On Thursday, April 11th, New York City’s battle against corruption saw a significant development as Zabihullah Ibrahimi, a building inspector with the Department of Buildings, was charged with accepting bribes. The charges were announced by Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, highlighting a troubling pattern of misconduct aimed at evading building regulations.
Ibrahimi, 42, from College Point, Queens, faces allegations of soliciting cash from homeowners in exchange for dismissing violations during routine inspections. This misconduct reportedly involved several incidents throughout 2023 and early 2024, where Ibrahimi manipulated regulatory processes to benefit financially from property owners desperate to resolve complaints against their properties.
The inspector’s method involved exploiting the homeowner’s fears of expensive legalizations and repairs. For instance, during a January 2023 inspection, Ibrahimi informed a South Ozone Park homeowner that her basement was not compliant with city regulations. He initially demanded $1,500 to overlook the violation but accepted $140 when the homeowner expressed financial constraints. This pattern of negotiation was evident in other cases, with bribes ranging up to several thousand dollars.
These illicit activities came to light following meticulous reviews of Ibrahimi’s inspection records, which often concluded with dubious claims of inaccessible properties or no violations, raising suspicions among his superiors. The Department of Buildings, under Commissioner Jimmy Oddo, acted swiftly by placing Ibrahimi on leave without pay and conducting a comprehensive audit of his past inspections to ensure public safety and integrity within the agency.
Ibrahimi’s actions not only betray public trust but also endanger the structural safety and compliance of buildings within the city. His arraignment saw him facing multiple counts of bribe receiving and official misconduct, with potential penalties leading up to seven years in prison if convicted.
The incident underscores a broader issue of corruption within public services, prompting calls from city officials for tighter scrutiny and more stringent controls on internal processes. As the legal proceedings unfold, this case is expected to serve as a cautionary tale and a catalyst for reform across New York City’s regulatory environments.
The Queens DA’s office, together with city law enforcement, remains vigilant in rooting out corruption, affirming its commitment to maintaining the highest standards of ethical conduct and accountability in public service.
