Top officials with the Special Commissioner of Investigation lied to an FDNY inspector about a stockpile of ammunition, then handed out 114 boxes with a total of 5,700 bullets to co-workers, a bombshell whistleblower lawsuit alleges.
SCI, the agency charged with probing misconduct in city schools, hid the boxes and “squandered city funds” by giving them away to avoid a fire code violation, according to court records.
The suit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, names SCI along with the city Law Department, the Conflicts of Interest Board and the Department of Investigation, accusing the three other agencies of failing to penalize the officials despite having all the evidence of wrongdoing.
“Their response lets every whistleblower know that the city does not protect whistleblowers and does not have to follow the law,” said Richard Marin, a computer systems manager who filed the suit on June 3 along with Roberto El Lakkis, a tech investigator, and Ralph Gerard, a vehicle fleet manager.
The SCI— led by Anastasia Coleman — suspended Marin after he threatened to report a “theft” of the ammunition. SCI also terminated El Lakkis and pressured Gerard to resign in lieu of termination. The ousted employees call it retaliation.
The lawsuit accuses SCI of other misconduct as well, such as falsifying certification of peace officer firearm training. City corporation counsel Muriel Goode-Trufant substantiated that complaint, but did not recommend any discipline.
The suit also cites...
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