Former Queens pol to be hit with bribery charges: Reports
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Eric Ulrich, the former commissioner of the Department of Buildings and South Queens lawmaker, ould be officially charged in a criminal investigation spearheaded by the Manhattan district attorney’s office as early as this week. File photo by John McCarten
By Jacob Kaye
Eric Ulrich, the former commissioner of the Department of Buildings and a former Queens city councilmember, could be officially charged in a criminal investigation spearheaded by the Manhattan district attorney’s office as early as this week, multiple outlets reported on Monday.
Ulrich resigned from his post as Building’s commissioner in November, only days after he had his phone seized and his home searched by investigators in the DA’s office.
At the time, Ulrich, who previously represented parts of the Rockaway peninsula and South Queens in the City Council, was believed to be being investigated in relation to illegal gambling rings run by organized crime members, some of which Ulrich may have racked up a debt with, sources told the Eagle.
However, multiple outlets reported on Monday that Ulrich could instead be hit with bribery charges stemming from incidents that occurred during his brief time as Mayor Eric Adams’ DOB commissioner.
According to the New York Times, prosecutors in the Manhattan DA’s office have been investigating an apartment unit Ulrich rented at a below-market rate and a couch that was gifted to him at a discounted rate by a person looking to work with the DOB.
A spokesperson for the Manhattan DA’s office declined to comment or confirm the nature of the investigation or the potential charges against the former Republican Queens lawmaker.
Samuel Braverman, Ulrich’s attorney, said that he was unaware of the charges or the timeframe in which they may or may not be brought.
“Until I know what an accusatory instrument alleges my client did that is illegal, anything I (or anyone) says about such charges would be just a guess (and probably without merit), so I will wait until I see the accusatory instrument before I have any comment,” Braveman said in an emailed statement.
Ulrich’s career in public office began 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 2021.
Adams appointed Ulrich to the top spot within the DOB in May 2022 following several months of Ulrich serving as a senior advisor to the mayor.
The mayor officially defended Ulrich in November when investigators first served the commissioner with a search warrant.
“It’s really so early for us to be saying we should, we shouldn’t, we should,” Adams said at the time. “The DAs office is going to do their review and that review will determine how to move forward.”
“Eric is still the commissioner there,” he added.
Four days later, Ulrich resigned, citing an unnecessary distraction for the Adams administration, a City Hall spokesperson said at the time.
Since his resignation and until this week’s possible indictment, Ulrich has kept a relatively low profile.
In January, he announced on social media that he had become a licensed insurance salesman. He has since shared his well wishes during holidays, his New York Mets fandom and photos of his family on Twitter.
