Federal Investigation Targets New York City Council Member Over Migrant Shelter Contracts

Federal prosecutors are investigating whether New York City Councilmember Farah Louis and her sister, Debbie Louis—an aide to Governor Kathy Hochul—accepted bribes or kickbacks connected to city funding for a migrant shelter provider, according to a federal search warrant signed on March 19.

The inquiry also involves Edu Hermelyn, the husband of state Assembly member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, who chairs the Brooklyn Democratic Party. The search warrant seeks evidence of potential criminal violations, specifically whether the three officials received benefits in exchange for supporting BHRAGS Home Care Inc., a Brooklyn nonprofit that provides home care and, since 2022, emergency shelter and services for migrants.

BHRAGS Home Care Inc. has secured more than a dozen contracts totaling over $200 million from the New York City Department of Homeless Services, records show. The expansion of BHRAGS’s services coincided with the city's efforts to accommodate a significant influx of asylum seekers beginning in 2022. As New York City struggled to meet the rising demand for shelter, the city authorized emergency contracts with numerous service providers—some of which have faced scrutiny from financial watchdogs.

The warrant further requests records concerning communications and potential money transfers between the named officials and Edouardo St. Fort, a former New York Police Department sergeant. St. Fort's security company, Fort NYC Security, received a $3 million contract from the Department of Homeless Services in 2023. Efforts to reach the parties named in the investigation, including Farah Louis, Debbie Louis, Edu Hermelyn, and Edouardo St. Fort, were unsuccessful.

A spokesperson for Governor Hochul confirmed that Debbie Louis was placed on leave after the administration was notified of the federal corruption investigation. The U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn declined to comment on the ongoing probe. Investigators note that while a search warrant signifies court approval to gather evidence, it does not necessarily mean criminal charges will follow. The investigation continues.