Two pizzeria-owning brothers from Queens have pleaded guilty to bribing former New York City Buildings Commissioner Eric Ulrich, admitting they handed him cash — some of it earmarked for gambling — in exchange for favors including help lifting a vacate order on a neighborhood bakery. Joseph and Anthony Livreri entered their pleas to conspiracy and bribery charges just weeks before Ulrich himself is set to stand trial.
The brothers were charged alongside Ulrich and towing company operator Michael Mazzio, who runs a towing business, according to The New York Times. Prosecutors say the Livreris and Mazzio sought expedited inspections for businesses facing health and building code violations, leaning on Ulrich's influence across city agencies. In one specific instance detailed by the Times, the brothers gave Ulrich $4,000 to help lift a vacate order on Fortunato Brothers Bakery, which had been shut down because of a fire.
The relationship between Ulrich and the Livreris reportedly stretched back to his years as a city councilman representing Ozone Park, Queens, a tenure that ran from 2009 to 2021, per the Times. Ulrich went on to hire Anthony Livreri as an aide, and even after moving into City Hall as a senior adviser, he tried to bring one of the brothers on board again, the paper reports. The Times also reports that Ulrich connected the Livreri brothers and Mazzio to high-ranking city officials through exclusive events and dinners.
A Trial Three Years in the Making
Ulrich is now facing felony charges in four separate cases, with a trial date of September 28 set by Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Daniel Conviser, according to City & State New York. That date arrives roughly three years after Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg first unsealed five separate corruption indictments against Ulrich in September 2023. One of those five cases — which had accused Ulrich of accepting a discounted Queens apartment from developer Mark Caller in exchange for zoning help — was dismissed by Judge Conviser in January, according to The Real Deal, which reported the judge found prosecutors had failed to give the grand jury an accurate picture of Caller and Ulrich's long-standing, lawful relationship before the alleged bribery began.
The remaining cases still allege that Ulrich turned every public post he held into a source of personal enrichment, accepting or soliciting more than $150,000 in bribes across his three city roles. Those alleged perks reportedly included New York Mets season tickets, a custom suit, cash for gambling, and a painting by an apprentice of Salvador Dalí. The original September 2023 indictments named six co-defendants beyond Ulrich, including the Livreri brothers, Mazzio, Caller, DOB filing representative Paul Grego, and former correction officer Victor Truta, per the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.
Favors Spanning Health, Building, and Consumer Agencies
Court filings unsealed at the time detailed the mechanics of the alleged scheme: Ulrich allegedly expedited health inspections for the Livreris' restaurant, Aldo's Pizza, and Anthony Livreri allegedly falsified documentation related to his city employment, according to CBS News. Ulrich is also accused of helping Mazzio resolve licensing disputes for his towing business while securing a higher-paying city job for Mazzio's daughter, the outlet reported. Bragg's office has said the scheme undermined the integrity of city government and that the office will pursue additional accountability at trial, per the Times.
The Times reports that Joseph and Anthony Livreri pleaded guilty. Ulrich, for his part, has pleaded not guilty and denied the charges; the 2023 CBS report identified Sam Braverman as his attorney. The Times also notes that Ulrich has said he borrowed money from family and friends to support his gambling and pay bills, and that he used his City Hall position to benefit the Livreris and Mazzio in return for the cash and favors he received.
Part of a Wider Pattern in City Hall
Ulrich's career took him from a 24-year-old Republican councilman elected in Ozone Park in 2009 to senior adviser to Mayor Eric Adams in January 2022, and then to Buildings Commissioner that May, according to Hell Gate. He resigned just six months into that commissioner role, after his phone was seized as part of the bribery probe. Bragg's office has separately indicted former Adams chief advisor Ingrid Lewis-Martin five times, a case Hoodline covered when new charges emerged against her last year.
Ulrich's career took him from a 24-year-old Republican councilman elected in Ozone Park in 2009 to senior adviser to Mayor Eric Adams in January 2022, and then to Buildings Commissioner that May, according to Hell Gate. He resigned just six months into that commissioner role, after his phone was seized as part of the bribery probe. Bragg's office has separately indicted former Adams chief advisor Ingrid Lewis-Martin five times, a case Hoodline covered when new charges emerged against her last year. Mayor Adams himself was indicted in 2024 on federal charges, though the Justice Department later abandoned those federal charges. Former Adams aide Mohamed Bahi was arrested on federal witness-tampering and evidence-destruction charges, according to Documented. Criminal charges have also involved former Adams chief of staff Frank Carone.
A Department With a History
The Department of Buildings has faced recurring bribery scandals well before Ulrich's tenure.
Under New York Penal Law, Bribe Receiving in the Second Degree is a Class C felony, according to Fast Law. That classification is part of the legal backdrop to Ulrich's September 28 trial.
