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Freidman raised more than $50,000 for Mayor de Blasio’s campaign and brokered the ceasefire between City Hall and the head of the NYPD sergeants union.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Report: City Hall’s Ice Cold Relations Thaw Out With the Help of Taxi Kingpin {{!}}|url = http://jpupdates.com/2015/01/25/city-hall/|website = jpupdates.com|accessdate = 2015-11-29}} {{dead link|date=July 2017}}</ref> |
Freidman raised more than $50,000 for Mayor de Blasio’s campaign and brokered the ceasefire between City Hall and the head of the NYPD sergeants union.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Report: City Hall’s Ice Cold Relations Thaw Out With the Help of Taxi Kingpin {{!}}|url = http://jpupdates.com/2015/01/25/city-hall/|website = jpupdates.com|accessdate = 2015-11-29}} {{dead link|date=July 2017}}</ref> |
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== Philanthropy == |
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Freidman has supported charitable organizations including: The Israeli Defense Force, the UJA Federation of New York and [[Chabad]]. |
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He has created scholarship programs for Eastern European immigrants who wish to attend Skidmore College, and scholarships for immigrant children who wish to attend the [[Rabbi Arthur Schneier Park East Day School]] in [[Manhattan]].<ref name="Dinner Co-Chairman Evgeny A. Freidman">{{cite web|title = Dinner Co-Chairman Evgeny A. Freidman|url = http://www.rajeusa.com/dinner/Friedman.php|publisher = RAJE – The Russian American Jewish Experience.|accessdate = 25 October 2015}}</ref> |
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== Recognition == |
== Recognition == |
Revision as of 05:06, 17 August 2017
Evgeny (Gene) A. Freidman is the owner and operator of the largest taxi fleet in New York City. Gene is the sole principal of Taxi Club Management (TCM).[1]
Early life and education
Born in the Soviet Union in 1970, Mr. Freidman emigrated from St. Petersburg to the United States as a political refugee in 1976. He attended local public schools in Queens before his admission to Bronx High School of Science, then went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Business from Skidmore College in 1992. He received his second degree from Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University in New York City and is admitted to practice Law in New York and New Jersey.[2]
Career
Freidman built his father’s taxi fleet into what Freidman calls “the nation’s largest.” He began with 60 yellow cabs, and took the company from a valuation of $2.5 million in 1996 to $120 million in 2009.[3] Today his company operates cabs in New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and New Orleans.[2]
In 2013, Freidman reached a settlement with the New York State Attorney General's office and the Taxi and Limousine Commission over excessive charges to taxi drivers working for three of Freidman's companies. Freidman agreed to pay $750,000 in restitution to drivers and $500,000 in fines.[4][5] The Attorney General sued Freidman in April 2015 for failing to live up to the terms of the 2013 settlement and for further violations.[6][7][8] The suit was settled in April 2016 with Freidman required to pay over $250,000 in fines, damages, and restitution.[9]
In July, 2016, Freidman filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy for companies that own approximately 90 of his nearly 900 medallions, in an attempt to protect those medallions from foreclosure action by lenders. In December 2016, he agreed to surrender 46 of his medallions to settle obligations to Citibank.[10] In September 2016 Freidman was evicted from his longtime headquarters after falling $170,000 behind on his rent.[11][12] In April 2017 the Taxi and Limosine Commission refused to renew more than 800 of Freidman's licenses which had expired. According to a report at that time, Freidman still owned about 150 taxi medallions.[13]
Freidman and Taxi Club Management's Chief Financial Officer, Andreea Dumitru, were arrested in June 2017 following a joint investigation by the New York State Attorney General’s Office and the Department of Taxation and Finance.[14] The Charges relate to "theft and failure to remit to the New York State Tax Department over $5 million in 50 cent MTA surcharges between 2012 and 2015", according to the announcement by New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. Freidman and Dumitru were each charged with four counts of tax fraud and one count of grand larceny.[15]
Political involvement
Freidman raised more than $50,000 for Mayor de Blasio’s campaign and brokered the ceasefire between City Hall and the head of the NYPD sergeants union.[16]
Recognition
Freidman was listed on Crain’s NY Business list of “40 Under 40” in 2008.[17]
Personal life
In 2012, Freidman married his second wife, Sandra. Sandra Freidman gave birth to a daughter in December 2013.[18] Freidman has a son from a previous marriage, born in 2006.[3]
In April 2015, it was alleged by Sandra Freidman that Evgeny Freidman had assaulted her in March 2015.[19][20] Freidman was charged with attempted assault, obstruction of breathing and harassment.[21] Freidman admitted to the incident at a hearing in August 2015 in which he pleaded guilty to a charge of harassment and agreed to a two-year order of protection barring any contact with Sandra Freidman.[21][22] In April 2015, Sandra Freidman filed for divorce.[23]
References
- ^ "About Dispatch Taxi Affiliation Inc Service – Chicago Taxi Service". DispatchTaxi.com. Retrieved 2015-11-29.
