Gina Argento, who together with brother Anthony Argento allegedly bribed a metropolis official, turned herself in on Thursday.
Picture by Dean Moses
Tony and Gina Argento, the sibling duo who personal Greenpoint manufacturing firm Broadway Levels, allegedly bribed one in every of Mayor Eric Adams’ prime aides in an effort to scuttle the McGuinness Boulevard redesign.
Manhattan District Lawyer Alvin Bragg charged the pair with bribery and conspiracy on Thursday as a part of a wide-ranging indictment towards Ingrid Lewis-Martin, who was on the time Adams’ chief advisor.
Lewis-Martin “conspired with Gina Argento, Tony Argento and Broadway Stages to push changes to DOT’s approved bike lane redesign of McGuinness Boulevard,” courtroom paperwork state, in trade for money and different advantages — like an look on a TV present filmed at Broadway Levels.
The siblings turned themselves in on the Manhattan DA’s workplace on Thursday morning, together with Lewis-Martin and several other different defendants of different bribery schemes.
The pair allegedly labored with Ingrid Lewis-Martin, (middle) to scuttle the McGuinness Boulevard redesign. Picture by Dean Moses
Beginning in 2022, a 12 months after the town started its efforts to revamp McGuinness Boulevard in response to the hit-and-run dying of public faculty trainer Matt Jensen, Lewis-Martin was in common contact with the Argentos, courtroom paperwork present.
The siblings had been against the Division of Transportation’s plan to take away automobile site visitors lanes alongside McGuinness Boulevard, which runs previous Broadway Levels.
Working with an unnamed Metropolis Corridor worker, Lewis-Martin allegedly insisted she be a part of any DOT conferences relating to the McGuinness challenge, and had the Metropolis Corridor worker share particulars of the DOT’s plan with the Argentos — and convey their issues with DOT.
Lewis-Martin additionally urged an unnamed individual concerned with native Neighborhood Board 1 to “get the [Community Board] [to] work in the Argento’s best interest,” textual content messages present. Gina additionally sits on CB1.
The initially-proposed redesign of McGuinness Boulevard eliminated one lane of auto site visitors in every course.Picture courtesy of NYC DOT
That fall, Lewis-Martin was given a talking position in an episode of “Godfather of Harlem.” In a textual content to Gina and Anthony, she stated the expertise was “everything,” and that she deliberate to get her Display screen Actors Guild card. She was later paid $800 for the looks.
In June 2023, as DOT grew nearer to approving its design for McGuinness Boulevard, Martin met with Mayor Eric Adams to speak concerning the plan and encourage him to undertake an alternate design that had been mentioned with and authorized by the Argentos. Across the identical time, Broadway Levels was main a neighborhood group referred to as “Keep McGuinness Moving,” which opposed the challenge.
On July 8, courtroom paperwork present, Gina texted Lewis-Martin a photograph of a flyer from “Make McGuinness Safe,” a neighborhood marketing campaign in favor of the redesign. Lewis-Martin responded “…We do not care what they say. We are ignoring them and continuing with our plan. They can kiss my ass.”
Days later, Gina despatched Lewis-Martin $2,500 by way of Zelle. On July 12, Adams ordered DOT to rethink the redesign, which had already been authorized. Within the months that adopted, the town flip-flopped on its plans for McGuinness as native advocates and elected officers slammed the administration’s sudden change of coronary heart.
Greenpointers rallied in help of the redesign in June 2023. File photograph by Gabriele Holtermann
In the meantime, in spring 2024, Gina despatched Lewis-Martin a bundle of garments from Bloomingdale’s, and Tony stated he was “negotiating” to get the official one other performing job. Lewis-Martin wished to look on “Blue Bloods,” she informed Tony.
That summer time, Gina ponied up $10,000 to pay for catering at an occasion Lewis-Martin hosted at Gracie Mansion. Not lengthy after, investigators seized Lewis-Martin and Gina’s telephones.
Finally, DOT put in a stripped-back model of the redesign — preserving each automobile journey lanes — on the northern a part of McGuinness Boulevard, together with the part close to Broadway Levels. It moved ahead with the complete redesign, eradicating one automobile lane, on the southern half.
“As alleged, Lewis-Martin consistently overrode the expertise of public servants so she could line her own pockets,” Bragg stated in a press release. “While she allegedly received more than $75,000 in bribes and an appearance on a TV show, every other New Yorker lost out.”
The town preserved each lanes of auto site visitors on the northern half of McGuinness Boulevard, however added protected bike lanes. File photograph by Kirstyn Brendlen
Martin-Lewis’ lawyer, Arthur Aidala, stated his shopper was “fulfilling her duty,” and denied that she had not obtained “a single dollar or any personal benefit for her assistance.”
A lawyer for Gina Argento was not instantly accessible for remark. However in an Aug. 20 assertion, legal professionals George Stamboulidis and Artie McConnell, representing Gina, Anthony and Broadway Levels, stated the siblings “have not engaged in any wrongdoing.”
“Broadway Stages has been responsive and cooperated fully with the District Attorney’s investigation since we became aware of it last fall, including providing access to electronic media and thousands of Company documents and financial records,” the legal professionals stated.
