Welcome to "The Thread of Shame," where we highlight news stories about building officials and inspectors who have been arrested and found guilty of crimes related to their jobs. The purpose of this thread is to serve as a cautionary tale for others in the field, emphasizing the importance of integrity and the severe consequences of unethical behavior.
Feel free to share more stories or discuss these cases further. Let’s work together to ensure our profession remains honorable and trustworthy.
Case 1: Bernie Curran - San Francisco
Bernard Curran, a former senior building inspector in San Francisco, was sentenced to a year and a day in prison for accepting illegal gratuities from developers. Curran admitted to taking $260,000 in loans from a developer to pay down his mortgage and had $30,000 of it forgiven as a reward for his inspections. He inspected several projects linked to the developer, approving one with unresolved violations in exchange for the bribe (Mission Local) (IRS).Case 2: Ibrahimi - New York City
In January 2023, New York City building inspector Ibrahimi was charged with multiple counts of bribe-receiving and official misconduct. Ibrahimi solicited bribes from homeowners to overlook violations. For instance, he demanded $1,500 from a homeowner to ignore an illegal basement and took smaller amounts from others to close complaints falsely. If convicted, he faces up to seven years in prison (Queens DA).Case 3: Eric Ulrich - New York City
Eric Ulrich, former NYC Buildings Commissioner, was indicted on multiple counts of bribery and corruption in November 2023. Ulrich abused his position to assist individuals, including real estate developers and business owners, in exchange for gifts and monetary bribes. His misconduct included expediting building permits and interfering with city inspections for personal gain (THE CITY - NYC News).Case 4: Samuel In - Los Angeles
Samuel In, a former building inspector in Los Angeles, agreed to plead guilty to federal charges of taking over $30,000 in bribes. From 2007 to 2010, In solicited and received payments from business owners in the Koreatown district to expedite permits and approvals. He exploited language barriers to demand these bribes, severely undermining public trust in the inspection process (Justice).Case 5: Rudy Pada and Cyril Yu - San Francisco
San Francisco building inspection engineers Rudy Pada and Cyril Yu were charged with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. They accepted bribes from construction executives to approve building plans. Pada also received an $85,000 interest-free loan from a co-conspirator, which he concealed. Both face up to 20 years in prison and significant fines (The San Francisco Standard).Lessons to Be Learned
These cases underline the critical importance of maintaining ethical standards in the building inspection profession. Corruption not only undermines public trust but also jeopardizes the safety and well-being of the communities we serve. Let these stories be a stark reminder: always uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism to avoid becoming the next cautionary tale in "The Thread of Shame."Feel free to share more stories or discuss these cases further. Let’s work together to ensure our profession remains honorable and trustworthy.
