Executive Director of Bronx Not-for-Profit Corporation Pleads Guilty in Manhattan Federal Court to Mail Fraud

PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced the guilty plea of DAVID GRIFFITHS, the executive director of the Neighborhood Enhancement for Training Services, Inc. (“NETS”), a not-for-profit corporation located in the Bronx, New York. GRIFFITHS pled guilty yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge ANDREW J. PECK to one count of mail fraud.

According to the information, the complaint, and statements made in Manhattan federal court yesterday:

From September 13, 2010, up to and including the present, GRIFFITHS, on behalf of NETS, attempted to obtain $400,000 in grant money from a New York State agency under false and fraudulent pretenses. Specifically, in seeking the grant, he falsely represented to the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York that neither NETS nor any of its officers or directors had been the subject of a criminal investigation for the past five years. During the plea, GRIFFITHS admitted that he had actually been interviewed by the FBI about NETS, and, as alleged in the complaint, GRIFFITHS had produced certain documents related to the non profit to the FBI in response to a grand jury subpoena.

GRIFFITHS, 65, of White Plains, New York, faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000, or twice the gain or loss from the offense. He will be sentenced by Judge HELLERSTEIN on a date to be determined.

Mr. BHARARA praised the investigative work of the FBI.

This case is being prosecuted by the office’s Public Corruption Unit. Assistant United States Attorney CARRIE H. COHEN is in charge of the prosecution.