NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) — A New York City building inspector was charged on Thursday for taking bribes from homeowners in exchange for closing complaints against their properties, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced.
“When city officials charged with keeping the public safe decide to shirk their responsibilities in favor of lining their own pockets, everybody loses,” Katz said.
Zabihullah Ibrahimi, 42, was arraigned on three counts of third-degree bribe receiving and three counts of official misconduct.
As a Department of Buildings inspector, Ibrahimi, from College Point, Queens, was responsible for responding to 311 complaints, including those at homes, to determine if the complaints were valid and issue violations.
According to the charges, on Jan. 10, 2023, the defendant visited a home on 111th Street in South Ozone Park and conducted an inspection of the basement. He took photos and told the homeowner that her basement was illegal, the legalization process would be expensive and insisted he could fix it for $1,500.
The homeowner told Ibrahimi that all she had to offer was $140, which he allegedly accepted before telling her to reschedule the inspection, and he would close the case.
He is accused of then dialing his own number from the woman's phone, instructing her to request another inspection and answering the call while standing next to her.
Eleven months later, on Dec. 18, 2023, Ibrahimi told a property owner on 116th Street in South Jamaica that her house had a violation that would cost $3,000, but he did not want to write a violation.
She then asked Ibrahimi if he wanted money, and he allegedly asked for $500. The woman said she only had $300, which she gave to the defendant in exchange for not writing a violation.
In the final incident, on Jan. 25, Ibrahimi visited a property on 193rd Street in St. Albans and told the homeowner there were issues that needed to be fixed, and to give him $3,500.
The defendant told the woman, who said she did not have any money, to go to the bank and get $1,000. She went while he waited outside her home, and handed him the cash when she returned.
In all three cases, DOB records show that the complaint was closed because an inspector was unable to gain access to the property or that no violation was warranted.
It is not clear how the DOB became aware of the defendant's alleged crimes, but Commissioner Jimmy Oddo said that the department found out and immediately turned the issue over to law enforcement.
According to Department of Investigation Commissioner Jocelyn Strauber, homeowners also reported the misconduct.
“The Department of Buildings is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, both in the construction industry and within our own ranks,” Oddo said.
“This employee has already been placed on leave without pay, and in the interest of public safety we have already conducted a thorough audit of his previous work here at the department and taken appropriate enforcement actions,” he added.
If convicted, Ibrahimi faces up to seven years in prison. He is due back in court on June 17.