agreed to cooperate with the government’s San Francisco City Hall corruption investigation.

Multimillion-Dollar Mixed-Use Development:

Nuru admits he received free travel, gifts, and benefits, for working with Walter Wong to use Nuru’s official position to benefit a billionaire developer from China, referred to as DEVELOPER 1 in the plea agreement, who was developing a large multimillion-dollar mixed use project in San Francisco.  Wong, who worked as a consultant for DEVELOPER 1 on several of his large developments in the City, introduced Nuru to DEVELOPER 1.  Nuru met with Wong, another Department of Building Inspection official, DEVELOPER 1, and others over dinner on multiple occasions and discussed DEVELOPER 1’s projects.  Nuru never paid for the dinners.  Nuru admits that he also met with DEVELOPER 1 multiple times in China.  According to Nuru, DEVELOPER 1 owned multiple hotels in China, including five-star hotels.  Nuru received gifts from him, including free hotel stays. 

Nuru admits that, in exchange, he used his official position and influence to help DEVELOPER 1 obtain necessary approvals for his large, multimillion-dollar mixed-use project.  Nuru admits, among other things, that he told Sandra Zuniga that DEVELOPER 1 was upset because he had spent large amounts of money and had provided “a whole list of things” that Nuru said “we need to get done[.]”  Nuru admits that whenever DEVELOPER 1 or one of his employees notified him of an issue, Nuru directed one of his DPW managers to solve the problem and expedite the process.  Nuru also used his official influence with other City officials to solve problems encountered by DEVELOPER 1 that fell within the other City officials’ area of responsibility.

Recology:

Recology Inc. is a waste management company headquartered in San Francisco and the parent company of Sunset Scavenger Company, Golden Gate Disposal & Recycling Company, and Recology San Francisco (referred to as the “SF Recology Group” and, collectively with Recology Inc., as “Recology”).  Recology Inc. provided refuse collection and disposal services for residential and commercial customers in the City, as well as for the City itself, through the SF Recology Group.

As Director of DPW, Nuru presided over the process governing the rates Recology could charge in San Francisco.  Nuru recommended to the Rate Board whether to approve any rate increase for Recology.  Nuru also influenced “tipping fee” rates that Recology charged DPW when DPW dumped materials at a Recology facility, Sustainable Crushing.  Nuru could approve, deny, or affect operational changes that Recology wanted to make in San Francisco which, Nuru admits in his plea agreement, gave him the ability in his official capacity to affect Recology’s business. 

Nuru admits he accepted numerous valuable items from Recology and used his official position to help Recology’s business.  Among other things, Recology paid for soil to be delivered to Nuru’s ranch property in Colusa County, for expensive meals for Nuru, and for a two-night trip to New York on the City’s business in December 2017. 

Nuru admits that he also requested Recology to pay, and Recology did pay, hundreds of thousands of dollars to a San Francisco non-profit (Non-Profit A) in the form of donations for a cleaning program known as Giant Sweep.  Non-Profit A would then donate the payments to another non-profit that administered funds for the Giant Sweep program.  Nuru admitted he could then access the funds for a variety of other uses—including procuring goods and services for staff meals and appreciation events, volunteer programs, merchandise, community support, and events from specific vendors—in addition to their originally designated purpose for Giant Sweep.  From 2014 through the end of 2019, Recology donated approximately $150,000 per year for Giant Sweep, in $30,000 installments—for a total of approximately $750,000.

Nuru also admits he requested Recology hire his son.  Recology hired him and paid him, between 2015 and 2017, approximately $17,000.  Recology also funded a paid internship for Nuru’s son at a different non-profit organization and, between 2017 and 2018, paid approximately $23,600 to fund the paid internship.

Nuru admits he requested that Recology fund his DPW holiday parties.  Between 2016 and 2019, Recology paid approximately $60,000 for that purpose.  Recology made the payments through the Lefty O’Doul’s Foundation, a non-profit organization run by Nick Bovis. 

