Dozens of New York City public housing employees are facing serious legal consequences after the Justice Department carried out the largest-ever wave of bribery and extortion arrests involving the agency. Last week, federal prosecutors in Manhattan charged 70 current and former employees of the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA). The charges stem from a widespread scheme in which these individuals allegedly accepted cash bribes from contractors in return for awarding lucrative housing authority contracts.

According to The New York Times, the investigation uncovered a deeply rooted culture of corruption within NYCHA, with employees exploiting their positions of power to personally profit from public resources meant to support affordable housing. The scale of the arrests highlights the magnitude of the issue and has triggered public outcry and demands for reform. Authorities say this crackdown is a critical step toward restoring trust and transparency within the agency, which serves hundreds of thousands of low-income residents across New York City.