- ^ a b "Homepage – Gene Freidman". Gene Freidman. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2015-11-29.
{{cite web}}
: Unknown parameter|deadurl=
ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ a b "Evgeny Freidman CEO of Taxi Club Management". YellowCabNYC.com. 3 February 2009. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
- ^ Flegenheimer, Matt (19 December 2013). "Taxi Industry Bids the Bloomberg Era a Not-So-Fond Farewell". New York Times. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
- ^ Donohue, Pete. "Taxi mogul to pay $1.2 million over allegations he was ripping off cab drivers". New York Daily News. No. 10 December 2013. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
- ^ Fischer, Ben (April 23, 2015). "Schneiderman sues NYC's biggest taxi mogul". New York Business Journal. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
- ^ "A.G. Schneiderman Sues Evgeny Freidman And His Taxi Management Companies For Allegedly Violating Taxi Drivers' Rights And Breaching Settlement Agreement". New York Press Office. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
- ^ Popowitz, Arthur. "Taxi Mogul Freidman Slapped with Lawsuit by AG for Cheating Drivers". Jewish Voice. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
- ^ "A.G. Schneiderman Obtains Consent Order Requiring Evgeny Freidman's Taxi Companies To Hire Independent Monitor To Protect Drivers' Rights". New York City Press Office. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
- ^ http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/taxi-tycoon-cough-cabs-medallions-pay-debt-article-1.2929283
- ^ Furfaro, Danielle. "Controversial 'Taxi King' evicted from longtime headquarters". New York Post. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
- ^ Hoffer, Jim. "Investigators exclusive: Taxi king who owes millions evicted from HQ". WABC-TV. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
- ^ Furfaro, Danielle. "Taxi King no longer allowed to manage hundreds of medallions". New York Post. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
- ^ Matua, Angela. "Sunnyside woman and 'Taxi King' arrested for failing to pay $5 million in MTA taxes". QNS. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
- ^ "A.G. Schneiderman And Acting Tax Commissioner Manion Announce Indictment Of "Taxi King" Evgeny Freidman For Allegedly Stealing Nearly $5 Million In MTA Taxes". New York City Press Office. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
- ^ "Report: City Hall's Ice Cold Relations Thaw Out With the Help of Taxi Kingpin |". jpupdates.com. Retrieved 2015-11-29. [dead link]
- ^ "Evgeny Freidman – 2008–40 Under Forty | Crain's New York Business". mycrains.crainsnewyork.com. Retrieved 2015-11-29.
- ^ Johnson, Richard (9 December 2013). "Taxi king Evgeny Freidman marks a milestone". Page Six. Retrieved 25 October 2015.
- ^ Rosenberg, Rebecca. "Taxi mogul faces assault charges after 'choking' wife". New York Post.
- ^ Van Zuylen-Wood, Simon. "The Struggles of New York City's Taxi King". Bloomberg.
- ^ a b Rosenberg, Rebecca. "Taxi king of New York admits he slammed young wife against wall". New York Post.
- ^ Shapiro, Rachel. "Taxi King Freidman Cuts Plea Deal in Wife 'Attack'". Jewish Voice. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
- ^ Marsh, Julia; Harshbarger, Rebecca (8 April 2015). "Taxi kingpin's decades-younger wife files for divorce". New York Post. Retrieved 25 October 2015.