Eight NYC government workers among 18 charged with running ghost gun crime syndicate: Suspects produced makeshift firearms in East Village apartments and stole homeless people's identities to claim $1m social security

Eighteen people have been charged in connection with a large scale conspiracy involving ghost guns and defrauding a Covid unemployment scheme in New York.

The eighteen indicted include eight public servants in positions across local, state and federal levels and all appeared in Manhattan Supreme Court on Thursday.

The defendants include employees of the city's homeless services, a letter carrier for USPS, a worker for the transportation authority and a police officer. 

According to DA Alvin Bragg, the homeless services workers had been involved in a scheme to steal information on homeless people to file for fraudulent benefits. 

Investigators learned of the alleged fraud after Cliffie Thompson, who was sentenced in January to five years, was caught assembling firearms in his East Village apartment.

The eighteen indicted include eight public servants in positions across local, state and federal levels and all appeared in Manhattan Supreme Court on Thursday

The defendants include employees of the city's homeless services, a letter carrier for USPS, a worker for the transportation authority and a police officer

According to DA Alvin Bragg, the homeless services workers had been involved in a scheme to steal information on homeless people to file for fraudulent benefits

Evidence uncovered after that raid on the property pointed towards a broader scheme inside the Department of Homeless Services, prosecutors said. 

Craig Freeman, who was also charged in connection with the firearm assembly, is said to have used his job at homeless services to steal the information of homeless people. 

Bragg said the stolen information allowed the group to file 170 false applications to receive money from the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program. 

After applying for financial assistance, the group are said to have enlisted letter carrier Sabur Khalifah to take the envelopes containing checks and bank cards from the mail and deliver it to them, Bragg said.

Prosecutors say the alleged fraud saw the group make off with over $1.2 million, with disagreements concerning how the money was divided said to have occurred.

Bragg said that Charde Baker, 35, was a leader of the scheme, having worked for the Department of Homeless Services and previously for the NYPD.

The DA added that Baker used the money from the alleged fraud to fund trips to Mexico and Tanzania.

In court on Thursday co conspirators,  Craig Freeman, 56, Charde Baker, 35, Latricia Kitchens, 36, Garret Whetsell, 38, Shanice Roberts, 30, Dawayne Bell, 32, David Barr, 33, and Sabur Khalifah, 43, all appeared. 

The New York Post reported that Baker was charged with fourth-degree conspiracy and burglary in the two indictments, with bail set at $200,000. 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks during a news conference at his office in New York City, U.S., February 22, 2024

Prosecutors say the alleged fraud saw the group make off with over $1.2 million, with disagreements concerning how the money was divided said to have occurred

Bragg said the stolen information allowed the group to file 170 false applications to receive money from the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program

Investigators unearthed the alleged fraud following a property in the East Village being exposed as a ghost gun assembly point

According to the DA, the burglary charged against Baker and others stemmed from their disagreement over how the money was split, leading to an apartment robbery. 

DA Bragg said in a statement: 'As alleged, the takedown of a sophisticated ghost gun manufacturing operation uncovered wide-ranging schemes, including the link to a massive fraud and a planned burglary.

'These alleged schemes were orchestrated and largely operated by city employees, many of whom abused their positions of public trust for personal gain. 

'We see a clear link between those engaging in violent crimes and traditional white-collar fraud at the same time. 

'My Office will continue leveraging the expertise and tools available at our disposal to dismantle these types of interconnected schemes, no matter how complex they are.'