Corey Gilmore, a former superintendent with the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), has been convicted of bribery and extortion offenses. The conviction was announced by Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Gilmore's trial concluded with a guilty verdict after four days before U.S. District Judge Lewis J. Liman.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams commented on the case, stating, “Corruption is an insidious crime—difficult to detect, corrosive in its effect on government agencies, and damaging to the public’s trust in government institutions. As a NYCHA Superintendent, Corey Gilmore abused his position of public trust by demanding thousands of dollars of bribes from contractors, betraying his duty to NYCHA residents, the City of New York, and taxpayers. The jury’s unanimous verdict sends a clear message that those who use their public offices for personal gain will be held accountable.”
During his tenure as superintendent at three NYCHA developments in the Bronx—Bronx River Houses, Eastchester Gardens, and Forest Houses—from 2016 to 2023, Gilmore demanded cash payments in exchange for awarding contracts without competitive bidding or approving payments on existing contracts. It was revealed that he typically asked for $1,000 per contract awarded.
Gilmore's conviction adds to a broader investigation involving 70 NYCHA employees charged with similar offenses earlier this year; 59 have pled guilty while three have been convicted after trial.
Gilmore faces one count of federal program bribery with a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and one count of extortion under color of official right carrying up to 20 years in prison. Sentencing will be determined by the judge based on guidelines set by Congress.
The investigation was conducted by multiple agencies including the New York City Department of Investigation and several federal departments working as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces operation.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Emily Deininger, Matthew King, and Derek Wikstrom from the Public Corruption Unit with support from Paralegal Specialist Braden Florczyk.