Jay Clayton, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, has announced that Corey Gilmore, a former superintendent for the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), has been sentenced to one year and one day in prison. Gilmore was found guilty of soliciting and accepting approximately $32,000 in bribes from contractors in return for awarding repair contracts or approving repair work valued at around $215,000. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman, who also oversaw Gilmore’s trial.
“Corey Gilmore abused his position at NYCHA to demand bribes from contractors for his personal gain,” said U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton. “The women and men of this Office are committed to pursuing those who abuse the public’s trust.”
According to court documents and evidence presented during the trial, NYCHA is the largest public housing authority in the United States, providing housing across New York City with more than $1.5 billion in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development annually. When repairs or construction work require outside contractors, services are generally procured through a bidding process unless they fall below a certain value threshold. In such cases, designated staff like superintendents can select contractors without multiple bids.
Between 2016 and 2023, Gilmore held several superintendent roles at NYCHA developments in the Bronx where he demanded cash bribes in exchange for contracts with NYCHA. He typically required about $1,000—between 10% or 20% of a contract’s value—depending on its size. In total, he accepted roughly $32,000 in bribes for no-bid contracts or approved payments on existing ones worth about $215,000.
Of 70 NYCHA employees charged with bribery and extortion offenses arrested in February 2024, 63 have pled guilty while three were convicted after trial; Gilmore is among those sentenced following conviction at trial. Cases involving four other defendants remain pending as they are presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
Individuals with information related to bribery or extortion by NYCHA employees can contact OIGNYCHA@doi.nyc.gov or call (212) 306-3356; those involved may consider self-disclosure via the SDNY Whistleblower Pilot Program at USANYS.WBP@usdoj.gov.
Besides imprisonment, Gilmore was ordered two years of supervised release and must pay restitution totaling $32,000 alongside forfeiture of an equal amount.
Mr. Clayton commended collaborative investigative efforts by agencies including NYC Department of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations; HUD Office Inspector General; U.S Department Labor – Office Inspector General working together under HSI Document Benefit Fraud Task Force alongside Special Agents Task Force Officers within Southern District New York’s Attorney’s Office.
This prosecution forms part Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation which identifies disrupts dismantles criminal organizations using prosecutor-led intelligence-driven multi-agency approach detailed further https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF
Handled Public Corruption Unit Assistant U.S Attorneys Jacob R Fiddelman Catherine Ghosh Emily Deininger Matthew King lead prosecution assisted Paralegal Specialist Braden Florczyk