Two former Recology executives, Paul F. Giusti and John F. Porter, have been charged in this investigation.  Giusti was charged in November 2020, and Porter was charged in April 2021.  Both men were charged with bribery of Nuru and money laundering involving Nuru.  Giusti pleaded guilty in August 2021 to engaging in a conspiracy to bribe Nuru and is cooperating with the government’s San Francisco City Hall corruption investigation.  Porter’s charges remain pending.

The three subsidiaries of Recology, Inc. now have new leadership and have implemented enhanced corporate compliance programs to end any corrupt practices.  Recology resolved corporate charges brought against them through a deferred prosecution agreement with the government.  Pursuant to the agreement, the companies paid a $36 million fine, agreed to implement enhanced corporate compliance programs, and agreed to fully cooperate in the government’s San Francisco City Hall corruption investigation.

Nick Bovis:

Nuru admits in his plea agreement that he received multiple bribes from restaurateur Nick Bovis.  The bribes were in exchange for Nuru using his official acts and influence to assist, or to promise to assist, in public business opportunities with the City.  The bribes included free meals and entertainment for Nuru, his family, and associates at restaurants owned by Bovis and thousands of dollars in free appliances for Nuru’s ranch property.  Nuru also anticipated and expected tens of thousands of dollars in kickbacks from proceeds that Bovis would earn from the City concessions or contracts awarded due to Nuru’s official acts or influence to assist Bovis.

In one plea agreement example, Nuru admits he helped Bovis in a plan to win a bid for a restaurant lease at San Francisco International Airport (SFO).  Bovis expected to make money from the SFO concession, and Nuru expected Bovis would continue to provide bribes in exchange for Nuru’s help with the airport concession process and other public contracts.

In another example, Nuru admits he gave Bovis a price list of appliances that Nuru wanted for his ranch in or about 2018, a time when Bovis was seeking Nuru’s assistance with the SFO concession and other City business opportunities.  Bovis purchased the appliances and brought them to Nuru’s ranch.  Nuru accepted them as an exchange for his continued official acts and influence to help Bovis, and he did not pay for them.  The appliances were worth approximately $22,000.

Nick Bovis pleaded guilty in May 2020 to wire fraud and honest services wire fraud involving Nuru and agreed to cooperate in the government’s San Francisco City Hall corruption investigation. 

Florence Kong:

Nuru admits in his plea agreement that he accepted a gold Rolex watch from Bay Area businesswoman Florence Kong.  The watch was valued at approximately $36,550.  Nuru admits he used his official position to benefit Kong’s businesses and did so in exchange for the Rolex and for cash, free meals, and other items of value provided by Kong, including an iron fence that Kong installed at Nuru’s ranch.  In one example, Nuru states that he used his official position to direct business to SFR Recovery Inc., a recycling business that Kong owned. 

Florence Kong was charged and pleaded guilty to bribery of Nuru and to making false statements to FBI agents during the investigation.  She was sentenced in February 2021 to one year and one day in prison and ordered to pay a $95,000 fine.

Balmore Hernandez, William Gilmartin, & Alan Varela:

Nuru admits in his plea agreement that between 2013 and January 2020 he accepted a series of bribes and kickbacks from Balmore Hernandez, William Gilmartin, and Alan Varela in exchange for past and future official actions benefitting their City business ventures.  Nuru received free meals and entertainment, cash, and free labor and materials for his ranch – including a brand new tractor.  Nuru also expected to receive a portion of the proceeds  from anticipated City contracts awarded to them or their associates as a result of Nuru’s official acts or influence on their behalf.

In one example, Nuru admitted he helped Varela and Gilmartin’s joint venture win a DPW supply contract and a related lease with the Port of San Francisco (the “Port”) to operate an asphalt recycling plant and a concrete plant on the Port’s land.  In the early stages, Nuru helped the group prepare their proposal by providing them inside non-public information on the project.  The non-public information was delivered to Hernandez through emails or phone calls or through regular dinning meetings in San Mateo with Gilmartin and Hernandez.  Gilmartin paid approximately $20,000 for the dinners, with the parties agreeing that Nuru’s dinners were worth approximately $7,000.

