Former NYCHA Superintendent Convicted of Bribery and Extortion Offenses
Grimy Times Exclusive: In a shocking turn of events, Joy Harris, a former New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) superintendent, has been convicted of bribery and extortion under color of official right. Harris, 49, of Bushkill, Pennsylvania, was found guilty of soliciting and accepting tens of thousands of dollars from contractors in exchange for awarding them no-bid contracts at NYCHA developments.
According to the evidence presented in court, Harris demanded and accepted cash bribes from contractors, requiring them to pay up to 10% of the contract value, which ranged from $500 to $1,000. In total, Harris demanded and accepted tens of thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for contracts worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the New York City Department of Investigation, U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, the HUD Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, which collaborated as part of the HSI Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force.
Harris was convicted of one count of federal program bribery, which carries a maximum term of 10 years in prison, and one count of extortion under color of official right, which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison. Harris will be sentenced on February 26, 2025.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation, which identifies, disrupts, and dismantles criminal organizations using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach.
Harris’s conviction marks the latest development in a string of bribery and extortion cases involving NYCHA employees. In February 2024, 70 current and former NYCHA employees were charged with bribery and extortion offenses, with 55 defendants having now pled guilty or been convicted at trial.
Grimy Times will continue to provide updates on this case as more information becomes available.
Source: Southern District of New York
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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