WCNYH

Former Longshoreman Arrested after Presenting Forged Documents to Waterfront Commission in an Attempt to be Re-instated to Register

Date: September 13, 2011

On September 13, 2011, former longshoreman Anthony Bell was arrested by Detectives from the Waterfront Commission and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Detective Squad after presenting forged documents to the Commission in an attempt to be re-instated as a longshoreman.

In 2006, Bell was given a lifetime ban from the industry by the NYSA-ILA Seniority Board for excessive absenteeism. That ban was lifted in 2008 and Bell submitted sponsorship letters from Maher Terminal and the NYSA-ILA Seniority Board to the Commission in an attempt to be re-instated to the Longshore Register. The Waterfront Commission denied Bell’s Request for Re-instatement as he failed to establish the requisite good cause for his failure to meet work requirements.

On July 20, 2011, Bell submitted forged documents to the Commission in support of his second Request for Re-instatement. Bell submitted the same 2008 documents with the dates altered in order to give the appearance of current sponsorship.

Bell has been charged with 2 counts of Forgery in the Second Degree, 2 counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument and 1 count of offering a False Instrument for Filing. The case is being prosecuted by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.