Nuru admits that Gilmartin promised him $100,000 for his official assistance to pressure a large developer to select one of Gilmartin and Varela’s joint-venture partners for a large project in San Francisco.  The large developer complied with Nuru’s request because, as Nuru admits, the large developer needed DPW approvals for the project and for other large developments in the City.

Nuru admits that he received approximately $25,000 in cash from Hernandez and received approximately $250,000 in free labor and materials from Hernandez at Nuru’s ranch. 

Nuru also requested the group give him a tractor.  In February 2019, Alan Varela delivered a new tractor to the Nuru’s ranch, a benefit valued at approximately $20,000.

Balmore Hernandez was also charged in connection with this investigation.  He pleaded guilty to honest services wire fraud in October 2020 and agreed to cooperate in the government’s San Francisco City Hall corruption investigation. 

William Gilmartin was charged in connection with this investigation.  He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud in May 2021 and agreed to cooperate in the government’s San Francisco City Hall corruption investigation.
Alan Varela was charged in connection with this investigation.  He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud and was sentenced in September 2021 to two years in prison and ordered to pay a $127,000 fine. 

Sandra Zuniga Money Laundering:

Nuru admits that in or about 2010 he bought a 10-acre lot in Colusa County and developed it into his vacation ranch with free labor and materials provided by City contractors seeking favors from him. Nuru admits he also used the proceeds of his crimes to pay the mortgage.  To conceal and launder the source of the proceeds, Nuru states he funneled the money through Sandra Zuniga who made the monthly $1,000 mortgage payments out of her checking account. Nuru admits that from 2014 through August 2017, he typically gave Zuniga approximately $1,000 per month, generally in cash, and she deposited the money into her bank account.  She then made the $1,000 payment towards the mortgage.  In this way, Zuniga paid at least $42,000 of the mortgage.

Zuniga was charged and pleaded guilty in March 2021 to engaging in a conspiracy to launder money with Nuru.  She agreed to cooperate in the government’s San Francisco City Hall corruption investigation.

Other Bribes:

Nuru admits in his plea agreement that around 2018 he accepted a bribe of $20,000 in cash from a former government employee in exchange for Nuru using his position to help a particular person obtain an engineering job with the City. Nuru received the cash in three installments of $10,000, $5,000, and $5,000.  Ultimately, the individual failed to maintain employment with the City.

Nuru also admits he accepted cash bribes from a prominent developer in San Francisco.  The cash bribes usually consisted of a few thousand dollars.  The developer would later call Nuru when he had any problems with DPW-related approvals or other matters that Nuru could help resolve. 

In his plea agreement, Nuru admits guilt and agrees to plead guilty to one count of honest services wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 1346.  If convicted of the count, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or not more than the greater of twice the gross gain or twice the gross loss of the crime. 

The government indicates in the plea agreement its intent to ask for up to a 108 month (9 year) sentence for Nuru.  However, any sentence imposed by the court will follow only after the court’s consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Today, in a procedural step towards orally entering his guilty plea, Nuru was arraigned and pleaded not guilty before United States Chief Magistrate Judge Joseph C. Spero to an information charging him with a count of honest services wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1343 and 1346. 

Nuru’s next appearance is currently set before United States District Judge Susan Illston on January 14, 2022, at which he is currently scheduled to formally enter his guilty plea pursuant to his plea agreement.  Nuru remains out of custody on bond.
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This case is part of a larger federal investigation targeting public corruption in the City and County of San Francisco.  To date, 12 individuals and three corporate entities have been charged, including two high-ranking San Francisco public officials, Nuru and Harlan Kelly.  Multiple city contractors and facilitators have been charged.  Allegations in the complaint filed against Harlan Kelly assert that he received thousands of dollars in airfare, meals, jewelry, and travel expenses, along with repair work on his house.   

The case is being prosecuted by the Corporate and Securities Fraud Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.  The case is being investigated by the FBI and IRS-Criminal Investigation. 

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