Former Queens pol, current Buildings commissioner probed in alleged gambling investigation

Department of Buildings Commissioner and former Queens City Councilmember Eric Ulrich was served a warrant by law enforcement on Tuesday in Queens in relation to an alleged gambling investigation. File photo by John McCarten

By Jacob Kaye

Eric Ulrich, the commissioner of the Department of Buildings and the former city councilmember from Queens, was served a warrant by law enforcement near his Queens home on Tuesday in relation to an alleged illegal gambling investigation, according to several sources and reporting by the New York Times.

Ulrich, who previously represented Breezy Point, Howard Beach, Ozone Park, Richmond Hill, Rockaway Park, South Ozone Park and Woodhaven in the City Council, had his phone seized by the authorities in an investigation allegedly being spearheaded by the Manhattan district attorney’s office, the outlet reported.

Whether or not Ulrich, a Republican, is the primary subject of the investigation, as well as further details about the probe were not immediately clear as of Tuesday. No charges have been filed against the city official and he is not currently in custody.

The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined to comment for this story.

It is equally unclear whether or not the investigation is in any way related to Ulrich’s time or work in public office.

The Department of Investigation, the city agency responsible for investigating potential wrongdoing committed by public officials, is not believed to be involved in the investigation, according to an unnamed source.

The Department of Investigation declined to comment.

Fabien Levy, a spokesperson for the Mayor Eric Adams, said that the administration was not aware of any criminal investigation into Ulrich. Levy added that should an investigation be conducted, the administration would expect full participation from Ulrich or any other city official.

Ulrich has served as the head of the buildings department since May of this year – he joined the Adams administration as a special advisor to the mayor shortly after Adams took his oath of office at the start of 2022.

The Department of Buildings did not respond to requests for comment.

The 37-year-old began his career in public office in 2009, when he was elected at the age of 24 to represent District 32 in the city’s legislative body. He served in the seat until he was term-limited out of office at the end of last year.

Ulrich has previously reported gambling earnings to the city’s Conflicts of Interest Board.

In 2016, he reported that he had won between $10,000 and $12,000 from slot machine winnings at Resorts World Casino, which is located in his former council district, the New York Daily News reported at the time.

"I guess I'm a lucky guy," Ulrich told the outlet.