Rockland County, NY – 100 Felonies And 1 Misdemeanor In Arrest Of Ramapo Building Inspector

    14

    Rockland County, NY – The dominoes continue to fall tonight in Ramapo, as the town’s chief building inspector was arrested tonight on a whopping 101 charges.

    Join our WhatsApp group

    Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email


    Rockland County District Attorney Thomas Zugibe charged Anthony Mallia, the town’s director of building, planning and zoning, with falsifying building permits and giving contractors bargain basement prices on housing permits, reported the Journal News.

    Zugibe estimated that Mallia’s actions cheated the town out of over $100,000 based on the estimated costs of 33 new residential projects constructed in the 2015 calendar year.

    While the investigation found no proof that Mallia profited personally from his actions, Zugibe said that the building inspector’s actions undermined public safety and he criticized Mallia for breaching the public trust by succumbing to the lure of corruption.

    “Such self-serving criminal behavior severely undermines public confidence in the government and will not be tolerated,” said Zugibe.

    A June lawsuit found Mallia at the center of a controversial housing project on Viola Road that had been granted drastic zoning changes, allowing the builder to quadruple the number of houses constructed on the property.

    The lawsuit, which charges the builder with building habitable basements in violation of the approved plans allowing for even more apartments, faults Mallia for allowing construction to continue and giving conditional approval to the units despite the violations.

    Mallia was originally hired as a part time inspector for the Town of Ramapo in 2008 at a salary of $24,127. Over the years he has climbed the ranks in Town Hall and currently works full time at a salary of $169,618. His Airmont home, which is listed for sale for $1.29 million, includes a $200,000 addition constructed by the builder of the Viola Road housing development.

    Mallia was hit with 33 felony counts on each of three charges: first degree tampering with public records, first degree falsifying business records and offering a false record for filing. He was also charged with one count of second degree grand larceny and a misdemeanor, misdemeanor official misconduct and theft of services.

    Mallia was brought in handcuffs tonight to be arraigned in Ramapo Town Court by Judge Karen Riley. Asked how much bail he could afford, Mallia answered “very little.”

    Riley said that based on the number of charges and the possibility that he could be a flight risk, she could not release Mallia without bail. She set bail at $15,000 cash or $30,000 bond. Mallia declined to comment on his arrest and is due back in court on October 6th.

    A statement issued by Rockland County Executive Ed Day said that events in Ramapo resonate throughout the county.

    “When one official responsible for carrying out the taxpayer’s business applies the rules unfairly we all suffer,” said Day. “There is one set of rules, one set of laws that everyone is expected to follow.”


    Listen to the VINnews podcast on:

    iTunes | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Podbean | Amazon

    Follow VINnews for Breaking News Updates


    Connect with VINnews

    Join our WhatsApp group


    14 Comments
    Most Voted
    Newest Oldest
    Inline Feedbacks
    View all comments
    7 years ago

    He is now turning in many hasidic builders. Oy vezmeer he can ruin dozens of frum.

    Sholi-Katz
    Sholi-Katz
    7 years ago

    There are 2 villains here:
    1 – This guy Mallia and St. Lawrence, I don’t have an issue with the builders, they are looking o maximize their profit. If a town would let them build a 16 story apartment build on 1/2 acre, why shouldn’t they. Let’s be honest, we would all do the same. That is why we have laws and zoning to keep a balance of growth and retain the way of life of the community. The town has to enforce the zoning. If they don’t – Throw them in jail where they belong.

    2 – The so called “Rabbonim” – Here are guys that are ruining our community. We did NOT come here to live like slums the way we lived in Brooklyn. These “paid off” bums are destroying our way of life. How can they do it? Simply, the Rabbonim say vote for them, using one of 2 arguments:
    A- Claim the other are Anti Semites
    B- We Rabbonim “know better” and we are Dass Torah and nonsense like that.

    Who is a BIGGER Anti Semite then then Christopher St. Lawrence….You Jews want to come here to live in comfort & peace, fresh air, raise your families in a laid back suburban lifestyle, NO I WILL NOT LET YOU!! The Rabbonim say “vote for the guy who is destroying our neighborhood and the sad part is we do so.

    PaulinSaudi
    PaulinSaudi
    7 years ago

    I have no toleration for any violation of safety-of-life codes in buildings.

    LionofZion
    LionofZion
    7 years ago

    #1 ,can’t do the time, don’t do the crime.
    Can they cancel the approvals?

    Secular
    Secular
    7 years ago

    We bring this on ourselves
    ….

    chaimyhirsch
    chaimyhirsch
    7 years ago

    Guy’s calm down, take a deep breath, don’t get so excited yet.
    He’s being accused of lowering permit fees, nothing in the article about any building violations etc.
    All of you complaining about high density housing for the chasidim, isn’t it better for you to keep the chasidim contained in their self made getto ?
    Would you rather have them take over all neighboring villages ? That’s exactly what will happen if you restrict new construction, the chasidim will slowly ( maybe not so slowly) buy out all of chestnut ridge, airmont, spring valley, and even Wesley hills, it’s already happening!
    And no individual will refuse to sell their house for a hefty price, maybe a few stubborn haters, so it’s in all of your best interest to let the chasidim build in their existing neighborhoods, or get ready to pack your bags and leave ramapo.