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Fraudster in ebola cleanup, NYC
I did a search and didn't see this, heard it on npr yesterday and wow.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewkaczynski/former-mortgage-scammer-cleaned-ebola-doctors-apartment
Former Mortgage Scammer Cleaned Ebola Doctor’s Apartment
The attorney general flagged the contractor. The city says the work was performed correctly, but says the situation is under review.
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In addition to Dr. Craig Spencer’s apartment, Bio-Recovery also cleaned Gutter, the Brooklyn bar and bowling alley where Spencer had gone earlier this month. “We cleaned every square inch of the place — every hole in every bowling ball,” Pane told the New York Post. “Every pin, every lane, every receiver, every sink, every toilet. We disposed of all paper goods, anything that was open — all toilet paper rolls. Because it’s a bowling alley, we had to chemically strip the oil from the floors.”
But just a few years before he was playing a key role in a global public health crisis, Pane was in a different business — one in which he also marketed himself effectively, and one which ended badly.
In the late 2000s, Pane ran two distressed mortgage companies, American Modification Agency and Amerimod, and appeared widely on television as an expert on how to help people with troubled mortgages fix their problems. In 2010, Pane and his company “engaged in fraudulent, deceptive, and illegal business practices that violated New York’s consumer protection and real property laws,” according to a pleading filed by then-state attorney general Andrew Cuomo. Justice Emily Jane Goodman of State Supreme Court in Manhattan filed a permanent injunction against the companies.
(clip)
On the about page of its website, Bio-Recovery claims to have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, “for its many years of excellent service.” When the link is followed, Bio-Recovery’s profile on the website says the business is not accredited with the organization....
The attorney general flagged the contractor. The city says the work was performed correctly, but says the situation is under review.
(clip)
In addition to Dr. Craig Spencer’s apartment, Bio-Recovery also cleaned Gutter, the Brooklyn bar and bowling alley where Spencer had gone earlier this month. “We cleaned every square inch of the place — every hole in every bowling ball,” Pane told the New York Post. “Every pin, every lane, every receiver, every sink, every toilet. We disposed of all paper goods, anything that was open — all toilet paper rolls. Because it’s a bowling alley, we had to chemically strip the oil from the floors.”
But just a few years before he was playing a key role in a global public health crisis, Pane was in a different business — one in which he also marketed himself effectively, and one which ended badly.
In the late 2000s, Pane ran two distressed mortgage companies, American Modification Agency and Amerimod, and appeared widely on television as an expert on how to help people with troubled mortgages fix their problems. In 2010, Pane and his company “engaged in fraudulent, deceptive, and illegal business practices that violated New York’s consumer protection and real property laws,” according to a pleading filed by then-state attorney general Andrew Cuomo. Justice Emily Jane Goodman of State Supreme Court in Manhattan filed a permanent injunction against the companies.
(clip)
On the about page of its website, Bio-Recovery claims to have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau, “for its many years of excellent service.” When the link is followed, Bio-Recovery’s profile on the website says the business is not accredited with the organization....
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/02/nyregion/for-man-in-ebola-virus-cleanup-a-history-of-fraud.html?_r=0
For Man in Ebola Virus Cleanup, a History of Fraud
The chief safety officer of the hazardous-materials company that cleaned the apartment of New York City’s first Ebola patient was, in a past career as a mortgage negotiator, accused of fraud in 2009 by the attorney general at the time, Andrew M. Cuomo.
In recent days, the safety officer, Sal Pane, has been the public face of the company, Bio-Recovery Corporation, which cleaned both the apartment of the patient, Dr. Craig Spencer, as well as a bowling alley that he had visited the night before he was taken to the hospital.
An investigation in 2009 by Mr. Cuomo’s office found that two mortgage companies run by Mr. Pane had deceived property owners and violated New York’s consumer protection laws. As a result of the investigation, a State Supreme Court judge in Manhattan in 2010 issued a permanent injunction against the illegal operations of Mr. Pane and his mortgage companies. He was also fined. The office of the current attorney general, Eric T. Schneiderman, discovered Mr. Pane’s past legal problems on Monday and alerted city officials.
(clip)
Mr. Pane said he changed the spelling of his surname to Pain, but the E.P.A. records and court papers filed by Mr. Cuomo’s office related to the fraud charges use only Pane. Officials with Comptroller Scott M. Stringer’s office said on Saturday that because the cleanup contract for Dr. Spencer’s apartment was handled on an emergency basis, the city’s request was reviewed only preliminarily before the work began. The comptroller’s office gave prior approval for the cleanup work, for up to $500,000, and was aware that Bio-Recovery would do the work. Eric Sumberg, a spokesman for the comptroller’s office, said in a statement on Saturday: “This office has no tolerance for corruption. When we receive this contract for registration we will take all steps necessary to ensure that this vendor has the integrity to do business with the city.”
The chief safety officer of the hazardous-materials company that cleaned the apartment of New York City’s first Ebola patient was, in a past career as a mortgage negotiator, accused of fraud in 2009 by the attorney general at the time, Andrew M. Cuomo.
In recent days, the safety officer, Sal Pane, has been the public face of the company, Bio-Recovery Corporation, which cleaned both the apartment of the patient, Dr. Craig Spencer, as well as a bowling alley that he had visited the night before he was taken to the hospital.
An investigation in 2009 by Mr. Cuomo’s office found that two mortgage companies run by Mr. Pane had deceived property owners and violated New York’s consumer protection laws. As a result of the investigation, a State Supreme Court judge in Manhattan in 2010 issued a permanent injunction against the illegal operations of Mr. Pane and his mortgage companies. He was also fined. The office of the current attorney general, Eric T. Schneiderman, discovered Mr. Pane’s past legal problems on Monday and alerted city officials.
(clip)
Mr. Pane said he changed the spelling of his surname to Pain, but the E.P.A. records and court papers filed by Mr. Cuomo’s office related to the fraud charges use only Pane. Officials with Comptroller Scott M. Stringer’s office said on Saturday that because the cleanup contract for Dr. Spencer’s apartment was handled on an emergency basis, the city’s request was reviewed only preliminarily before the work began. The comptroller’s office gave prior approval for the cleanup work, for up to $500,000, and was aware that Bio-Recovery would do the work. Eric Sumberg, a spokesman for the comptroller’s office, said in a statement on Saturday: “This office has no tolerance for corruption. When we receive this contract for registration we will take all steps necessary to ensure that this vendor has the integrity to do business with the city.”
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