EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Inspector General received a complaint alleging that Willie Walker, a building superintendent for the New York State Office of General Services (OGS), may have violated the New York Public Officers Law by accepting “finder’s fees” for donations that he solicited for events held at the Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. State Office Building in Harlem (Powell Building). The Powell Building has an outdoor plaza that hosts community and cultural events, including the annual Summer Stage in Harlem (Summer Stage), a summer-long series of weekly musical performances. Although Summer Stage was not formally sponsored by OGS at the time, the complaint stated that Walker granted permission for Summer Stage to use the outdoor plaza and helped coordinate event logistics. Walker also became involved in event production, including the solicitation of sponsorship donations. The complaint further alleged that in 2009, Walker received a check for $1,500 from Summer Stage’s financial manager, Harlem Memorial Community Development, Inc. (HMCD), as payment of a “finder’s fee” for soliciting a $20,000 sponsorship donation...
