Federal investigation targets NYC council member and sister over shelter deals
Council Member Farah Louis speaks during the 40th Annual Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on January 19, 2026 in New York City. (Photo by Jason Mendez/Getty Images for Brooklyn Academy Of Music)
NEW YORK - Federal authorities are examining whether New York City Council member Farah Louis and her sister, Debbie Louis, received improper benefits related to city contracts for migrant shelters, according to reporting by The Associated Press.
A federal search warrant obtained by the AP shows that investigators are looking into possible corruption involving Louis, who represents Brooklyn’s 45th City Council district, and her sister, who works as Gov. Kathy Hochul's assistant secretary for intergovernmental affairs.
The warrant also names Edu Hermelyn, husband of state Assembly member Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, who chairs the Brooklyn Democratic Party.
Edu Hermelyn resigned from an advisory role under former Mayor Eric Adams amid questions about a possible conflict of interest. He also advised former Gov. Andrew Cuomo during his 2025 mayoral campaign. According to The Associated Press, the federal warrant raises suspicions but does not indicate that Hermelyn has been accused of any wrongdoing.
Over a dozen city contracts worth $200 million
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Federal prosecutors are investigating whether these individuals accepted bribes or kickbacks tied to BHRAGS Home Care Inc., a Brooklyn‑based company that shifted from in‑home medical care to running emergency migrant shelters in 2022.
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Since then, the firm has won more than a dozen city contracts worth over $200 million, and investigators want to know if those awards were improperly influenced, according to The Associated Press.
Following the federal inquiry, Debbie Louis was placed on leave from her role in Hochul’s office.
Attempts to reach Farah Louis and Hermelyn for comment were not returned, and the U.S. attorney’s office in Brooklyn declined to comment, the AP reported.
The Source: Information was sourced from The Associated Press, POLITICO, THE CITY and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York.