The trial of Eric Ulrich, the former New York City Department of Buildings commissioner and ex-Council member, opened Monday in State Supreme Court on charges that he accepted bribes to advance private interests during his time under Mayor Eric Adams. Ulrich is facing five indictments from 2023, which allege he used his position to benefit a group of businessmen—referred to by prosecutors as “Aldo’s Crew”—in exchange for cash, gambling perks, and political favors.
The prosecution’s case centers on payments Ulrich allegedly received in return for expediting building and health inspections, removing regulatory barriers, and securing government jobs for associates. Manhattan District Attorney’s office lawyers argued in their opening statements that these arrangements went beyond typical constituent assistance, instead representing a misuse of public office. Assistant District Attorney Guy Tardanico pointed to recorded conversations where Ulrich allegedly promised Joseph Livreri, a pizzeria owner and central figure in the case, a sanitation department job to benefit Royal Waste, a company connected to Livreri’s associates.
Livreri, who pleaded guilty to felony conspiracy charges last month, was later appointed to a part-time Council aide position after failing to obtain the sanitation job. Prosecutors also claim Ulrich helped tow truck owner Michael Mazzio by speeding up inspections and arranging a corrections department role for Mazzio’s daughter, while collecting over $150,000 in cash and gifts. The DA’s office described the scheme as a deliberate effort to hide payments from public records, with evidence expected to include wiretaps and surveillance footage.
Ulrich’s defense team countered that his actions were standard for a Council member assisting constituents. Attorney David J. Cohen argued that Ulrich’s outreach to agencies and advocacy for district needs, such as pushing for decisions, did not meet the definition of criminal conduct. “Ulrich allegedly helped lift a vacate order, expedited a health and safety inspection and referred Mazzio’s daughter to a role in the Department of Corrections, collecting more than $150,000 in cash and gifts,” Cohen said. The defense also highlighted Ulrich’s history of gambling, suggesting the payments were tied to personal debts rather than formal quid pro quo agreements.
One indictment against Ulrich and co-defendant Mark Caller, accusing Caller of selling Ulrich a discounted apartment in exchange for zoning assistance, was dropped earlier this year. The trial, expected to last approximately a month, will feature testimony from former Adams administration officials, including Melanie La Rocca, another ex-DOB commissioner.
Defense paints Ulrich as victim of gambling debts
Ulrich’s legal team has framed the case as a disagreement over interpretation, with Cohen noting that Ulrich’s political rise from modest beginnings makes bribery allegations unlikely. “The evidence will show there are two separate truths about the same man and neither one is a crime … A young man who built his political career from nothing does not throw it away by accepting bribes, especially from his two closest friends at the time,” Cohen said. The defense plans to argue that the payments had no connection to official actions, instead portraying Ulrich as someone struggling with gambling debts rather than a corrupt official.
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The trial’s examination of Ulrich’s relationships with Livreri and Mazzio highlights ongoing corruption investigations into the Adams administration. Livreri’s guilty plea last month marked the first conviction in a series of probes targeting high-ranking officials. Prosecutors have indicated that recorded evidence, including discussions about job placements and regulatory favors, will be central to their case.
Broader corruption probes target Adams administration officials
Federal authorities were investigating another top Adams administration official, Frank Carone, to see whether he took $600,000 in bribes from more than a dozen private companies, Politico reported, citing newly disclosed court filings. As evidence is presented, the court will determine whether Ulrich’s actions crossed the line from political favoritism to criminal conspiracy.
The prosecution’s argument rests on a pattern of hidden payments and regulatory favors, with Tardanico emphasizing that Ulrich’s actions exceeded normal constituent outreach. Testimony will focus on recorded discussions where Ulrich allegedly arranged job placements and expedited inspections in exchange for cash and gambling benefits. A key piece of evidence involves a 2022 meeting where Ulrich allegedly assured Livreri that a sanitation department job would be secured, despite Livreri’s lack of relevant experience. Prosecutors claim this promise was part of a broader effort to direct benefits to Royal Waste, a company with no public contracts at the time.
The defense will likely dispute the interpretation of these interactions, pointing to Ulrich’s gambling debts as an explanation for the payments. Cohen has suggested that surveillance footage and wiretaps, expected to be presented by the DA, will be treated as indirect rather than definitive proof of a quid pro quo. The trial may also explore Ulrich’s role in lifting a vacate order for a Livreri-owned property and expediting a health inspection, both of which prosecutors claim were linked to cash payments. Unlike the dismissed indictment involving Caller, these charges rely on direct evidence of regulatory influence rather than speculative zoning corruption claims.
Prosecution relies on hidden payments and wiretaps
The trial’s schedule includes testimony from former Department of Buildings Commissioner Melanie La Rocca, whose insights into agency operations could clarify whether Ulrich’s interventions were unusual. Ulrich’s legal team may argue that these items were personal gestures rather than bribes, emphasizing his long-standing relationships with Livreri and Mazzio.
Federal and Local Investigations Expand Beyond Ulrich’s Case
Council member Christopher Marte supported the 100 Gold redevelopment on the condition that the city not pursue a hotly contested plan to build affordable housing on the site of the Elizabeth Street Garden, which has been dropped. The project, led by GFP Real Estate, proposes two towers with up to 4,000 residential units, potentially making it the densest apartment complex nationwide.
