Two brothers, Joseph and Anthony Liveri, pleaded guilty Wednesday to charges of conspiracy and bribery related to a scheme involving former New York City buildings commissioner Eric Ulrich. The charges stem from allegations that the brothers provided Ulrich with cash payments, which he partly used for gambling, including at casinos and an illegal gambling club in Queens partially owned by one of the brothers.
The guilty pleas were entered before Justice Daniel Conviser of Manhattan Supreme Court. Prosecutors said the bribery occurred between January 2021 and November 2022, during which the Liveri brothers sought to leverage Ulrich’s influence within city government for their own benefit. Among the payments, the brothers gave Ulrich $4,000 to intervene in a vacant order against Fortunato Brothers Bakery, a business that had been shut down after a fire. The Manhattan district attorney’s office did not clarify the brothers’ connection to the bakery.
The Liveris, indicted in 2023 alongside Ulrich, were part of a broader corruption investigation initiated by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg. Prosecutors charged Ulrich with accepting bribes in exchange for using his position to assist friends and associates, including facilitating expedited inspections and access to high-ranking city officials through exclusive events. Another figure implicated in the investigation is Michael Mazzio, a Brooklyn towing company operator, who has also been charged and is scheduled for trial later this month.
In a statement released Wednesday, DA Bragg criticized the scheme for eroding public trust in city governance and affirmed his office’s commitment to pursuing further accountability. “A city cannot deliver for its constituents when this type of blatant corruption occurs,” he said.
Ulrich, a former Republican city councilman who served from 2009 to 2021, had ties to the Liveri brothers extending back to his council tenure, during which he employed Joseph Liveri as an aide. After becoming a senior adviser to Mayor Eric Adams and later buildings commissioner in May 2022, Ulrich allegedly continued to benefit the brothers. He resigned six months after his appointment amid the investigation.
Ulrich faces felony charges in four separate cases stemming from related investigations, with one indictment dismissed earlier this year. His trial involving the Liveri brothers is set for later this month. In response to the allegations, Ulrich’s attorney David Cohen maintained that Ulrich denies any wrongdoing and is prepared to defend himself at trial. Cohen said Ulrich frequently borrowed money from friends and family, often to cover gambling debts and expenses, but asserted there was no understanding that official acts would be performed in exchange.
The Ulrich case is one of several legal challenges connected to the Adams administration. Multiple figures close to Mayor Adams, including former chief adviser Ingrid Lewis-Martin, two former police commissioners, and other aides, have faced charges or investigations. Mayor Adams himself was indicted in 2024 on federal charges of conspiracy, wire fraud, soliciting illegal foreign campaign contributions, and bribery—the first such indictment of a sitting New York City mayor in modern history. Those charges were later dropped.
At the upcoming sentencing in December, Joseph Liveri faces up to six months in jail along with five years of probation, while Anthony Liveri is expected to receive five years of probation.