Protecting the Public's Right to Know
It pays to operate a homeless related shelter or housing venture in New York City. And it pays well, quite well. The primary funding sources are the City of New York itself and Department of Homeland Security ("DHS"). These government entities act as guaranteed payment providers for non-profits operating homeless shelters, and/or homeless prevention housing. The general rules of the road, with respect to government contracting, is that nepotism is a "No-No," but, in reality (at least in New York City), the rules are simply for guidance, especially if the non-profit organization serves the Black Community or is owned/managed by/or controlled by one or more Black executives. The situation with financial abuse with non-profits is so bad in New York City that the New York City Department of Investigation was called to task to investigate the behaviors of a number of so-called non-profit organizations, including but not limited to CAMBA and Acacia Network. According to the city report:
"CAMBA Inc. where president Joanne Oplustil earned more than $750,000 in fiscal year 2022, and the Acacia Network where president Raul Russi took in $935,391 that fiscal year." The City NYC authored by Gwynne Hogan
These type of high-end six-figure salaries rival the compensation packages of top executives at virtually all small businesses and even some bellwethers. How does one explain raking in salaries of this nature on the backs of homeless? How do they sleep at night? Well, based on those salaries -- well -- quite well -- likely in Mc-Mansions. Do their non-profits pay their cell phone and Con Edison bills too? What a sweet deal, yes?
The 101-page New York City Department of Investigation report, below, details a systemic pattern of abuse by non-profits in New York City raking in unbelievable amounts of cash from federal and state government contractual relationships. Oh BTW -- it would be remiss, on behalf of Legalhotwater, to not mention the fact that Legalhotwater sued CAMBA in 2025, which was thrown out by the Black WOKE judge (to protect her 'brothas' and 'sistas'), which case subsequently went up to the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. Oh, did we mention that the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals is controlled by Hispanic Supreme Court justice Sonya Sotomayor, who has been a staunch supporter of virtually all the Black WOKE agenda? Sonya Sotomayor is no Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Albeit Justice Ginsburg was a well-known feminist, Ginsburg did not advocate for nor support the level of repeat offender crime that goes in New York City, which, again, is the epicenter for the federal 2nd circuit court of appeals -- now controlled by Justice Sotomayor, since the passing of Justice Ginsburg. Clearly, New York City, NY is not what it used to be nor will it ever likely return to its glory days.
The twenty-three (23) page complaint (excluding exhibits) against CAMBA includes a matter with fraud requiring a declaratory judgment. The five (5) page frivolous Answer follows, below, which Answer was so poorly constructed and riddled with boiler plate entirely untenable defenses that the Answer should have been stricken and subject to Iqbal sanctions. This is legalease, check with your attorney on Iqbal sanctions. Although the United States Supreme Court did not explicitly state per Iqbal that sanctions are attached to frivolous and untenable defenses, many federal circuit courts are of the position: "What's good for the goose is good for the gander.” Essentially, what this means is that if a plaintiff has to plead sufficient facts such as to nudge a "Complaint across the line," from possibility to probability then a defendant must plead defenses based on facts which show the probability of a given defense being applicable to the claim(s) at hand. But, again, this is New York City and the 2nd Circuit Court run by far leftist Justice Sotomayor who seldom writes her own briefs and almost always her position, in Supreme Court rulings, is based on emotional appeal as opposed to the facts and rule of law. One must wonder how is Justice Sotomayor benefiting, by way of some kickback perhaps, to support the below completely untenable frivolous Answer, which a first year law student could have written better. These are real world examples of why New York City, NY has become an embarrassment, as is the United States Federal Court system.
Here is the Complaint:
Here is CAMBA's Answer to the Complaint: