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A stalled luxury condo project in Brooklyn — and a donor’s plea to Adams for help
By
David Brand
Published Oct 2, 2024
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David Brand / Staff
By
David Brand
Published Oct 2, 2024
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A Brooklyn developer accused of funneling thousands of dollars in illegal contributions to Eric Adams’ 2021 mayoral campaign was constructing a stalled 56-unit luxury condo building and a commercial tower in East Flatbush at the time prosecutors say he texted Adams asking for help lifting a stop-work order, building records show.
Shortly after his plea for assistance, the stop-work order was partially lifted.
The developer, listed as “Businessman-4” in the federal indictment against Adams that was unsealed last Thursday, told Adams he was facing safety concerns from the Department of Buildings that were slowing down a project, prosecutors said in the charging document. Gothamist identified “Businessman-4” as Tolib Mansurov, a construction company owner and leader of New York's Uzbek community, by comparing city campaign finance records with the indictment’s description of the unnamed businessman’s contributions.
Prosecutors allege Mansurov gave Adams' campaign $10,000 in a straw-donor scheme involving himself and four of his employees. They say Mansurov reminded Adams of that financial support when he directly contacted the mayor on Feb. 5, 2023, asking for help in lifting restrictions that the buildings department had placed on work being done by Mansurov’s company, United Elite Group.
"I always supported you," Mansurov texted Adams, according to the indictment. “Having a hard time with DOB … we reached a certain limit that only you can lift.”
At the time, construction on the six-story residential building Mansurov is developing at 408 Lefferts Ave. was stalled. The project was under a partial stop-work order because an on-site concrete inspector couldn’t prove he was certified for the job, according to building records. By January 2023, the buildings department still wouldn’t allow Mansurov’s company to continue working above the fourth floor.
But agency officials partially rescinded the stop-work order at the condo complex — allowing work to continue on the fifth- and sixth-floors — eight days after Mansurov texted Adams, city records show.
Prosecutors say Mansurov reached out to Adams “approximately a week-and-a-half” after his initial Feb. 5 correspondence, to thank him for his assistance. That timeline matches the period when the buildings department allowed work to continue at the Lefferts Avenue site, records show.
"Mayor, brother I want to thank you for your help. DOB issue partially resolved and they promised to expedite the process. Thank you, you have my continued support,” Mansurov wrote, according to the indictment.
The building, now shrouded in scaffolding and mesh netting, is still under construction. Mansurov is currently attempting to sell the complex for just under $42 million, according to an offering plan filed with the state attorney general.
The luxury condo building being developed in East Flatbush by Tolib Mansurov's company is still under construction.
David Brand / Staff
The allegation that Adams acted on behalf of a donor by meddling with an agency responsible for the safety of the city's buildings mirrors accusations that he pressured fire safety officials to overlook safety concerns at a Turkish government-owned consulate building in Midtown.
Adams now faces five criminal counts of bribery, fraud and campaign finance violations for allegedly trading favors for cut-rate business-class airfare, luxury hotel stays and illegal campaign donations.
The mayor has denied any wrongdoing and says he did not solicit or knowingly accept illegal campaign contributions. A City Hall spokesperson referred specific questions about the alleged Department of Buildings intervention to Adams’ attorney Alex Spiro. Spiro did not respond to requests for comment.
Mansurov also did not respond to multiple emails and phone calls.
Spokespeople for the Department of Buildings did not initially respond to emails, text messages or phone calls seeking information about Adams' alleged intervention on behalf of a donor. After publication, department spokesperson Andrew Rudansky said the stop-work order was rescinded in February 2023 because the developer had scheduled a site visit. He said he could not answer questions about whether Adams had ever intervened on Mansurov's behalf and referred those enquiries to City Hall.
A spokesperson for the U.S. attorney's office for the Southern District of New York, which is prosecuting the indictment, declined to comment.
Luxury contractor
Mansurov is a prominent figure in the city’s Uzbek community, which is largely concentrated in southern Brooklyn, and is executive director of the Silk Road Foundation, which provides social services and job training to New Yorkers of Central Asian descent and has sponsored a variety of events featuring Adams, the news site Documented first reported.
The organization has also hosted iftar celebrations alongside Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams and other local elected officials.
His company, United Elite Group, bills itself as a one-stop shop for home renovation services. Building records show it has taken on contracting jobs across at least 45 addresses in the five boroughs since 2012.
On Dec. 17, 2020, Mansurov gave $2,000 to Adams’ mayoral campaign, campaign finance records show. Four of his employees provided an additional $8,000 on the same day. Those amounts and the date of the donations are consistent with descriptions included in the indictment against Adams. Mansurov and his associates are the only campaign contributors from the same company who donated a total of $10,000 that month, records show.
Prosecutors say the Adams campaign encouraged Mansurov to filter the money through his employees by reimbursing them after the donations were made, which is illegal under federal campaign finance laws. An Adams aide told Mansurov the cash would help him gain influence and boost his “business interests and community,” prosecutors said.
Mansurov is listed as managing member of the limited liability company that filed permits to build the six-story condo complex at 408 Lefferts Ave. in February 2020, after seeking permission to demolish a trio of one- and two-story homes on nearby lots the previous year.
Architect Alexander Zhitnik — who designed the Lefferts Avenue building and is listed as a partner in United Elite Group’s development arm on the company’s website — said the process for approving the plans “was more difficult than usual” but that he was not involved in the process of lifting the stop-work order.
“I have no knowledge of dealings between Mayor Adams and our client,” he said.
A separate partial stop-work order is still in effect at the property.
Gothamist on Tuesday afternoon observed about a dozen construction workers at the site, including some installing electrical wires and pipes on the first floor. Three workers and a site superintendent who spoke with Gothamist said they were not aware of any project delays, or any assistance from the mayor.
The condo complex abuts another Mansurov-owned project facing East New York Avenue. There, a narrow seven-story commercial building rises between buildings half its size.
The property is listed for sale for $9.2 million by the real estate firm Corcoran. The building’s listing agent referred questions to Mansurov before hanging up after a brief phone call.
Tagged
Adams investigations
new york city
housing
public safety
Politics
eric adams
David Brand
David is a reporter covering housing for Gothamist and WNYC. Got a tip? Email [email protected] or Signal 908-310-3960.
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