A Manhattan judge dropped charges last week against a real estate developer linked to the bribery scandal that brought down former city Buildings Commissioner and one-time Queens City Council Member Eric Ulrich.
Ulrich still faces felony charges in four other cases brought by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and the city Department of Investigation (DOI). The former lawmaker has repeatedly denied the allegations against him.
In September 2023, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg accused Ulrich of allegedly misusing his authority throughout his career, not only as Buildings Commissioner in the Adams Administration but in every position of power he had ever held. Ulrich was accused of a variety of crimes across five separate cases, including extensive bribery and illegal gambling charges.
One of those cases alleged that Mark Caller, a real estate developer with the Marcal Group, had used his relationship with Ulrich to influence the Department of City Planning to approve a zoning change for a property he owned and wished to develop. Prosecutors also alleged that Ulrich used his position as Buildings Commissioner to connect Caller with other high-ranking officials and expedite requests.
In return, prosecutors alleged, Caller secured Ulrich a discounted apartment in a luxury Rockaway building.
However, Justice Daniel Conviser, the judge overseeing the cases, tossed the indictment involving Caller on Jan. 23, stating that prosecutors had failed to present the “full story” to the grand jury that indicted Caller over two years ago, according to the New York Times.
The judge ruled that prosecutors had failed to provide an “accurate picture” of the relationship between Ulrich and Caller, noting that Ulrich had provided lawful assistance to Caller for years, starting when he was a Council Member. Conviser argued that the jury would have had to draw the “implausible conclusion” that Caller decided to bribe Ulrich to receive the same benefits that he had been receiving for years, the Real Deal reports.
Conviser further ruled that there was no evidence that Ulrich received a better deal on the apartment than what Caller offered to others and noted that prosecutors had alleged that bribery had taken place between Dec. 17, 2021 and March 18, 2022. However, conversations between Ulrich and Caller about the apartment did not begin until March 19, 2022, the judge noted.
Caller’s attorney Ben Brafman had filed a motion to dismiss the case last year.
The indictment represented the highest dollar value of any of the five cases against Ulrich, the New York Times reported.
In a statement on his social media account, Ulrich welcomed the decision to dismiss the case.
“I am grateful for the Judge’s decision to dismiss this case against me,” he wrote on Facebook. “As I’ve said from day one, I am innocent until proven guilty, not the other way around.
“And I am entitled to my day in court where all the facts and evidence can be presented fairly and transparently. I trust that in the end, a jury of my peers, not the court of public opinion, will restore my good name and reputation.”
According to widespread reports, the Manhattan DA’s office has indicated that it will proceed with the four remaining indictments, which include accusations of bribe receiving, conspiracy and offering a false instrument for filing.
Ulrich’s alleged associates in those cases, also facing bribery counts, include business owners Joseph Livreri, Michael Mazzio, former DOB representative Paul Grego and former Department of Correction Officer Victor Truta.
According to court documents, these individuals are accused of offering Ulrich both cash and gifts, which Bragg charges were used to fund gambling and illegal casinos. Ulrich allegedly also failed to file his annual financial disclosures from 2017 to 2021.
The DA’s office alleged in September 2023 that Ulrich used his position to expedite health inspections for the Livreri brothers’ restaurant, “Aldo’s Pizza“, and — at the request of Livreri’s brother — remove a vacate order for “Fortunato Brothers Bakery,” which had been shut down due to a fire.
Ulrich is also accused of using his position to resolve licensing issues with the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection for his associate Mazzio’s towing company.
He also allegedly secured a city position for Mazzio’s daughter, which included a $20,000 raise, and gave his associates access to high-ranking government officials through events and dinners, according to court documents.
Prosecutors alleged that he also issued a “Temporary Certificate of Occupancy” in order for Grego’s clients to secure a state liquor license and attempted to hire and assign personnel based on Grego’s preference.
In total, Ulrich was accused of accepting more than $150,000 in bribes across the five indictments, which included a Salvador Dali painting, Mets season tickets, a custom suit and cash for gambling.
Ulrich, a Republican who had previously served as representative of the 32nd City Council in southwestern Queens, was appointed as buildings commissioner by former Mayor Eric Adams in May 2022, but resigned six months later when the Manhattan DA’s office launched the investigation. Ulrich was one of the first members of the Adams Administration to face criminal charges, with several other high-ranking members of the Administration later accused of a wide range of offenses.
Adams himself was indicted on federal charges for wire fraud, bribery, soliciting illegal foreign campaign contributions and conspiracy in September 2024. The Justice Department later dismissed the charges against the former Mayor in April 2025.
